Peer Review

Character Education

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 29, 2010 by Teacher Education

Bookmark

Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This is a web-based resource of many different character education resources and programs that are available to elementary and middle schools. Utah has a Character Education Program (CEP) described at: http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lifeskills/Char_Ed.htm. This link is available on the website under review. The page under review has links to other areas of the site, such as Professional Development.
Type of Material:: Resource/Reference Material
Recommended Uses:: The resources on the web site focus on many different aspects of character education appropriate for multiple grade levels. Additionally, the resources would be effective for some history and social studies topics as well. Some of the material can be used in lectures, in homework, or in group assignments. For example, the link to the My Heroes website (http://myhero.com/go/home.asp) features Women’s History Month at the time of this review. Such a website can be incorporated in a class dealing with heroes, women’s issues, etc.
Technical Requirements:: Minimal technical requirements beyond access to the Internet and a web browser and the ability to click on or otherwise activate hyperlinks; Flash.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Individual teachers will determine specific learning objectives based on grade level and subject area. Students will benefit from the links on this site, because their teachers can access the reference material and incorporate it into their classes per the Character Education Program guidelines.
Target Student Population:: The site provides resources to support elementary, middle and high school levels, but most of the activities seem to target K-6 learners.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: The site is easy to use and requires no more than access to the Internet, a web browser and the ability to activate links by clicking or other means.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: Content of resource materials seem to be of consistent high quality. The topics are current; they cover a wide variety of heroes, both famous and unsung. Additionally, the selected resources offer a world view through stories of people of strong and honorable character around the world.
Concerns:: Since this site is a resource directory, it is dependent on the changing emphasis of many other web sites. While the current content provides a high quality focus, changes in other sites may affect the overall quality of this site as a whole. Requires linking to exterior sites to explain CEP. There is no formal introduction, summary or synthesis per se. The page is a list of resources for teachers.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: Suggested activities, lesson plans, and staff development activities all provide a focus on authentic activities that are important to the students from their perspective from local level to international levels. The resources also provide a opportunities for learners to see character in many different fields, situations and applications. Suggested learning activities and supplemental work are clear, focused on standards and realistic. The links lead to materials that are so diverse in nature, they should be able to integrate into any lesson plan.
Concerns:: Since many of the resources focus on real people in today's world, there may be times when aspects of individual character does not meet everyone's ideal of a role model. At the time of this review Tiger Woods is one case that has generated controversy. Although sorted by category, there is no intrinsic organization. Most of the ratings in this section are “N/A” because they do not apply to this reference site.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is well designed and links are easily found and used. Most links are set to open in separate windows.
Concerns:: Some users could become lost if they have opened multiple windows while viewing different resources and not remember how to get back to the original site. The site lacks advanced design elements. Interactive elements would be more engaging.

Other Issues and Comments:: The selected resources linked from this site offer a strong overview of character in a wide variety of people actions and causes. This seems a sound tool for generating thoughtful and reflective discussion and activity about what constitutes strong character. The site also helps learners make connections between incidents in their own lives to similar situations in others throughout the world. The site under review is a very handy, simple list of links of interest to teachers who must satisfy CEP. The subject site does not have, nor does it need, bells and whistles. Better organization/design would enhance usefulness, but the site is useful as it stands
Creative Commons: