Name of Reviewer Parvin, Staci

Section 004

Number 12

Evaluating Websites for Reliability and Usability of Websites for Students Name of Site Digital History

URL of Site http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraID=3&smtID=1

Contact Information for Author: ❐ Is there an online form? Email address? [email protected] Special Requirements Needed to Access Information at the site: Does the site work better with a specific browser? No specific browser recommended Plug-ins are pieces of software that manages Internet content that a browser cannot process: Does the site have ❐ Interactivity (games, presentations) ? ❐ PDF files? ❐ Audio? ❐ Video? ✔

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Primary Purpose of Site: Check the primary purpose of the site. May be more than one. ❐ Interactive Simulation

❐ Primary Source

❐ Project site

❐ Teacher Utility

❐ Game

❐ Other

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❐ Reference site ✔

❐ Tutorial [identify ]

Overview of site: Write a brief overview of the site that explains what is found at the site and how it could be used by K-12 students for learning. On this web site, students can access primary sources, videos, audio files and time lines of twenty different eras of American history. Within each of these eras, the web site provides respective resources that allows students to better understand key historical figures, events and documents in a structured and well defined manner. It also provides quizzes within each section to access students' comprehension of the site's Directions: The criteria found in the sections that follow should be apparent in web sites that are used for educational materials. Due to the complexity of the primary sources and the reference material, I would advise this site purposes. Sites should be reliable, accurate, current, presented with no apparent bias and follow good design would best be used for upper level Social Science courses, such as eleventh and twelfth grade.

principles for accessibility. Review the site and indicate, with a Yes or No that the criterion is met by the site.

Author: Based on your review, discuss the reliability of the author. (Some companies have teams of authors) Yes The author of the site is identified. Yes The author’s qualifications’ suggest that he/she is an authority on the subject. Yes The author is affiliated with a university or professional organization that is considered reputable. No Contact information for the author is provided such a phone number or email address. Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation tells you about the author. The information provided about the author, Steven Mintz, attests to his knowledge and prowess on the subject. He is the Executive Director of the Institute for Transformational Learning and thus has an informed insight into various techniques and approaches to teaching history in an innovative way. He is also a leading professor of History which demonstrates his knowledge in regard to the content of the site.

Publishing Body: Based on your review, discuss the reliability of the publishing body. Yes The publishing body is identified for the site. Yes The publishing body is considered a leader on this topic. Yes You know or have heard of the publishing body. Yes The page(s) resides on an official web site rather than a personal website. Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation tells you about the publishing body. The site is published by the College of Education at the University of Houston. By having a University as the publishing body, especially a University that is known for its History department, the site increases its credibility as a learning tool.

obannon & puckett , Preparing Use Technology

Name of Reviewer Parvin, Staci

Section 004

Number 12

Bias of information: Based on your review, discuss any bias that is apparent in the information at the site. No The information appears to be an advertisement, political or philosophical in nature. Yes The site conveys an objective point of view. Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation tells you about any bias at the site. The site overall presents an objective point of view as it outlines documents from both the English and the American sides in such important matters as the Boston Massacre. It also delves into the arguments of various Americans, either Loyalists or Patriots, in the struggle with the British. However, as the website was created by an American at an American institution, some bias does appear on the side of Accuracy of Information: Based on your review, discuss the accuracy of the information at the site. explaining the grievances Americans had with King George III. Yes The information at the site is factual and is documented with references to support its accuracy. Yes The site is free of spelling and grammar errors.

Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation reveals any problems with accuracy. The site supports its accuracy by providing copies of important primary sources, such as the legal documents outlining the Stamp Act and Parliament's Reply. It also supplies links to third parties to support its information and provide another objective view. Currency of Information: Based on your review, discuss how current the information appears to be at the site. Yes The date that the site was originally created is identified. Yes The date that the site was last revised is identified. (look for copyright date) Yes The site has been revised within the last year to keep the information current. Yes The site appears to be complete and is free of sections that are identified as “under construction”. Yes The links at the site are active; no dead links or “404” messages.

Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation reveals about the currency of the inofrmation. The website information remains relevant and current by being completed within the last year. The site also does not have any missing links or sites under construction that would interrupt or inhibit a student's learning completion of on assignments. thedesign site does list a specific date of last revision Design ofand Interface: Based your review,However, discuss the andnot usability of the site. and only lists 2016 as its copyright date so the exact date of revision is unknown. Yes The interface is uncluttered and appealing to the targeted audience. Yes The text is easy to read on the screen (typeface, size, color, contrast with background) Yes The graphics are related to the text and enhance the information presented in the text. Yes The graphics and/or animation found at the site are not distracting to the reader. Yes The audio (if present) enhances the learning and is easily accessible to the reader. Yes The navigation scheme is easy to use. Yes The navigation is consistent throughout the site. No The site can be seen on the monitor screen without horizontal scrolling.

Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation tells you about whether the site is easy to use by your students. The website is presented in a very neat and organized way. I like that the website has an interactive and concise presentation as it presents a graphic with tabs of each historical period along the side and tabs listing the different tools and information contained within those periods Accessibility: Based on your review, discuss the accessibility of the site. as tabs along the top so students can easily transfer between them. However, on some of the tabs the information can be lengthier and Yes The site is free toscrolling access (no feecontent. is associated with access to the site). thus requires horizontal to membership view all of the No All graphics found at the site have alternative text (alt tags) to assist special learners with screen readers. Yes All graphics load quickly on a computer with less than a hi-speed connection.

Comments: Must be completed; explain what your evaluation tells you about ease of access for all students. The site is very student-friendly in that it does not require a fee or membership to access. I also like the website does not require a high connectivity to access or download the course's content. It is also accessible to students on❐ allHighly computers as does require a specific browser to access to its Recommendation: Do you recommend ❐not Recommend with reservations ❐gain Do not recommend links. However, the images found within the American Revoluiton tab do not have alternative text tags Explain your recommendation for use if the site in a K12 classroom. Why or why not? from what I could discover. This might create an obstacle to certain students with screen readers. ✔

obannon & puckett , Preparing Use Technology