Policy Brief Part 3

Accuracy and Validity

Introduction
With the increased emphasis on using the Internet to conduct research, it’s more important now than ever to be sure that the websites we use and our students use has accurate and valid information. While books and encyclopedias have (mostly) correct information that has been checked and edited, the same cannot be said of websites on the Internet. Not all sources are reliable or valuable (UCLA, 2009). We need to make our staff and students understand how to identify accurate and valid websites.

Option 1
Use a portion of our curriculum workdays to have someone speak to the staff about how to check websites for accuracy and validity.

Pro – If time from curriculum workdays is used, there would be no additional cost to educate the staff on accuracy and validity. Having grade level/content area teachers together, focus could be on using websites that are appropriate for the specific grade levels/content areas. With that narrow of a focus, teachers could assess how accurate and valid websites they currently use in the classroom are. They would have their colleagues right there to help evaluate the sites.

Con – Time is precious. Using even a portion of time on the curriculum workdays is not the best use of that time. There are so many other things that need to be discussed, such as PSSA tests, new programs, curriculum changes, and so on. Taking time from those types of discussions would be a detrimental.

Option 2
Have teachers submit websites they would like to use to one of the technology coordinators for evaluation before they can be used in the classroom.

Pro – The technology coordinators are very proficient in the jobs. They do a terrific job of scouring the Internet for resources. They would do an excellent job of assessing accuracy and validity. If a teacher finds a site on his or her own, an email with the web address listed could be sent to them asking for the site to be reviewed. Upon review, the tech coordinator could send an email to all of the appropriate staff so that everyone could have access to the site.

Con – While the technology coordinators would do an excellent job reviewing the accuracy and validity of websites, their time would be monopolized by it. They are better used as they are now. Coming into the classroom to assist students and teachers with projects, webinars, and videoconferencing is a much better use of their time than


References

http://www2.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/11605_12337.cfm