Inquiry Unit (u12400.xml)

Paseo Boricua Curriculum Unit II: Latino Youth Evaluate Internet Resources

Bharat Mehra (b-mehra1@uiuc.edu) (ready to use)

Coauthors

Ann Peterson Bishop (abishop@uiuc.edu)
Alejandro Molina (alm1998@mindspring.com)

ASK Subject Areas

Education, Information Science, Community Informatics

Grade Levels

9, 10, 11, 12, Graduate, Informal

Unit Keywords

Paseo Boricua Community Library, PBCL, Puerto Rican Cultural Center, PRCC, Café Teatro Batey Urbano

Rationale of the Unit

This inquiry unit is being used to gather feedback from you about the design of a community information system for the Puerto Rican community in Paseo Boricua. Your contribution will become part of the Paseo Boricua Community Library (PBCL) project that is helping to build Paseo Boricua's online community resources.

During the process, this inquiry unit provides you with some websites on evaluation of Internet-based information and technology resources. Based on what you learn from these websites, you are asked to evaluate a few Internet resources on community networks for Latino populations and other relevant websites on information and communication tools. The goal is to get you involved in the process of thinking about, and building your own virtual space for the Paseo Boricua Community Library (PBCL).


	INVESTIGATE	Go to Top

Background and Resources

Explore the following websites on evaluation of Internet-based information and technology resources:

Alexander, Jane and Marsha Tate. "Evaluating Web Resources." Wolfgram Memorial Library. Widener University. URL: http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm

Barker, Joe. "Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask (Why and How)." UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops. URL: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

Barker, Joe. "Sample Evaluation Forms." UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops. URL: http://www.lib.vt.edu/research/evaluate/evalbiblio.html#forms

"Evaluating Internet Resources: Table of Contents" URL: http://www.snc.edu/library/eval1.htm St. Norbert College Library [15 January 1999]


	CREATE	Go to Top

Activities and Open-ended problems

Evaluate the following websites and give feedback in terms of what you like about these websites and what you do not like about these websites:

1. lasCulturas.com (URL: http://www.lasculturas.com/ ).

2. NYNJ Latinos: The Hispanic Community Network (URL: http://www.njlatinos.com/ ).

3. Cafe Teatro Batey Urbano (URL: http://www.bateyurbano.com/splash.htm ).

4. CUVolunteer.org: CU Volunteer Opportunities (URL: http://cuvolunteer.org/ ).

5. Blog.org from David Blake: Daily updates on the Internet and public policy, broadband, virtual community and more from the UK-based consultant and journalist (URL: http://www.blog.org/ ).

6. Help is at hand: ICT Community Resource: Blogs (URL: http://www.helpisathand.gov.uk/blog/ ).

7. Kairosnews: A Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology & Pedagogy (URL: http://kairosnews.org/ ).

8. Oregon Outreach: Increasing the participation of Latino(a) youth and families in the Oregon 4H program (URL: http://oregon.4h.oregonstate.edu/oregonoutreach/index.html ).

9. OISTE: The Massachusetts Latino Political Organization (URL: http://www.oiste.net/ ).


	DISCUSS	Go to Top

Dialogues, Discussions, and Presentations

Please answer the following questions and give feedback.

1. What are the different reasons for your use of the Internet?

2. What do you most use the Internet for?

3. How many hours do you spend on the Internet per week?

4. List 5-10 of your favorite websites. Why do you like visiting these websites?


	REFLECT	Go to Top

Assessment, Related Questions, and Story of the Unit

Read the following "Vision Statement" for the Paseo Boricua Community Library (PBCL) project:

The Paseo Boricua Community Library is a participatory action research project representing a collaboration among teachers, students, researchers and local volunteers (http://www.prairienet.org/pbclp/ ). The project began in January 2003. It centers around the work of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago’s Humboldt Park, and includes participants from the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science.

We share a vision of establishing a stable base of collaboration around the following goals:

Develop a rich understanding of what a community of learners is, of how a community works;

Support Paseo Boricua goals of self-actualization and community revitalization;

Help people learn about and gain experience with participatory action research;

Create a web presence for Paseo Boricua;

Help people learn how to organize and manage collections of books, newspaper articles, CDs, posters, Puerto Rican art, etc.;

Learn how to be part of a community going global around collections and information processes;

Get someone who is not a white middle-aged woman interested in Library and Information Science;

Learn about collaboration in a larger online setting; and

Make concrete contribution to knowledge and practice related to the digital divide; give practical skills.

Create a cultural corridor along Division Street - an innovative and distinct global city where people come together like a beautiful quilt to learn about Puerto Rican culture through its dance, music, paintings, poetry, etc. We want to use memory to inspire people to rethink the future.

1. What do you like about the "Vision Statment" that you just read.

2. What do you think is missing in this description?

3. Will you like to get involved in the PBCL project? If yes, how would you like to get involved? What kind of activities and resources will you like to support your interest and involvement in the PBCL project?

Visit the PBCL project website (URL: http://www.prairienet.org/pbclp/ ). Answer the following questions about the website:

1. What did you like about this website?

2. What are some of things that you would like to have added to this website? (PROMPT: What are some of the things that you liked in the websites shown earlier that you want incorporated in the PBCL project website).

3. What are some of the things that can be improved on this website?

Tell all your friends, relatives, and everyone you know about this inquiry unit. This will help build relevant online community resources for the Paseo Boricua Community Library project.

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