Theoretical-Methodological proposal to evaluate the quality

of educational websites to support education

Ana Maria Santos

University of Salamanca

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are two: 1. explore the criteria that have a significant relationship with the assessment of

educational websites;

2. identify them by proposing a methodology for measuring.

Proposed a checklist in quality Evaluation of educational websites created from the review of authors’ literature.

METHODOLOGICAL PROPOSAL

The methodology presented here was drawn through the literature review developed through an analytical-descriptive and informative methodology selected by the author of this article

The proposed methodology consists of general aspects divide in functional and technical aspects (based on Marquès Graells ) and these divided into criteria

Functional aspects: authority, update, usability, accessibility and communication.

Technical-aesthetic aspects: graphic design and multimedia quality, content, navigation, speed of access and interaction.

(The selection of authors for the creation of this methodological approach is of the author’s responsibility).

VALIDATION OF CRITERIA ON QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES

As Codina said:

• that not all components of a quality website can be measured with the same efficiency;

• it’s very important to identify and describe the elements that bring quality to a resource, although we cannot always measure them effectively, but we must identify them conceptually.

For this analysis we had to define the assessment objectives of the study:

1. know what the audience intended;2. find out the intrinsic characteristics of these websites;3. what their goals and the audience to which they want to transmit the information.

Subsequently determine the criteria that are proposed here.

VALIDATION OF CRITERIA ON QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES

Based on Marquès Graells the checklist is divided into two general aspects, the functional and the technical-aesthetic.

each with five criteria, a total of ten criteria. The evaluation criteria which were chosen to be included in the evaluation checklist were adapted from authors: P. Marquès Graells, A. Carvalho, A. Santos and M. Pinto Molina.

which led to the proposal evaluation checklist and is sustained in ten criteria for assessing the quality of an educational online resource. They are authority, update, usability, accessibility, communication, graphic design and multimedia quality, content, navigation, speed of access and interaction.

AN EXAMPLE OF EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES ASSESSMENT

Link: http://www.gd.elisiosilva.com/

EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES ASSESSMENTURL: http://www.gd.elisiosilva.com/ N/A (Not applicable) 1 – Bad / 2 – Adequate / 3 – Good / 4 – Very Good

N/A 1 2 3 4 N/A 1 2 3 4

FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS USABILITY (20%) AUTHORITY (30%) The web pages are pleasant, easy to use and self-

explanatory X

Description of the author and/or organization you belong

X Website Structure: always available menu through a network structure

X

Description of the academic curriculum and professional

X Route followed X

E-mail, telephone and postal address X Access to documents X Declaration of principles and intentions of the purpose of the contents

X Global appreciation

Logo representing the institution X ACESSIBILITY (20%) Any criticism or mention by an external organization on the quality of website

X Alternative versions display

X

Global appreciation Compliance with the standard WAI (Web accessibility Initiative)

X

UPDATE (15%) Helps in Navigation X Date of the website creation X visibility of help X Update date X Versions in other languages X Obsolete and erroneous connections that do not take us anywhere

X Images, image maps without alternative text X

Global appreciation Internal search

X

N/A (Not applicable) 1 – Bad / 2 – Adequate / 3 – Good / 4 – Very Good

N/A 1 2 3 4 N/A 1 2 3 4

Sounds and videos without subtitles X CONTENT (30%) The user should be able to control the video and sound

X Objectivity (the information is correct) X

Ease of reading X Identification of sources of information X Global appreciation Quality of writing X

COMMUNICATION (15%) Age-appropriate X Contact the author and / or organization

X Global appreciation

Synchronous communication performed via chat

X NAVEGATION (30%)

E-mail communication and forum X Visibility and presence of the contents menu X Global appreciation Navigation map X

TECHNICAL-AESTHETIC ASPECTS

Links that provide access to the upper level on every page

X

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND MULTIMEDIA QUALITY (10%)

Intuitive movements between pages X

Clear and attractive design of the pages

X Presence of navigation buttons that allow the user to scroll through the Website logically

X

Texts and links X Following pages accessed X Proper integration of the media (visual resources)

X Appropriate speed in animations and reading data X

Visual homogeneity between pages X Global appreciation Image Relevance X Activities X

Global appreciation

N/A (Not applicable) 1 – Bad / 2 – Adequate / 3 – Good / 4 – Very Good

N/A 1 2 3 4 N/A 1 2 3 4

SPEED OF ACCESS (10%) Speed of access to the website and navigation inside

X

Broken links X Global appreciation

INTERACTION (20%) Access to other Internet resources X Possibility to store documents X Possibility of printing and mailing of documents by e-mail

X

Existence of collaborative tools (Web 2.0) chat, forums and wikis

X

Existence of E-mail or inquiry form X Shared space between users X

Global appreciation TOTAL APPRECIATION

Conclusion

• This proposal aims to put in the hands of professionals of the

educational information, a methodology that allows them to

identify which methods and strategies are the best to ensure that

their information reaches their users properly and to assess the

quality of websites.

• And building a model of good practice for those who create educational web sites.

THANKS!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis paper is a possible perspective for a doctoral research entitled: [websites of learning support in primary and secondary education in Portugal: a performance and usability study] held at the University of Salamanca linked to the PhD Knowledge Society Programme. My thanks to the directors of the thesis, Jose Antonio Cordón García and Raquel Gómez Díaz.