The census data for 2000 confirm our student populations are becoming more and more diverse. The United States is on its way to becoming a plurality of minorities, and the changing demographics are profoundly affecting the makeup of student populations. Now more than ever, schools and teachers must find ways to engage a wider range of students with more diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences.

You are to develop an instrument/rubric to evaluate content specific web sites that could be used in your classroom for credibility, accuracy, bias, cultural relevance and appropriateness. Post your evaluation to the discussion list by the date indicated in the schedule. Choose an evaluation instrument/rubric other than your own to evaluate a site or lesson on a site. Post a summation of the instrument/rubric you used along with strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for improvement. You will be graded by the following criteria for your instrument and your summation.

Credability	15 Instrument addresses issues around credability such as: quality content, sources, documentation, recognized authorities, reputable authors or organizations, academic credentials, professional affiliations or commercial enterprises
Accuracy	15 Instrument addresses accuracy by checking: grammar, spelling, inconsistencies, primary source or secondary source of information, factually accurate content, individual opinion, depth of content, current and up to date
Bias	15 Instrument checks for bias by looking for: loaded terms, leading questions, sweeping generalizations, termanology that is designed to persuade, alarm, expose, ridicule, entertain or sell mercchandise
Cultural Relevance	15 Instrument addresses ethical, cultural and societal issues related to content as noted in Cultural Relevance information.
Appropriateness	15 Students evaluate and select information resources based on appropriateness to specific tasks, age level and content as specified by frameworks and learned societies.