February 15, 2010 (Vol. 30, No. 4)
URL:
http://www.smete.org
Rating:
Strong Points: Sizable collection of teaching and learning resources
Weak Points: A greater degree of organization needed
Summary:
The SMETE (or should I say, the Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology Education) Open Federation was created in order to promote the learning and teaching of each of its SMET components. One of the federation’s services is the SMETE Digital Library, a collection of resources for students and teachers. One can browse the contents of the online library by subject area such as mathematics or chemistry, although the meaning of some of the categories eluded me (“paper bike”, anyone?). Alternatively, visitors to the site can search for learning resources by parameters such as keyword, grade level, type of resource, and author. This targeted approach is probably the best bet, for although there seem to be valuable materials hidden through the digital bookshelves, the library could benefit from some additional organization. Perhaps it’s time to resurrect the Dewey Decimal System.
