Taming the Wild, Wild Web: WebQuests

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Taming the Wild, Wild WebWebQuests

• Pam Kuck, Instructional Technology Director
• Kaye Lietz, TRITON Director
• pkuck_at_cesa8.k12.wi.us
• lietz_at_cesa8.k12.wi.us

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Overview of a WebQuest

• Definition An inquiry-oriented activity in
  which some or all of the information that
  learners interact with comes from resources on
  the Internet.
• Developed by Bernie Dodge, Professor of
  Eductional Technology, San Diego State University
• Useful for teaching any subject at any grade
  level
• Learners surf the Internet with a clear task in
  mind

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Short-Term WebQuests

• Students will
• Acquire knowledge
• Integrate knowledge
• Grapple with a significant amount of material and
  make sense of it
• One to three class periods to complete

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Long-Term WebQuests

• Students will
• Extend their knowledge
• Refine their knowledge
• Analyze a body of knowledge deeply, transform it
  in some way, and demonstrate an understanding of
  it by creating something
• One week to one month to complete

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Critical Attributes of a WebQuest

• Successful WebQuests always include six main
  components
• Introduction
• Task
• Process
• Resources
• Evaluation/Assessment
• Conclusion

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Introduction

• Orients the learner to whats coming
• Sets the stage for the learning activity
• Provides background to the topic
• Engages the learner through a variety of means
• relevant to past experience
• relevant to future goals
• attractive and visually interesting
• significant on a global scale
• fun due to role-playing

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Task

• Describes learner expectations
• Is completable or doable
• Interesting and engaging
• May take the form of
• Presentation (HyperStudio, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Classroom presentation (speech, play, etc.)
• Written report
• Classroom demonstration

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Process

• Clearly describes steps to complete task
• Divides tasks into subtasks
• Describes roles to be played or perspectives to
  be taken by each learner
• Provides learning advice in the form of guided
  questions and directions
• timelines
• concept maps
• cause-and-effect diagrams
• other organizational frameworks

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Resources

• Lists resources to help the learner accomplish
  the task
• websites
• online experts
• searchable databases
• books and other documents
• personal interviews
• videoconferencing
• Pre-selects sites to discourage aimless surfing
• Directs the learning experience

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Evaluation/Assessment

• Newest addition to the WebQuest model
• Justifies expense of using the Web for learning
• Measures knowledge gained by learner
• Examines student product and establishes
  benchmarks
• Often takes the form of a rubric

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Conclusion

• Summarizes the experience
• Reminds the learner what they have learned
• Encourages reflection about the process
• Extends and generalizes learning
• Brings closure to the quest
• May suggest questions for follow-up class
  discussion

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Optional Components of a WebQuest

• Usually a group activity
• May be a solo quest (distance learning, library
  settings, or independent study)
• May include role-playing (scientist, detective,
  reporter, etc.)
• May suggest a scenario (Youve been assigned to
  create a new exhibit at the zoo OR Visit Japan,
  study crime statistics, and report back to the
  CIA)
• May be based on a single discipline or cross
  curricular

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Designing a WebQuest

• Identify your topic (curriculum-oriented with
  sufficient online resources)
• Browse and search for resources
• Organize ones knowledge and resources
• websites (online resources)
• reference materials (offline resources)
• people resources (online experts, local experts,
  etc.)
• Follow the design template

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To find WebQuests

• Matrix of Example WebQuests http//edweb.sdsu.ed
  u/webquest/matrix.html
• Teacher-Created WebQuests http//students.itec.s
  fsu.edu/edt628/projects.html
  http//topcat.bridgew.edu/kschrock/classwork
  http//www-education.nmsu.edu8001/webqu
  est/examples.html http//www.memphis-schools.k1
  2.tn.us/ admin/tlapages/web_que
  .htm http//itdc.sbcss.k12.ca.us/curriculum/we
  bquest.html http//www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hs
  chool/webquest.htm

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To find out more about WebQuests

• The WebQuest Page http//edweb.sdsu.edu/w
  ebquest/webquest.html
• Kathy Shrocks slide show on WebQuests
  http//www.capecod.net/schrockguide/webquest/wqsl1
  .htm
• Building Blocks for WebQuests http//edweb.sdsu.ed
  u/people/bdodge/webquest/buildingblocks. html
• The WebQuest Design Process http//edweb.sdsu.edu/
  webquest/Process/WebQuestDesignProcess.html
• A Rubric for Evaluating WebQuests
  http//edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestrubric.html
  
• A WebQuest Design Template http//edweb.sdsu.edu/e
  dweb_folder/Courses/EDTEC596/WebQuest_
  Template1.html

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Follow your quest...