To evaluate or not to evaluate?

Why should a teacher evaluate a website they are going to use in the classroom?  This is an interesting question.  There is nothing like showing a website to a class full of students to find that it wasn't exactly what you thought it was.  Teachers should always research what they are using to prevent an embarrassing mishap!  

It happens often times that you discover a website that looks amazing, full of great information, and detailed pictures.  But after doing a little bit of uncovering you find that the sight is run by a biased party.  Then you have to think:  Is this information factual?  How skewed is the opinion being expressed? Or is this an open source, where any one can post any information, factual or not?

Moral of the story...do your homework and check your sources!  Make sure that what you are showing the students is accurate, factual and unbiased.  It is not worth finding out too late that the site you have chosen is not as great as you initially thought it was!