Brendle+Instructional+Analysis

Instructional Design Unit

**Task Analysis **


 * Goal: The student will independently determine if a website is acceptable to use in academic research. **


 * __Analysis of PrerequiteSkills__**

The student must be able to 1. turn on the computer, 2. use the mouse, 3. type using the keyboard, and 4. read the text on the computer screen.
 * Prerequisite Psychomotor Skills and Abilities:**

The student must be able to independently 1. manuever through a web site 2. read and browse websites 3. use website links 4. move back and forth between pages on a website using the links
 * Prerequsite Cognitive Skills:**

The student must have a conceptual understanding of how research is created and written. 1. in-text documentation, source information, and associated terminology 2. bibliography: author/ source, publication information, dates, etc. 3. an authorial presence: that someone created the website and posted it although this information may not be explicit
 * Prerequisite Knowledge:**

The student must have a conceptual understanding of the word "evaluate": What does one do when one evaluates? He examines something and makes a judgement on the quality of what he is examining. He ultimately determines the worth and value of the item being evaluated.
 * Prerequisite Terminology**

The student must have computer and research terminology or have the ability to find the meaning of unknown words.


 * __Analysis of Task Skills__**

The skills in evaluating a website are primarily **cognitive**. This analysis is **hierachical** in that locating and evaluating the website items can be done in any order. However, the information could be written in a checklist, which would then appear procedural. I have written this as **procedural** so that students go in a prescribed order and can cut the process short if the site does not meet a criterion along the way.

A level of motivation and a proper attitude are needed to complete this task. A student would have to believe the task was worth his time, and he must have the patience and attention to detail required.

__**Task Analysis**__

IA. Locate and evaluate the author. **
 * Task Analysis ||
 * __** Step **** I. A student will locate and evaluate the SOURCE of the site. **__ ||

IA1. Locate an author. IA1a. If there is an author, the student should continue to evaluate. IA1b. If there is no identifiable author, the student should try to identify a source (skip to IB). || IA2. Locate the author's credentials. || IA3. Locate and evaluate documented expertise. || IA4. Decide if the author is credible. || IA4b. If the author does have documented expertise in at least one of the above areas, the student may continue the site analysis (Go to Step II). || IB. If no personal author can be located, locate and evaluate the source (an organization or corporation) responsible for the site. ** || IB1a. Determine who is sponsoring the site. (ie, the History Channel, NOVA, a college or university, a business, an institution) IB1b. If a source is indicated on the site, the student should continue the evaluation. (Go on the IB2). IB1c. If a source is not indicated on the site, the student should not use this site. STOP || IB2. Determine the purpose of the source: commercial, educational, informational, persuasive, entertainment, other. IB2a. If the source is a commercial site whose sole purpose is promoting or selling something, the student should not use this site. STOP IB2b. If the purpose appears honest after a cursory look, the student may continue. || IB3. Locate and evaluate the source's credibility. || . || IB4. Decide if the source is credible. IB4a. If the source does not have any documented expertise, the student should not use the site. STOP IB4b. If the source does have documented expertise, the student may go on to IC. || __**Step** ** II. A student will locate and evaluate the TIMELINESS of the site itself. **__ || IIA1. Locate and evaluate the dates associated with the site.
 * IA3a. Locate information about a related job: the author has or had a job that relates directly to the site's content. ||
 * IA3b. Locate information about the author’s education: the author has a degree in a related field from an accredited school. ||
 * IA3c. Locate information about content-related experiences: the author has life experiences that make him an expert in the site's content. ||
 * IA3d. Locate the author’s publications: the author has written and published materials on the subject (with a credible publisher). ||
 * IA4a. If the site does not provide convincing documented expertise, the student can try locating said information off –site or should not use the site. STOP
 * IB1. Locate a responsible source (organization or corporation)
 * IB3a. Locate and read information on the site about the source. ||
 * IB3b. Evaluate the source's credibility by examining documented expertise in the field: writers, producers, funding, research, publications, affiliations, broadcasts, etc

IIA1a. Locate these dates: posting, copyright, last maintenance. IIA1b. If no dates are posted, the student should not use the site. STOP || IIA2. Evaluate the dates for currency. IIA2a. If the dates are current and the site is maintained, the student can continue the analysis. IIA2b. If the site is outdated or not maintained, the student should not use the site. STOP || Step III. A student will read and evaluate the CONTENT of the site. **__ || IIIA1a. If the content is written for children younger than a teen, the student should not use this site as he will not be able to cite from it in academic research for high school. STOP || IIIA1b. If the content is written for teens or adults, the student should continue the content analysis. || IIIA2a. Determine if the site provides an adequate amount of content information. IIIA2b. Determine if the site provides in-depth information on the topic. IIIA2c. Determine if the site uses field-specific terminology (vocabulary). ||
 * __**
 * IIIA. Evaluate the content based on ** intended audience ** and ** thoroughness. ** ||
 * IIIA1. Determine the target audience on the following criteria: maturity of vocabulary, width and breadth of content, and depth of content explanation.
 * IIIA2. If the content is written for teens or adults, evaluate the thoroughness of the site's content.
 * IIIB. Evaluate the ** accuracy ** of the content.

IIIB1. Skim for blatant errors in grammar and content that reduce the site's credibility. IIIB2. Read critically: Look for inaccuracies in content. Assess if the ideas are developed and supported with logical reasoning. IIIB3. Decide to use the site or not. IIIB3a. If the content has grammatical errors or appears to have inaccurate or inadequate content, do not use it. STOP. IIIB3b. If the content uses appropriate grammar and does not appear to have inaccurate or inadequate content, continue to IIIB1. || IIIC1. If the content includes inappropriate bias, prejudice, intolerance, anger, violence, or explicit materials, the student should not use this site. STOP IIIC2. If the content is professional, educational, informative, and appropriately objective, the student may continue his analysis. || IIID. Evaluate the ** timeliness ** of the content IIID1. Determine if the ideas and arguments are current or outdated based on prior knowledge, other research, and secondary source documentation. IIID2. Determine if the graphics/ visuals are current or outdated. || IIID3. If the content appears to be current, the student should proceed to IIID. || IIID4. If the content appears to be outdated, the student will evaluate the importance of timeliness to the content. (ie, scientific topics must have more timeliness than a deceased author's biography) || IIIE. Locate and evaluate the ** sources, research, and external links ** on the site. || IIIE1. Determine if all borrowed ideas and statistics are cited using an acceptable citation format. || IIIE2. Locate a bibliography, Works Cited, or resource list, if it exists IIIE2a. Evaluate these resources on timeliness and credibility. || IIIE3. Determine if external links work, if they exist, and are credible. || IIIE4. Decide if the sources, research, and links are acceptable. IIIE4a. Minor errors in bibliography are ok, but if the site's sources are unclear or improperly documented, the student should do not use the site. STOP. IIIE4b. If no problems are discovered, the student can use the site. || If the student completes this process and does not find any reasons to abandon the site, it can be used for high school level research.
 * IIIC. Evaluate the ** objectivity and appropriateness ** of the content and graphics.

Link to flow chart of the task. ||