WEB SITE SCANDALS!

WEB QUEST PURPOSE:

In Web Site Scandals, the student assumes the role of an MSFO agent under the direction of the FBI.  After a news conference from the President of the United States urging their assistance on cracking down on fraudulent web sites, they go to work in evaluating web site validity based on an established criteria.  The criteria stems from a Cornell University site which has developed a schemata for evaluating the credibility of web sites and providing the Internet browser with adequate information to search for on sites in order to see if they can be used for researching purposes.  A lot of the Internet is made up of uncontrolled masses of information that can be biased, opinionated and even inaccurate.  When students are asked to research the Internet, they are susceptible to valuable information, but also to fraudulent information at the same time.  In order to shield them from the onslaught of these Internet sites, this quest provides the student with the necessary tools to evaluate sites and determine their validity. 

Along with providing them with these tools, they also role-play as undercover FBI agents and fill out Investigation Reports that will show them what to look for.  Based on their reports, they can figure out if the site is useful for researching or not.  A predetermined set of resources were configured based on other Unit Plans that have been used by teachers in the Masconomet school system.  Other resources can be added or subtracted based on what curriculum is being used.  When students complete their reports, they sign them and pass them into the teacher for evaluation.  The exercise resembles that of learning how to use resources in the library, so it isn't a harsh evaluation, but rather providing students with the means to discern, which goes along with their development as cognitive learners.

Page last updated: February 4, 2000