As a 21st century educator, the role of an evaluator and educator go hand-in-hand. Twenty-first century education has required the advent of ISTE National Technology Standards for Students, which outlines benchmarks and skills students should acquire in order to use technology responsibly and effectively. Among these standards, students are expected to:
"evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks."
"select and use applications effectively and productively."
"Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources."
How are students going to acquire these digital evaluating skills? Through facilitating use of Web sites and exposing students to educational software in the classroom, educators "enhance the teaching and learning process" by equipping students with the opportunity to develop their digital literacy skills based upon the positive model of their teachers(Shelly, Gunter, & Gunter, 2010, p. 392). Before teachers can expect their students to know how to evaluate technology and develop information fluency and digital literacy, teachers themselves must first understand the evaluation cycle.
As described by Shelly, Gunter, & Gunter, (2010), evaluating technology is a process required before, during, and after instruction. Due to strict budgets provided to schools and teachers, educators must find software that is both cost-effective and content-effective. Rubrics, similar to the ones created to assess students' digital projects, are an effective outline teachers can use to guide their evaluation. While I have subconciously evaluated educational technology this year for use in my classroom, I am now able to align the questions I used to subconsciously ask myself with the elements described in the rubric in Shelly, Gunter, & Gunter (2010).
When I evaluate Web sites and resources that I want to use with my students, I always begin by examining the URL. If I have a choice between sites that end in .org or .com, I usually choose the .org because it is an organization. I know realize this is an evaluation of a Web sites affiliation. When I attended the FETC conference in Orlando this past January, I was overwhelmed with educational software vendors. My principal sent me to research various software to purchase for our school. At the conference, I tested various student response systems and mobile computer tablets. While a rubric similar to this one would have been useful, I was able to still apply some of the evaluation areas. By checking the software for an 800 support number, evaluating the online resources and communities available, and assessing the software/hardware required, I was able to narrow my recommendation to the principal to two companies. Comparing the technical quality, particularly the animations and graphic available, in addition to the ease of use, I finally weighed out prices and pros and cons between Smartboard and eInstruction. When I returned from the conference, my principal and I discussed my evaluation of the educational software and we have since been able to purchase two student response systems which are very effective in the classroom baseed on students' positive comments.
While I think a rubric would have been useful, I feel as though without having prior knowledge of "formal" evaluation as discussed in Shelly, Gunter, and Gunter (2010), I innately evaluated all the important aspects. In the future, I will use a rubric when I attend technology conferences in order to better document and compare software.
With the increasing availability of accessing Web sites and information from everywhere, digital evaluation is an important skill that both students and teachers must acquire. Through evaluating Web sites and software that I plan to use with my students, I will develop the skills that I can then model and share with my students. I am a strong believer that learning is an on-going process and as a teacher, I have the opportunity to learn how to effectively find information in our 21st century society with my students.
Digitally yours,
Jessica Levene
References:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). Educational technology standards for students. Retrieved from, http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm
Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., & Gunter, R.E. (2010). Integrating Technology and digital media in the classrom. Boston, MA: Cenage.
Love your post and agree with the necessity of this skill for teachers and students alike. Did want to point out that repetition of non-rhyming vowel sounds is actually assonance rather than alliteration (consonant sounds).
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