4. Student engagement.

Does the content promote inquiry learning? Does the content encourage students to think and reflect? Are critical thinking skills needed to analyze and synthesize information? Is there a way students can be evaluated on their knowledge acquisition of the web site content using an on-line quiz or some other type of evaluation? Can students communicate with scientists or other field researchers at the web site? Does the site offer any other types of interactive opportunities for students such as data sharing with other students? Are students encouraged to transfer the scientific knowledge that they learn at the web site into a hands-on/minds-on science activity? Does the web site encourage collaboration with other students? Are students encouraged to continue exploration and research with additional hypertext links at the web sites? Are resources provided to facilitate students in developing their own online products or artifacts? Are there additional support materials for students to be involved in sustained inquiry activities both on-line and off-line?

5. Using the strengths of the web environment.

Does the web site present material just like a textbook? Then why not write a textbook! Are there special features included such as interactive animations, graphical organizers, concept maps, or graphs? Are the media elements, i.e. sound, video, graphics, well done and meaningful?

6. A level playing field.

Does the content promote multicultural science education? Is the content biased toward culture, gender or race?

7. Nature of the content.

Is the content comprehensive or cursory? Is the content appropriate for the grade level of the students? Is the math content appropriate for the grade level of the student? Is the content developmentally appropriate and relevant to your curriculum? Does the content support or enrich the curriculum? Is the content unique and not available elsewhere? For example, a web site which displays daily sea temperature readings in a graphical form is unique.

8. Dynamics of the site.