Maria Knobelsdorf, University of Dortmund, Germany - Didaktik der ...

Conceptual Change and Epistemological Belief
Framework for Web Site Credibility Instruction
Abstract—This paper describes instructional needs regarding
Web-based instruction and reviews a line of research
examining students’ determinations of Web site credibility. It
proposes a framework for instructional interventions that
draws upon two research traditions - scientific conceptual
change research and epistemological beliefs about Web-based
information. Recommendations for instruction and research
based upon this model are delineated.
Keywords-misconceptions, student engagement with
technology, beliefs, conceptualizations of computing, teaching
approaches, teaching methods, teaching with educational
technology
I. INTRODUCTION
Is Web site credibility an important consideration for
students doing research and using Web-based materials or are
most students already knowledgeable in this area? This paper
argues that considerations of Web site credibility are even
more important than in the past and strongly tied to today’s
critical thinking skills, both for computing education and for
learning in general. Further, it is erroneous to assume that
students are knowledgeable in this area. To illustrate, I
describe research that investigates students’ and pre-service
teachers (i.e., teachers-in-training) determination of Web site
credibility. This research underscores the need for
instructional interventions at elementary, secondary and postsecondary
(university levels), and provides the impetus for
developing effective instructional interventions. Thus, the
main focus of this paper is in the development of a theoretical
framework that can guide instructional interventions. In
developing this framework, we borrow upon research
frameworks provided in the conceptual change research
related to science learning and epistemological belief research
related to the Internet.
II. CREDIBILITY RESEARCH
Do students make determinations of Web site credibility
that differ from determinations of experts (professionals in
various fields and doctoral students)? What sorts of
determinations do they make? What kinds of instructional
interventions are effective for students?
Marie Iding, University of Hawaii
College of Education
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI, 96822, U.S.A.
miding@hawaii.edu
63
In an initial study, Klemm, Iding and Speitel [1]
compared scientists’ and pre-service elementary and
secondary teachers’ determination of information credibility
of various science resources, including information from the
Web. They found that secondary pre-service teachers (who
had more science training and required coursework in the
area) were more like scientists in their determinations.
However, pre-service teachers were more likely to rate
popular information sources such as newsmagazines and
popular news television shows as credible information
sources. In contrast, scientists rated these information sources
as low in credibility. There was some agreement on museum,
aquarium and nature center resources, which were rated
uniformly highly by all 3 groups.
In subsequent research investigating tenth graders
credibility determinations regarding biology information on
Web sites, an instructional intervention was employed [2].
Over a four-day period of time, a teacher provided instruction
in examining specific areas relevant to making credibility
determinations – Web site authors and institutional
affiliations, information veracity, and organization of Web
sites. Students’ lists of criteria affecting their own credibility
determinations were more extensive after the intervention, and
students reported that they would spend more time evaluating
Web resources for credibility in the future.
In other research Iding, Crosby, Auernheimer and Klemm
[3] investigated university students’ credibility determinations
regarding content related to topics that they had covered in
class (i.e., computer science or education topics). Findings
indicated that students exhibited awareness of and suspicion
regarding vested interests of Web site authors with
commercial interests, although they did not as critically regard
vested interests of Web site authors whose purposes were
viewed as solely educational in nature.
In work with Norwegian undergraduate and graduatelevel
university students enrolled in film studies classes, Iding,
Nordbotten and Singh [4] noted that the more educated
students were, the less confident they were about their Web