Internet Usage: Be a Wise Worker

Smart SurfingWebsite Evaluation

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Smart SurfingThe next four slides will identify *how to keep your computer healthy when online *how to check for viruses, spyware, and Trojans *easy ways to bookmark and store your favorites *how to download files from the web

Keep Your Computer Healthy Keep your

operating system up to date (subscribe to updates)

Update your web browser

Open only trusted attachments

Change and encrypt your passwords

Use numbers and letters – nothing personal

Use a password protection program

Protect your computer from

Viruses: “They are designed to copy themselves, throughout your computer's memory or hard drive, or even across the internet.” Results in slowing the computer down or allowing hackers

Spyware: programs designed to track your behavior; can be good or bad

Trojans: benign games, pictures or files that when opened contain malware

Bookmarking Your Favorites

Options:› On your desktop (arrange and store in

files)› In the cloud with WEB 3.0 applications

Delicious.com Diigo great for research!

Your turn: Bookmark another site that you will use for information to include in your brochure

Downloading and Storing files

How to download Firefox or Internet Tip: Open the file form the download

file and then save to a file within your documents

Use the Cloud “Dropbox” Your turn: Locate a site that contains a

a file to download – preferably one that will assist in making your brochure

Now Let’s Narrow in on a Site

Let’s Examine a Well Sought After Site To Begin the Hunt

Link to this site, Edudemic, which was recognized as an award-winning site for digital education.

Then, read the criteria of a valid and credible site as noted in the next six slides that follow.

*When you finish, you will be asked

Evaluating Content and Accessibility of a Web Site

Which sites should you actually use in your research?

Accessibility and Availability

Do you know…… Internet information can be very

transitory or short lived.

Some sites require excess time for download – this may be caused by high traffic volume or too many graphics

Site options should be easily viewed by those with disabilities – such as alternative text and video.

How easy is it to find and use? How much time does it take to

access the resource? How stable is the information

resource or its provider? Will it be available again if you need

it at a later date? Be aware that some Internet information can be very transitory or short lived. Also, does the site allow for reasonable download time?

The sample site by Edudemic is a well recognized site that is easily viewed and always up for observation.

When you evaluate a site, answer the following”

Check for Bias, Accuracy Check for clues

that the information may be biased ( as in representative of only one viewpoint)

Determine if the information is targeted for a specialized audience

Determine if you can check the accuracy of the information

Check the publication date for recent update or posting -

Authoritativeness Information posted should be

confirmed and these sources should be marked or linked.

Author and publisher should be clearly identified

Look for link to author’s email or personal website

LAYOUT The site should be

easy to navigate Subsections

should be clearly labeled

Index should be easy to view

Links should be relevant and up to date

Check for awards given to site for recognition of usefulness, purpose, and ease of navigation

Determine if a fee is charged to use information

Check that the site encrypts any information sent through it

Let’s Try to Evaluate a Site

Use the Edudemic site to conduct your first formal site evaluation.

Before you complete this process, you must first open the site evaluation folder, within this lesson plan and proceed through each item in order.