REFLECTION 1.5 'TRAWLING THE NET'

Static websites have their content rarely updated, and their pages may consist of contacts, organization history, and mission statement among others.

Whereas blogs are regularly updated and the content there in is date specific.

It is interesting to note that I have observed that most of the websites have now integrated blogs so that the some content will be regularly updated. So one notes that a blog is more flexible and much easier to setup and thus makes them dynamic.

Again wiki space is more challenging, the review and editing of the page is done by anybody  in the group and can be re-edited every time, the challenge will be on the consensus of the  knowledge of individuals about the topic  and objectives.

I wish to under list the criteria for evaluating educational sites.

1.       Check, scan and understand the URL of the site, in here one has to check for domain name, and its relevance to the content searched. I have realized that sites that have “edu” in their URL are experienced educational sites and very academic.

For example,

 http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/

http://www.edutopia.org/

http://ed.ted.com/

2.       A teacher has to check on the “philosophy, background and “about us “ of the site, there one can get the quick glimpse of what he or she should expect.

For example  

 http://southafrica.ni.com/

https://moodle.org/

3.       Also the teacher can also trace for the indicators of quality information, like some added links and their validity.

4.       Also one can directly go to the purpose of the site. Is it educational or commercial…

http://www.classroom20.com/ ; http://wiki.classroom20.com/

5.       And the coverage of the content is sufficient.

In summary;

 I have been empowered by this lesson on the following ideas.

Am now able to evaluate a site, fast enough to know what it is talking about by scanning the URL, the mission statement and the location.

I have been exposed to many links so much useful for my profession as references.

More so, I have been empowered to seek and curate the content information for future use for my trainees.

My way is now clear and I have gotten the momentum to a clear path to my professional learning net work.

I appreciate the team work exhibited by my course group members in the wiki, and it is so challenging to find answers. But sharing is so much caring…

Such contributions end up starting new knowledge and generate the debate so much more