ICT resources for science teachers

2. Evaluating a web resource

In this activity you will review a science website of your choice and produce a short report to share with your group and other science teachers. You will also learn to be more critical of the information you find on websites.

Follow these steps to complete these activities. Look for contexts that are meaningful to you in your classroom.

1

Work in pairs. (60 min)

• Browse to or search for a science teaching resource on the Web.
• Use the web site evaluation tool to evaluate the resource. This form will help you assess the quality of the website generally. To assist your understanding consult the resources on purpose, credibility, accuracy and bias.

• What you think you can do with the resources in a classroom?
• Why you think the resources are reliable and suitable for classroom use?

Click here for a list of science teaching websites

Click here for the website evaluation tool

• Purpose of a web site
• Credibility of a web site
• Accuracy of information
• Detecting bias

Click here to see how to search for websites

2

Remain in pairs (30 minutes)

• Evaluate the resource as a science teaching and learning tool by applying the principles of OBE as evaluation criteria

Click here to evaluate outcomes-based principles in the resource

3

Meet as a class (15 minutes)

• Share the locations and recommendations of the best online science resources that you have evaluated
• Draw up a list of website resources for science teachers that you may find useful now or at a later stage

4

Work on your own (15 minutes)

• Review the list of science resources and identify how the best of these may help you to achieve learning outcomes and assessment standards.

Refer to the curriculum statements:

• GET Natural Science
• FET Physical Science

5

You have the option of using the South African National Portal (Thutong) to enhance this workshop activity.