Web Site Evaluation

Web Site Evaluation Education World www.educationworld.com Courtney M. Cox 2-8-06

Content Education World is a web site for educators and administrators. There is an abundance of information including:

 Lesson Plans  Professional Development  Information for Administrators  Technology Integration  Educational Articles  Newsletters for parents, students & educators  Variety of templates for teachers

Lesson plans can be located by content area or under specialty titles such as:

 Lesson Plan of the Day  Learning Games  Worksheet Library  5 Minute Fillers

Lesson plans listed on the main page are centered on current holidays or themes.

The professional development section has resources for veteran educators and new teachers. There are valuable tools such as:

 Virtual workshops  New Teacher Advisor- advice & resources for new teachers  Reading Room - Reading Strategies that work  Educational articles based on current trends in education

The technology section offers a wide array of information for teachers including:

 Technology lesson plan of the week  Techtorials - technology tutorials for teachers  Technology Site Reviews  Template library  List of Web Quests / web based activities for teachers  Technology Team – offers technology advice for teachers  Message boards

The web site includes a search engine that searches for information located only on educational web sites. Articles can be located by typing the topic in the search box. The web site will then list links to various articles and educational sites.

The content on the web site is free.

Authenticity The founders of the web site wanted to create a home for educators on the internet. Their goal is to provide a valuable resource for educators that will help them integrate technology and the internet into their classrooms.

The parent company of Education World is EDmin.com. They provide a wide range of educational services to the education community.

The articles located on the site, have the author listed as well as additional resources.

The creators of the web site can be contacted by using the “Contact Us” link. They have also listed the e-mail address of the web master.

The web site was last updated on February 9, 2006. It is updated daily with “Lesson Plans of the Day”.

Learning Strategies

The web site contains several different areas in which teachers can locate ideas on teaching strategies, lesson plans or activities that address the multiple intelligences.

 Reading Room – A section that offers strategies to teach reading.  Learning Games of the Week - Games and lesson plans to teach strategies and content.  Month of Fun - Calendar of interactive games, puzzles, word searches and activities tied to content areas.

Educators can use this web site to search for educational articles. Articles are current and based on new trends in education. The articles provide teachers with new ideas and strategies that will assist in planning lessons that teach to the various learning styles of our students.

Navigation

There are several ways to navigate the web site.

 A search engine at the top of each page that allows for a quick search of any topic.  Quick links listed on the left side of the screen.  Headings listed at the top of the home page.

Although there are many ways to reach each section of the web site, you can become overwhelmed with the amount of information listed on the home page. It is not clear which would be the best way to search for information.

The web site is funded by corporate sponsors and advertisers. There is a link to each of the web sites for these sponsors listed on each page. These links are enclosed in a box on the right hand side of the screen and easy to ignore if you aren’t interested.

There are no pop up advertisements and you will not need additional plug-ins to view the site.

Graphics

The graphics on the front page draw the viewer’s attention to special events or topics.

The addition of the graphics did not delay the loading of the web site.

Appeal

The site is appealing. There is a good balance between the use of graphics and information. Although I believe they have placed too much information on the main page. New visitors may be overwhelmed with the amount of information located on the home page.

Availability

The site is available when needed. It loads quickly and provides links to other educational web sites. The links worked quickly and accurately.