EVALUATING DIGITAL CONTENT 2
Evaluated Digital Content: (Please provide website name and link here)
In this section you will need to provide a link and name of either the CK-12 lesson or
MOOC you evaluated. You will also use the Quality Course Teaching and Instructional Practice
Course Fundamentals below to evaluate the digital content. You will rate each section from a
score of 0-2. If you cannot evaluate certain components within any of the specific topics below
you can give the topic an N/A.
Course Fundamentals https://www.ck12.org/c/arithmetic/multiply-two-fractions/?
referrer=crossref&_gl=1%2A1w8w7a2%2A_ga
%2AMTEzNTYyOTcwMC4xNjk0ODA0ODYz%2A_ga_7PBE4L0PZZ
%2AMTY5NjczNTg0MC4zLjEuMTY5NjczNTkzNi4wLjAuMA..
NA=Not Applicable 0=Emerging 1= Accomplished 2=Exemplary
Topic Score
Consistent Course Design is Used 2
Clear structure and course organization is
provided with opportunities for students to share
in the responsibility for their learning
2
Course design is cohesive and aligns the course
objectives, assessments, and activities.
2
Course is designed so that student workload is
reasonable and evenly distributed.
2
Content has logical progression and facilitates
student interaction/understanding
2
The course is designed to facilitate easy
navigation of course content.
2
Course syllabus is learner-centered and sets the
tone for learning and engaging the student
NA
Course module or unit outcomes are stated. 2
Course resources are clearly identified and easy to
access.
2
Terms and labels are consistent throughout the
course shell.
2
Course offers multiple opportunities for students NA
EVALUATING DIGITAL CONTENT 3
to gain information (for example - due dates are
found in Course Content, Course Calendar,
Assignment Listing).
Textbooks/eBooks/Online Tools work seamlessly
with LMS.
2
Course is fully prepared and available to students
by the first day of the term.
2
Accessibility, ADA Compliance and Universal Design
NA=Not Applicable 0=Emerging 1= Accomplished 2=Exemplary
Topic Score
Course Accessibility is addressed (i.e. videos are
captioned, use of color is ADA appropriate, other
visual elements meet ADA standards, etc.).
1
Course design adheres to universal design
standards.
1
Continuous Course Improvement
NA=Not Applicable 0=Emerging 1= Accomplished 2=Exemplary
Topic Score
Instructor continuously evaluates the effectiveness
and content of their online course.
1
Instructor frequently reviews course design. 2
Student feedback (for course improvement) is
encouraged and requested.
2
An anonymous course survey is available to
encourage student feedback.
1
Instructor provides opportunities for reflection at
the end of course (for course improvement).
2
Strengths and Areas of Improvement:
EVALUATING DIGITAL CONTENT 4
One strength that stood out to me was the way that the curriculum gave immediate
feedback to the students. The students have the opportunity to complete numerous activities that
allow them to answer questions, which provide immediate feedback of whether their answers are
correct or not. Nilson and Godson (2018) talk about, “students need sufficient practice in
meeting specific performance criteria at the desired level of competency, coupled with timely
feedback targeted to improving performance on the specific criteria” (p.8). I found with this site
that with the interactive practices, many give you the option for a hint, but they all give you
immediate feedback after each question. The only small drawback was I found no way to set a
performance criterion for the interactives. The practice at the end does set a criterion of getting
10 problems correct in order to finish.
A second strength I found in this course is that it utilizes real work scenarios to show
when the student might apply the concept in life outside school. One example of this is where we
are sharing a candy bar between friends. This is something that the students could relate to and
see how they may be able to use it in the future. Bringing real-world applications into
mathematics is a great way to help students understand why we are teaching the concept, as well
as a good way to keep them engaged and interested. Massingham (2021) states, “It is often said
that this hurdle is often overcome by demonstrating the practical applications of the subject.
Mathematics can be seen in the abstract or the theoretical too often; whilst numeric problems
involving how many apples can be purchased for such-and-such amount of money can begin to
address math’s practical uses” (p. 26).
I found that this course has many strengths, however I did find that it has a few
weaknesses as well. One weakness of this course that I feel needs improvement is in the way that
questions are presented to the students. There are many word problems that could create a
EVALUATING DIGITAL CONTENT 5
problem for the students who struggle to read. By believing that all students can read proficiently
in the 5th grade we are not creating an effective way for all students to be able to access the
learning. There was not component where the computer would read to you, but many of the
activities did have a way to highlight as you read it by yourself. Peeples et. al., (2023) explains,
“Word problems, perhaps the most frequently encountered problem type on mathematics
assessments, demand not just knowledge of mathematics operations but also text comprehension.
Students’ and teachers’ use of imprecise mathematical language (e.g., saying “borrow” in a
subtraction problem instead of “regrouping”) can hinder students’ conceptual understanding and
procedural knowledge” (p. 130). Learning disabled students need to have the opportunity to have
the questions read in order to be successful in a distance learning mode. We need to make sure
that when we are planning our curriculum, we are taking into consideration the diversity of our
group of learners.
A second area that could be improved on is that there is no way for the students to
interact with each other. Moore and Diehl (2018) discuss, “social presence does not mean
supporting engagement for purely social purposes; it means creating a climate that supports and
encourages probing questions, skepticism, and expressing and contributing to ideas” (p.69). With
this curriculum there is little to no way for the student and teacher to exchange comments or
thoughts. I also found that there was no way for the students to interact with each other. The
students complete the interactives, but unlike other formats they do not even complete against
each other.
References
EVALUATING DIGITAL CONTENT 6
David Massingham. (2021). Getting students excited about math’s real-world
applications.FTeaching Mathematics.,F46(2), 26–28.
Moore, M. G., & Diehl, W. C. (2018). Handbook of distance education. London:
Routledge. ISBN: 978-1138239005.
Nilson, L. B., & Goodson, L. A. (2018).FOnline Teaching at Its Best.San Francisco:
Jossey-Boss, Wiley. ISBN: 978-1119242291.
Peeples, K. N., Kroesch, A. M., & VanUitert, V. J. (2023). Math is not a universal language:
Supporting Middle School students with learning disabilities using explicit vocabulary
instruction in mathematics classrooms. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice,
38(2), 129–143. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12303
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