Teaching Students to Evaluate Web Information as They Learn about Psychological Disorders

This article describes a new approach for teaching about psychological disorders in introductory psychology. The technique emphasizes using the Web as a research tool by teaching students how to evaluate the quality of Web sources. The technique also incorporates collaborative learning teams and peer evaluation as methods to promote critical thinking skills in students. Student survey responses revealed high levels of effort, the learning of useful Web evaluation skills, and satisfaction with the new method. The technique is easy to implement, appeals to students, is applicable to other topics, and has practical applications beyond the classroom.