Using WebQuests to Enhance Learning

1
Using WebQueststo Enhance Learning

• Alice A. Christie, Ph.D.
• Arizona State University West

2
Overview

• Definitions
• Durations
• Constructivism
• Components
• Benefits
• Examples

WebQuests
3
What is a WebQuest?

• Term coined by Bernie Dodge of UCSD
• An interactive learning experience that
• explores a theme or question
• enhances learning through use of
• Internet resources
• print resources when appropriate

4
Learning

• Maximize student learning by
• organizing the learning process into tangible
  tasks
• providing links to appropriate Internet sites
• providing learning advice
• providing clear expectations to students

5
Net Resources

• Searchable databases
• Documents that provide information or elicit
  analysis of a situation
• Microworlds that can be navigated
• Interactive stories
• Case studies
• On-line interview simulations

6
Other Resources

• Print materials
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Brochures
• Personal interviews
• Opinion surveys

7
Duration

• Short-term (1-3 class periods)
• acquiring and integrating knowledge
• making sense of a large amount of information
• Long-term (1-12 weeks)
• extending and refining knowledge
• transforming information and demonstrating what
  is learned

8
Constructivism

• Engagement in a problem-based process
• An interdisciplinary approach requiring
• open-minded and critical thinking
• interpreting, analyzing, evaluating and drawing
  inferences
• problem-solving
• reflection

9
Constructivism

• Active involvement of students in the learning
  process
• Collaboration with others
• Structured ways for students
• to guide themselves through discovery of new
  material
• to apply new learning to past experiences
• to evaluate Internet information

10
Components of WebQuests

• Introduction
• The Task
• The Process
• Resources
• Evaluation

• Conclusion
• Reflection
• Extension
• Notes to the Teacher

11
Introduction

• Purpose
• to explain the WebQuest process
• to raise the learners interest in the WebQuest
• to provide an overview of the content of the
  WebQuest
• to provide background information about the
  content of the WebQuest

12
The Task

• A description of what the learner will accomplish
  during the WebQuest
• Possible tasks should be viable and interesting
  and may include
• HyperStudio stack or a PowerPoint presentation
• a speech or letter to the editor
• a skit, poster or brochure
• a fair or celebration for sharing

13
The Process

• Steps that learners takes to complete the task
• Strategies for dividing the task into subtasks
• Descriptions of roles to be played or
  perspectives to be taken by each learner
• Learning advice
• Interpersonal process advice

14
Resources

• Web pages or links that the instructor has
  located that will help the learner accomplish the
  task
• Pre-selected sites or links that help learners
  focus attention on the topic rather than
  searching for sites aimlessly
• Useful print resources

15
Evaluation

• Rubrics rather than multiple choice tests for
  learner evaluation
• Process
• Product
• Evaluation of both lower order and higher order
  thinking skills

16
Conclusion

• Brings closure to the WebQuest
• Reminds learners of their discoveries
• Encourages learners to apply their WebQuest
  experiences to other situations
• Helps learners summarize and reflect on their
  WebQuest experiences

17
Reflection

• Encourages learners to reflect about
• which resources were most helpful
• the validity and relevance of the resources used
• content (new understandings)
• process (collaboration, roles, how learning
  occurred)

18
Extension

• Opportunities to extend learning beyond the
  WebQuest both in and outside the classroom
• Opportunities for students to create their own
  WebQuests to share with their peers

19
Notes to the Teacher

• Goals and objectives of the WebQuest
• Linkage to state and national standards
• Hints on managing the WebQuest
• Extensive resources for the teacher in planning
  and implementing the WebQuest
• Other appropriate on- and off-line materials

20
Benefits of WebQuests

• Interdisciplinary Learning
• Higher Order Thinking Skills
• Social Skills
• Collaborative Learning
• Diverse Thinking
• Reflection

21
Interdisciplinary Learning

• Students make essential connections between and
  across content
• Connections help students relate learning to
  real-life experiences
• Students have deeper understanding and more
  meaningful learning with
• rich content
• authentic problem-solving

22
Thinking Skills

• Students
• Decide what to believe about an issue
• Evaluate the beliefs of others
• Interpret the significance of collected
  information
• Synthesize information to generate hypotheses,
  form conclusions, and complete specific tasks
• Identify the similarities and differences among
  Internet resources

23
Evaluation Skills CARS

• Students evaluate
• Credibility of the information, author, or host
• Accuracy of information, including timeliness and
  completeness
• Reasonableness of the information - freedom from
  bias, balance, and objectivity
• Support for the site - availability of confirming
  information, sources, and contact information

24
Social Skills

• Students develop social skills including
• listening, cooperating, and affirming others
• giving and taking constructive criticism
• accepting differing view points
• expressing opinions effectively
• using language that will appeal to specific
  audiences

25
Collaborative Learning

• Students
• use a collaborative process of discovery to
  facilitate learning
• take ownership of their learning
• Collaborative learning fosters
• a communal learning environment
• constant comprehension checks
• opportunities for exchanging ideas

26
Diversity

• Students are
• exposed to multiple ways of viewing ideas or
  content
• encouraged to develop open-minded thinking
• able to understand and respect diversity and
  people from cultures different than their own

27
Careful, Deliberate Reflection

• Students
• make sense of what they experience and how to
  proceed
• evaluate their own thinking and problem-solving
  processes
• A shift of emphasis
• from the product - or answers to specific
  questions
• to the process of constructing knowledge

28
Examples of WebQuests

• Alice Christies WebQuest Page
• Alice Christies WebQuest Matrix
• Bernie Dodges WebQuest Page
• Bernie Dodges Matrix
• Examples of Evaluation Rubrics

29
Enjoy Using WebQuests

• Alice A. Christie, Ph.D.
• alice.christie_at_asu.edu
• http//www.west.asu.edu/achristie/