1. Critical Evaluation of Resources Information Literacy Workshop Everything You Wanted To Know About Teaching Information Literacy but Were Too Afraid To Ask Nancy Madacsi, Centenary College Ma Lei Hsieh, Moore Library, Rider University Pat Dawson, Moore Library, Rider University June 7, 2010

2. What are the Existing Evaluation Models? ACRL – Standard 3, Number 2 Robert Harris - Virtual Salt 5 W’s and a How Big 6 or REACT- Evaluation embedded in information literacy frameworks Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators

3. Discussion Points and Activities Comprehend the complexity of evaluation Introduce some evaluation models Use a sample checklist to evaluate a website Considerations for evaluating various sources Discuss methods of assessment including rubrics Applications/Questions

4. ACRL Criteria http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm Reliability Validity Accuracy Authority Timeliness Point of View

5. Robert Harris Virtual Salt Information exists on a continuum of reliability and quality “Reliable – Information is Power” CARS Checklist Credibility Accuracy Reasonable Support http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm

6. Journalism’s FIVE W’s and How

7. Other REACTS – Taxonomies of Thoughtful Research and Thoughtful Reactions Level 4 of the research model is: Evaluating and Deliberating Outcome: Judging information on the basis of authority, significance and bias Cognitive Task: Challenging

8. Kathy Schrock’s Criteria Evaluation http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/evalhigh.html Technical/Visual Content Authority

9. Lots of Criteria But Problematic Evaluating is a very nuanced process Issues evaluating within disciplines Different disciplines have different levels of criteria Challenges evaluating across media Information validity between disciplines Information validity at appropriate skill level

10. Within Discipline Literature Formalism Classicism Feminism Psychoanalytic Structuralism New Historicism Marxism Post-Colonialism

11. Between Disciplines Which point of view is valid, authoritative and/or objective? Offshore Drilling Business Environmental Engineering Political Ethical

12. Criteria of Various Disciplines The level and type of information needed varies Fashion – Trends and Techniques Literature – Criticism Science – Research Studies Accounting – Standards

13. Across Media Television Radio Print Resources Vendor produced digital formats Internet and all of its variations

14. Skill Levels The skills used at various levels meet the criteria for appropriate evaluation Need continued instruction at various skill levels Need to understand that the educational process is progressive

15. Consider Quality is more important than quantity The majority of material found will be excluded The Internet complicates evaluation GOAL: To develop a more discerning, critical user of information

16. Discussion What difficulties do you have in teaching evaluation of sources? What solutions have you developed to meet the challenges?

17. UC Berkley Criteria For Website Evaluation Careful evaluation of the URL Careful evaluation of the domain Who is the publisher? Check About Us, philosophy, background, biography Who links to the page? Quality indicators Does the information make sense? http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

18. Web Page Evaluation Checklist (U.C. Berkeley) http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/evaluation_c hecklist_2009_spring.rtf http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/evaluation_c hecklist_2009_spring.rtf Alexa.com

19. Use the Berkeley Checklist To Evaluate Pop! The First Male Pregnancy http://www.malepregnancy.com/ You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiU-KZ_KADY

20. Your Turn Use the Berkeley Checklist to evaluate a website Select one site to evaluate http://www.brainyquote.com/ http://www.thekingcenter.org/ http://martinlutherking.org/ http://sourcewatch.org/ http://snopes.com http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

21. Differences in Evaluating Other Sources Journal articles Magazine articles Blog Wiki Email legends FaceBook (social networking tools) Twitter

22. Fact-Checking Websites Quackwatch - Health information http://www.quackwatch.org/ http://www.quackwatch.org/ Fact checking of political information - West Hempstead Public Library http://www.whplibrary.org/newandnoteworthy/2008/09/fact_ch ecking_websites_1.html http://www.whplibrary.org/newandnoteworthy/2008/09/fact_ch ecking_websites_1.html Muckety: Mapping the paths of power and influence http://news.muckety.com/ http://news.muckety.com/

23. Assessment Tools Rubrics One-Minute Paper Test Survey Focus group

24. Rubrics for Assessing Students’ Work LOBO Tutorial Website www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/index.php?option=content&task=view&id =78&Itemid=123 www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/index.php?option=content&task=view&id =78&Itemid=123 Centenary College Rubric and Alternative Assessment Tool (handout)

25. Rubric Pros and Cons PROS Provides a performance standard for students Offers a standard method for evaluation by more than one instructor Easier to use CONS Rubrics are rigid and don’t allow for latitude in evaluation Time consuming Student should receive personal, specific comments on their work

26. Questions/Discussions How can you apply what you learned today? Questions

27. Annotated Bibliography Handout