The web site is a resource to help young people evaluate the information they find on the Internet.

It uses imaginary examples, quizzes and puzzles to allow young people to explore for themselves the concepts around information quality. Many of the examples are health related, but the concepts can be used with any subjects that require information skills.

Why is needed?

• The sheer volume of information available on the Internet can be overwhelming. New skills need to be learned in order to make sense of this.
  
  
• There are very few control mechanisms on the Internet, allowing anyone to publish anything. This means that as well as finding useful information you will also find information that is irrelevant, dubious or even sometimes dangerous.
  
  
• Because the medium is new, it is easy to assume that the information itself is also new, but of course this is not always the case.
  
  
• As with other forms of information, there may be inherent bias or advertisements masquerading as information. This is not necessarily wrong, but it is important to be aware of it.

Target audience

The web site is aimed at children at Key Stages 2 and 3, in particular years 5, 6 & 7.

It is designed to be used as a teaching aid in an educational setting: a classroom, library, resource centre, homework centre or computer club. It can be used as an integral part of the curriculum, in connection with information skills and critical awareness teaching.

It is envisaged that the web site will also be of some use to other young people working more independently, for example, those carrying out research at GNVQ Intermediate level.

Using

As a teacher, you do not have to be a skilled Internet user to use the web site, but it will help if you have used the Internet to look for information. You may then have experienced some of the problems that sets out to address.

How you use will depend on a number of variables, for example:

• How good your access to the Internet is
• How many computers you have access to
• The number of children involved
• Your access to other sources of information

You can use the site in a linear way, following the checkpoints in the order given. However, since each checkpoint is valid in its own right, you can choose your own order. Likewise you can work through all the links in any one checkpoint or select a few to concentrate on. You can return to repeatedly - it will still be there!

Features of the site

For each checkpoint, there is a printer page that you can print out and copy. There are also quizzes and puzzles that could be used as an alternative to working on the computer, or as a follow-up.

Other resources

is not the only web site about evaluating information. Others include:

• Britannica On-Line - Compiled by the Encyclopedia's editors, it classifies, rates, and reviews websites. It has sections on Education, Health & Medicine, and Computers & the Internet.
  http://www.ebig.com/
  
  
• Discern - Discern is a questionnaire, similar to QUICK, developed by the University of Oxford's Division of Public Health & Primary Care.
  http://www.discern.org.uk
  
  
• Healthfinder TM - Launched in April 1997, this US government gateway aims to provide a quality guide to more than 500 consumer health information web sites, including federal state and voluntary agencies, databases, online publications and support groups.
  http://www.healthfinder.gov/
  
  
• Internet Detective - The Internet Detective is an online tutorial, similar in ethos to Quick, but designed for adults using the Internet for academic purposes.
  http://www.netskills.ac.uk/TonicNG/cgi/sesame?detective
  
  
• The Librarian's guide to Cyberspace for Parents and Kids - Compiled by the American Library Association, it lists sites recommended for primary age children.
  It also publishes its selection criteria.
  http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/50.html
  
  
• The National Association of Managers for Student Services - The main site provides information and support for students and staff in UK colleges, and has a section on evaluating websites and information. http://www.namss.org.uk/evaluate.htm
  
  
• National Grid for Learning - A collection of resources brought together by the UK government to help raise standards in education and to support lifelong learning.
  http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/
  
  
• Wired for Health - Provides relevant and appropriate health information for teachers and links to other sites on health issues. Also linked to the National Grid for Learning.
  http://www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk

Further information

If you have comments or questions please contact the Health Development Agency.

Quick is available at http//:www.quick.org.uk

You can print and photocopy this page.

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