McREL

 McREL Website Review Title of Website – McREL URL – __[|www.mcrel.org] __ Date Evaluated – 5/24/2011 Evaluated by: Kim Tetterton =Purpose, Design, & Navigability =   McREL, a private education research and product development company, created their website as a way of broadcasting to educators around the world their mission: “making a difference in the quality of education and learning for all through excellence in applied research, product development, and service” (__[|www.mcrel.org] __). McREL offers insights into the latest educational research on best practices for “viable education”, as well as providing products and services that will help educators create such an education for their students. Through curriculum audits, professional development, and curricula analysis, McREL has created literacy, mathematic, science, and technology curriculums that are “guaranteed and viable.” They have also created other tools that will help educators “translate research into practice.” Such tools consist of instructional books for teachers, as well as training materials, external links, and professional development trainings on a range of educational topics. Since their curriculum, products, and services are guaranteed, it would appear they took the time to evaluate any external links posted.  The design of the website makes navigating the site relatively easy. The home page has a link to a site map where you can see an overview of the other links found on the homepage. By clicking on the different links you can: learn about the company’s history (About Us), see a list of products and services they provide by topic (Products & Services), and you can look samples of their work, as well as their product development and services (Our Work). Other tabs will allow you to search the website by topic, shop for McREL products/services, and read about current hot topics in education. Once I spent some time browsing each of the links, I was able to create a clear picture of McREL’s research, products, and services, as well as links to educational topics. =Authority =  According to their website, McREL is a private education research and development corporation, made up of “experienced researchers and education consultants, business people, and policy makers.” The board members for the corporation are listed on the site. Some of the members have their job title listed, while others do not. It is unclear what makes some of the board members qualified since there is no job title listed. Also, what makes the “business people and policy holders” qualified to research and develop educational curriculum? Have they had specialized training in those areas? While more credentials would be beneficial, the site has provided contact information, as well as some background information about the corporation who backs it. =Objectivity =  After reviewing this site, it is evident that it lacks objectivity. The site’s purpose is to persuade educators into choosing their organization for staff development and curriculum, as well as related products and services. The products and services they offer have their own tab, and there is even a tab dedicated to buying their products and services. Visitors to the site are not only pulled towards McREL’s products and services through outright selling, but also in the narrative about their company and its mission. As previously stated, the company claims to be able to provide “guaranteed and viable education” for those educators who utilize their products and services. While there is definitely bias towards particular audiences and sales, the company was careful to ensure that the content found on their website did not conflict with the interests of the content. Most of the content supported McREL’s overall goals and mission. =Accuracy = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While the website boasts outstanding results with the use of their curriculum and training materials, it is difficult to determine whether or not their information is reliable. They are an actual organization, which makes believing their information is reliable a little easier. McREL’s website claims that their researchers are experts in a wide variety of research techniques and designs. However, since it is not clear whether or not all their employees and board members are qualified, it is difficult to determine if the data they’ve collected from research, and the products they’ve generated with said research, is viable. Yet, the content seems consistent with other educational curricula developers, and references well know educational policies and reports to support their curricula decisions, such as //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">st Century Skills // and //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No Child Left Behind //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Each curriculum area seems to have it’s own list of external resources/links – if any were used, as well as the policies and reports they pulled information from, along with their research findings. With all the links and reports, policies, and such backing their curricula, it seems safe to say that their information is accurate. Also, the website’s grammar and spelling are up to par with other established website standards. =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 28px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Coverage = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Although I was unable to find a place where the website claimed to be comprehensive, their extensive references and links for each type of curriculum they created, would suggest they are. Each topic is explored in depth through in house research and analysis, support from educational policies and reports, as well as a provision of related resources and tools for educators. While the website doesn’t rely on outside links, it is certainly supported by a great deal of relevant outside links, which I think were necessary links to strengthen their credibility. Upon clicking on the sidebar for say, “Literacy” Curricula, you could find related links for things such as: McREL Services, Products, and Resources, as well as Related External Links. Other sidebar topics might include a section called “In the Spotlight” where the company features high profile education news related to the topic. Included under Services and Products, you can find their research and all policy and report information currently in place, as it relates to the topic you’ve chosen. With all the added links and features, the website seems to have a wide range of coverage. =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 28px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Currency = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> According to the site, the contents of the website are Copyright 1995-2011, unless otherwise noted. I haven’t found any “otherwise noted” copyrights while searching through the website though. It is unclear when individual pieces of information or curricula were added to the website since it has been Copyrighted since 1995 through the year to date. There is also no date of revision posted anywhere that I’ve seen. Based on the copyright date, it is obvious that the site has been updated, but which pieces and when is unclear. The links, however, all seem to be reliable, and website is not currently under construction. It would be beneficial for McREL, given all the policy changes and new reports that the governments are created and revising, to list a revision date with any updated material. =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 28px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Recommendations = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Overall, I would recommend busy teachers, such as we are, to visit the McREL site if they were interested in comparing curriculums. I’m not sure that I would feel comfortable encouraging professionals to trust that the curriculum they provide will be “guaranteed and viable” to all students. However, given the massive amounts of support they have provided for each curriculum they’ve created, I think teachers could use this site to compare curriculums to determine what would be most effective for their students. Also, since the site has so many links to policies and reports, as well as research on common educational topics, the site could be beneficial for teachers who want to clarify how individual reports or policies impact certain educational topics such as Standardized Testing and Teacher Evaluation. The site, overall, seems relatively easy to navigate and accurate. As long as audiences know going into the site that the website has a certain amount of bias, it should be easy for teachers to use the site as one of many tools to help better educate their students.