EDCI 5825: Assignment 1

1. Define in your own words what it means to be information literate?

Information literate means being fully aware of a source's credibility. In the context of the November article on online sources, one must find the meta-web of the information, evaluate the author of the information and their credentials to make sure that they are a credible and knowledge source of information, and also be aware of the purpose of the website. Some websites are out to sell a product or are biased, so it is important to evaluate this. It is important to be aware that anyone can post information on the internet and that some information is false and misleading, so we need to take responsible measures to make sure a source is valid. I thought that the example November gave about Zack and the misinformation he found on the Holocaust was right on and definitely made me aware of the importance of checking a source. Even though Zack's source appeared to be valid on the surface, seeing as it was written by a professor and published on a university website, you have to be very careful and always backcheck an author and check the URL.

2. How can teachers and students thoughtfully evaluate online information resources, including the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia?

Teachers and students can thoughtfully evaluate online information resources by checking the meta-web information of a website, the author of the information on the site and the credentials (it is important to validate their credentials in a few locations online through search engines), and to check the purpose of the website to ensure that the site is not a biased site. It is important to be aware that there is an array of false information on the internet which is why we must thoroughly check our internet sources. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia that can be edited by anybody using the internet, so it is impossible to check their credentials. Therefore, it is important to check any information taken from Wikipedia with another reliable source to make sure it is true. Sometimes wikipedia will have a list of sources at the end of an article, so this might be a useful tool. They also sometimes have citations within an article, so it's important that one checks the validity.

3. What are a few of the similarities and differences between the four instructional models of Internet use (Internet Project, Internet Workshop, Internet Inquiry, and WebQuest)?

All of the instructional models are ways in which students learn the advantages and limitations of using the internet to gather information, communicate, evaluate the data they attain, and synthesize information. Additionally, all of the models are inquiry-based models and can be applied to any content area. Internet workshop and internet webquest are both models that are primarily used in the classroom as group projects, thus teaching the students how to gather information from the internet as well as how to collaborate in groups. Internet Inquiry and internet project are usually used as a classroom, although I believe it is possible for them to be used as group projects as well. Internet project is a collaborative experience between classrooms to solve a common problem. These can be web-based or spontaneous projects. Internet workshop is a research project when students break up into groups and use search engines to gather information on a specific subject. They gather information they are asked to find, record the information, and share the content-knowledge they find with the class. Internet inquiry is when students gather information from the internet in a subject that they are interested. The students learn to gather information, analyze it, identify problems, and synthesize the information. WebQuest breaks a class into groups and asks students to find information on a subject and present the information, possibly through role-playing.