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WebQuests are probably the most talked-about and widely used Web-based activities in today's classrooms. What are WebQuests? What accounts for their popularity? And how can you use -- and create -- WebQuests in your own classroom? This week, Education World explores those questions and more.
An example:
http://www.natick.k12.ma.us/schools/nhs/departments/english/hagemeister/fitz_webquest/Fitzgerald.html
Other Examples (From Bernie Dodge the original Creator of this concept.)
http://webquests.sdsu.edu
Many of you are thinking of creating web projects with your class. This is a model which is popular and works effectively for class projects. Please take some time to look these links and ideas over.
The elements of a web quest.
Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher
Resource
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm (Web Quest Template)
http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech011.shtml
http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech011.shtml#resources
Creating a WebQuest: It's Easier than You Think!
Introduction
This document should be written with the student as the intended audience. Write
a short paragraph here to introduce the activity or lesson to the students.
If there is a role or scenario involved (e.g., "You are a detective trying
to identify the mysterious poet.") then here is where you'll set the stage.
If there's no motivational intro like that, use this section to provide a short
advance organizer or overview. Remember that the purpose of this section is
to both prepare and hook the reader. It is also in this section that you'll
communicate the Big Question (Essential Question, Guiding Question) that the
whole WebQuest is centered around.
The Task
Describe crisply and clearly what the end result of the learners' activities
will be. The task could be a:
problem or mystery to be solved;
position to be formulated and defended;
product to be designed;
complexity to be analyzed;
personal insight to be articulated;
summary to be created;
persuasive message or journalistic account to be crafted;
a creative work, or anything that requires the learners to process and transform
the information they've gathered.
If the final product involves using some tool (e.g., HyperStudio, the Web, video),
mention it here.
Don't list the steps that students will go through to get to the end point.
That belongs in the Process section.
The Process
To accomplish the task, what steps should the learners go through? Use the numbered
list format in your web editor to automatically number the steps in the procedure.
Describing this section well will help other teachers to see how your lesson
flows and how they might adapt it for their own use, so the more detail and
care you put into this, the better. Remember that this whole document is addressed
to the student, however, so describe the steps using the second person.
First you'll be assigned to a team of 3 students...
Once you've picked a role to play....
... and so on.
Learners will access the on-line resources that you've identified as they go
through the Process. You may have a set of links that everyone looks at as a
way of developing background information, or not. If you break learners into
groups, embed the links that each group will look at within the description
of that stage of the process. (Note, this is a change from the older WebQuest
templates which included a separate Resources section. It's now clear that the
resources belong in the Process section rather than alone.)
In the Process block, you might also provide some guidance on how to organize
the information gathered. This advice could suggestions to use flowcharts, summary
tables, concept maps, or other organizing structures. The advice could also
take the form of a checklist of questions to analyze the information with, or
things to notice or think about. If you have identified or prepared guide documents
on the Web that cover specific skills needed for this lesson (e.g. how to brainstorm,
how to prepare to interview an expert), link them to this section.
Evaluation
Describe to the learners how their performance will be evaluated. Specify whether
there will be a common grade for group work vs. individual grades.
1) Beginning
2) Developing
3) Accomplished
4) Exemplary
5) Score
Stated Objective or Performance Description of identifiable performance characteristics
reflecting a beginning level of performance. Description of identifiable performance
characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.
Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of
performance. Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting
the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance Description of identifiable performance characteristics
reflecting a beginning level of performance. Description of identifiable performance
characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.
Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of
performance. Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting
the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance Description of identifiable performance characteristics
reflecting a beginning level of performance. Description of identifiable performance
characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.
Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of
performance. Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting
the highest level of performance.
ect.
Conclusion
Put a couple of sentences here that summarize what they will have accomplished
or learned by completing this activity or lesson. You might also include some
rhetorical questions or additional links to encourage them to extend their thinking
into other content beyond this lesson.
Put the Title of the Lesson Here
A WebQuest for xth Grade (Put Subject Here)
Designed by
Put Your Name Here
Put Your E-mail Address Here
Put some interesting graphic representing the content here
Credits & References
List here the sources of any images, music or text that you're using. Provide
links back to the original source. Say thanks to anyone who provided resources
or help.
List any books and other analog media that you used as information sources as
well.
Include a link back to The WebQuest Page so that others can acquire the latest
version of this template and training materials.