WebQuests Structured But Fun Web Lessons Definition An

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WebQuests

• Structured But Fun Web Lessons

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Definition

• An inquiry-oriented activity in which some or
  all of the information that learners interact
  with comes from resources on the internet
• Created by Prof. Bernie Dodge with assistance
  from associate Tom March

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Two Levels

• Short term
• designed to be completed in 1-3 class periods
• Long term
• typically takes from 1-4 weeks in a classroom
  setting.

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Short Term

• Knowledge acquisition and integration
• Learners make sense of a significant amount of
  new information

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Long Term

• Extending and refining knowledge
• Learner
• analyzes a body of knowledge deeply,
• transforms it in some way, and
• demonstrates an understanding of the material by
  creating something that others can respond to
• Online or Offline product

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Why WebQuests?

• Questionable educational benefit to having
  learners surf the net without a clear task in
  mind
• Most schools must ration student connection time
  severely

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WebQuests

• Are designed to make the best use of a learner's
  time,
• Should address large, complex or controversial
  topics,
• To achieve efficiency and clarity of purpose,
  should contain the following parts

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Critical Attribute Introduction

• Sets the stage
• Provides some background information.

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Critical Attribute Task

• What the student is expected to have completed at
  the end of the project (expectations)
• Should be doable and interesting.
• Product can be a presentation, web site, etc.

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Critical Attribute Info Sources

• Most resources are embedded(Learner is not left
  to wander through Web space completely adrift.)
• May include web documents, experts available via
  e-mail or real-time conferencing, searchable
  databases on the net, and books

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Critical Attribute Process

• A description of what the learners should go
  through in accomplishing the task
• Should be broken out into clearly described steps
  that a student will go through to get to the
  end-point

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Critical Attribute Guidance

• How to organize the information acquired.
• Can take the form of guiding questions, or
  directions to complete organizational frameworks
  such as
• timelines,
• concept maps, or
• cause-and-effect diagrams

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Critical Attribute Evaluation

• Describes the evaluation criteria needed to meet
  performance and content standards
• Often takes the form of an assessment rubric
• Should align with the culminating project or
  performance
• Group or individual grade?

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Critical Attribute Conclusion

• Brings closure to the quest
• Reminds the learners about what they've learned
• Ideally, should encourage learners to extend the
  experience into other domains

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Non-Critical Attributes

• Most are designed as group activities
• Can be enhanced by wrapping motivational elements
  around the basic structure
• Give the learners a role to play (e.g.,
  scientist, detective, reporter),
• Provide a simulated personae to interact with via
  e-mail and/or
• Provide a scenario to work within (e.g., you've
  been asked by the Secretary General of the UN to
  brief him on what's happening in sub-Saharan
  Africa this week.)
• Can be designed within a single discipline or can
  be interdisciplinary

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Why WebQuests?

• Bring together the most effective instructional
  practices into one integrated student activity
• Motivation Authenticity
• Developing Thinking Skills
• Cooperative Learning
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/