Online Literacy Assignment

(Written Component)
Kristina Garcia
Bellarmine University

For this online literacy assignment, I designed a lesson on how to effectively evaluate a
websites credibility. In this digital age of instant information, opinion, and blog content coming
across the Internet, teachers have a responsibility in teaching students how to evaluate content of
websites in order to enhance students ability in making sense with the information provided.
Evaluation of online resources has become one of the most important strategies involved in
online research and school-based activities. As a social studies teacher, modeling effective
research strategies using traditional print such as textbooks, library books, and newspapers have
become second nature in my lesson planning and classroom activities. However, preparing
students to be able to research and locate relevant information with credible sources on the
Internet has become crucial in my preparation for all of my classes regardless of the content
being taught. I too am learning about and developing the necessary skills needed to teach in the
21st century with what is called Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, or TPACK.
This lesson is connected to many of the standards required to teach literacy in the K-12
classroom today. It addresses ISTE standard 3b; Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize,
and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. It is also connected to
standard 3c; Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the
appropriateness of a specific task. For example, this lesson explicitly teaches students how to
locate the author of a website, analyze the factors and indicators of what makes that author
credible, and why it is ethically responsible to use credible web sites when researching for
papers. The lesson also allows the students to use different types of media including traditional
print, the Internet, and digital resources to conduct research.
This lesson was based on teaching the five Ws of website evaluation. It is a guideline
that students can follow when conducting an evaluation of a website. The lesson also features an

interactive resource to use with the five Ws evaluation both of which have been adapted from
Kathy Schrocks original resource (www.kathyschrock.net/abceval.5ws.pdf; and
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/pdf/evalhigh.pdf). Teaching students to
evaluate a websites credibility using the interactive resources and digital tools addresses ISTE
standard 2a; Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity. Students are given numerous resources to
locate and analyze relevant information for their research paper while also developing their
literacy skills.
Kentucky Teacher Standards are addressed and met throughout this lesson. Although this
was not my first lesson on implementing and incorporating technology into my instruction, it
was the first planned lesson that will not only cover the use of primary sources for a social
studies assignment, but also searching and locating resources using literacy based standards
according to CCSS and KTS. It addressed Common Core State Standard ELA-

Literacy.W.11-12.7; Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a

question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry
when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of
the subject under investigation. Students were required to conduct research for a writing
assignment and also to answer specific questions that addressed their inquiry skills based solely
on the accumulated research. It addressed KTS Standard 6.2; Teacher uses available technology
to implement instruction that facilitates student learning.
This assignment was a challenge for me in that I had to incorporate many of the standards
that I have never addressed before including ISTE and ILA standards. I learned a tremendous

amount of new information that I will utilize in building new lesson plans in order for students to
develop the literacy skills that they will need going forward in the 21st century. When planning
for future technology assignments, I will refer back to this literacy and technology class and also
the standards that may not be required, yet, for a social studies teacher, but will definitely be
required for a literacy teacher and coach.

References
Kathy Schrocks Guide for Educators: Critical Evaluation Information
school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html.
school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/evalhigh.html.