VIRTUAL TOURSConsultant: Susan Gillespie

External Client: Heather Suwinski

Project 5: Visual-Based Instruction

Standards

• L6-8RST9: Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.

• L6-8WHST8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Objectives• Students will explore different websites in order to learn

how to evaluate creditable websites.

• Students will evaluate websites with the following criteria: accuracy, authority, objectivity, and currency

• Students will create a comparison chart for four websites that have virtual tour components.

• Using the information from the comparison chart, students will write a comparison paper on two of their favorite virtual tours website.

Essential Questions• What are virtual tours?

• How can virtual tours benefit students education?

• Why is it important to evaluate websites?

• What are the criteria to a creditable website?

• What is authority, accuracy, authority, objectivity, and currency when evaluating websites?

Website Credibility• Procedures:

• Write the words “trustworthy” and “reliable” on the board. As a group, brainstorm what these words mean, how they are related, and what kinds of things might display those characteristics. Group these items into a concept map.

• Read the three short news briefs. After reading each one, tell the source of that information.

New Briefs• 1. We are having a tornado drill and after that we are going to

have a field trip to someplace really cool. Plus I heard that there was going to be a famous person coming to school today, but there was a bomb threat so they could not make it. (source: school bus conversations)

• 2. Our school is the best one around. We had the highest scores and will probably win an award. You will get to have a HUGE party to celebrate. (source: an unknown adult that is passing though)

• 3. We are going to have a celebration for a job well done this year. We did very well on our standardized test. We will have a pep rally on Friday. (source: principal)

Website Credibility Continued

• Students should discuss with their group and agree on one of the choices to select as a reliable source of information. Students should tell why they made their selection in the edmodo discussion blog.

• Using a computer with an internet connection and a projector hooked up to it, the teacher will select a website with virtual tours components and evaluate a website in a whole group setting using the given rubric.

Website Credibility Continued• Using the same rubric as demonstrated before; students

will work with a partner to evaluate four websites that have virtual tours.

• Students are to evaluate the websites with the following criteria: accuracy, authority, objectivity, and currency.

• Then they will make a comparison chart to compare and contrast the websites.

• Individually, the students will write a paper a comparison paper on the websites they evaluated.

What is a virtual tour?

• A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location, usually composed of a sequence of video or still images. It may also use other multimedia elements such as sound effects, music, narration, and text.

What is accuracy?• Accuracy tells if the information is reliable and correct, is

there an editor who verifies the information.

• Is the information on the website error-free and dependable?

What is authority?• What are the author’s qualifications ,credentials and

connections to the subject?

Is there a contact person or address available?

Can the webmaster be contacted easily?

What is objectivity?• Is the material presented in a unbalanced manner which

is only one side of an issue?

• Is the information an opinion?

• Is there advertising on the page?

• What is the purpose of the site: to sell, to inform, to persuade?

What is currency?• How current are the links?

• Have any dates expired or moved?

Website Evaluation Rubric• Name______________________Date________________

• Website Evaluation Rubric• Name of site: ___________________________________•  • URL: __________________________________________• Type of site: (personal, organization, government,

company, etc.)_______________________•  • Purpose of the website: (to give information to help you

learn, to try to sell something, to try to change your opinion about something, etc.)_______________________________________

Website Evaluation Rubric Continued• Virtual Tour component: was it user friendly, page lay-out organized, easy to navigate,

right about of information, engaging, use of colors and font correctly

• Rank the website in the following areas using this scale: • 1 Horrible 2 Poor 3 OK 4 Good 5 Excellent• Accuracy- Design of Website• Looks official (no spelling mistakes, clear format, good graphics) _________• Moves from page to page easily________________• Objectivity• Non-bias information__________ • Are there facts on the page that you were looking for? __________• Links to other websites useful ______________• Information useful• Authority-Credibility• Author’s name and email address are given_________________• Name of the organization sponsoring the page is given_______________• Currency- Up-to-Date• Gives a recent date for the last time the page was updated._________________• Links to other websites current________________________

Example of a Virtual Tour Comparison Chart

Components of

Visual Literacy

•Smithsonian •

The Henry Ford Mus

eum Online Exhibits

Anne Frank Museu

m Amsterdam - the

official Anne Frank

House

...

Virtual Tour - Martin

Luther King Jr.

National Historic

 

Use of visuals equal amount of

texts and graphics,

visuals appealing to

the eye

more texts than

visuals, lot of

advertisements,

excellent pictures in

video,

scrolling pictures

across the top,

equal number of

visual as texts

very few visual on

front page

Comparison Chart Continued

Page layout three column format busyness, tab

buttons across the

top, and up and

down

two column format positive and

negative spaces,

three column

format

Use of colors

and fonts

complementary

color; appropriate

use of font for the

tone of the

information on the

website

small font, small

visuals

good color contrast,

appropriate size

font

simple fonts and

appropriate colors

for the tone of the

website

Virtual Tour Comparison Chart

Ease of Navigation tabs were across the

top of page, no dead

links, did not have to

search for hidden links

dead links

not easy to maneuver,

too a while before

pages uploaded

easy to get back to

home page, scroll

over key words more

information appears

dead links under the

teacher’s resource

tab, several

requested pages not

found

Current Information last posted modified,

calendar had current

events, no expired

events posted

information and dates

current

up-to-date

information, it even

acknowledge it would

have been Anne

Frank’s 84th birthday

up-to-date

information,

calendar of events

References• Georgia Common Core Standards retrieved at

http://www.georgiastandards.org

• Golombisky, K., & Hagen, R. (2010). White space is not your enemy: a beginner’s guide to communicating visually through graphic, web & multimedia design. MA: Focal Press.

• Kobre, K. (2012). Videojournalism: multimedia storytelling. MA: Focal Press.

Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Reading Room retrieved http://www/loc.gov/rr/print