IT

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ITS TIME TO DESIGN YOUR WEBQUESTUNIVERSITY
OF PHOENIXMaster of Arts in Education/Curriculum
and InstructionComputer Education Marianna
Kiva, Ecole 7 Oaks Middle School, CanadaDomenic
Kleine, Paulding Middle School, U.S.ATimothy
Brye, University Of Phoenix, U.S.A
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• Introduction
• This WebQuest was developed by
  graduate students from University of Phoenix as
  part of their Master Degree in Curriculum and
  Instruction with Computers in the Classroom. The
  goal of this project is to encourage teachers to
  use technology in the classroom and to build
  their own WebQuest using classroom created
  materials. The focus of this project is to create
  a comprehensive guide that would help teachers
  generate their own WebQuest and use this project
  as a resource to teach others about the benefits
  of a WebQuest-based model. We hope that this
  project will become a springboard for the
  creation of many interesting units by teachers
  interested in this cutting-edge teaching method.
• What is it? 
• WebQuest is a multi-disciplinary,
  multi-media approach to learning. The purpose of
  this approach is to broaden students horizons in
  acquisition of knowledge and develop
  communication and critical thinking skills. This
  type of learning fosters the  independence of a
  learner within a group setting. As educators, we
  see the benefits of this kind of a unit as
  exponential.
• Who is this for?
• These workshops are designed for teachers
  interested in using technology in the classroom
  as part of their daily teaching methods. They are
  also for teachers that share their
  accomplishments with other educators to benefit
  students learning outcomes. Teachers that are
  prepared to contribute, share, and learn from one
  another are welcome to participate in these
  workshops.

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Index

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Index
• 3 Two Seminar WebQuests
• 4 Tutorial WebQuest with link
• 5 Learning Team Project Development WebQuest
  Log In
• 10 Benefits of WebQuest Learning
• 12 International Standards
• 13 Teacher Resources
• 16 Assessments and Evaluations
• 21 Fine Points of Web-Page Development
• 31 WebQuest Template
• 35 Teachers Guides
• 40 Rubric for WebQuest Evaluations
• 45 Conclusion
• 48 References

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Two Seminar WebQuests
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• Tutorial WebQuest
• This site will provide instructions, examples,
  and tasks for the first section of our seminar.
  We hope this overview will help open your eyes to
  the capabilities of this powerful teaching tool.
  We will spend a good amount of time initially on
  this site. (Once open, we invite you to hold
  ALT down then tap TAB on your computer to
  toggle between the PowerPoint and the WebQuest or
  any other applications you have open.)
• Learning Team Project Development WebQuest
• Once we are familiar with the Tutorial WebQuest,
  we will come to this Learning Team site where we
  will work in the second part of our seminar. You
  must log in as a member of WebQuest to access the
  editing (development) portion of this site. (Easy
  instructions for access are on the subsequent
  pages of this PowerPoint presentation.) In this
  part of the project, participants develop and
  publish their own team WebQuest based on
  information presented in the Tutorial WebQuest.

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Tutorial WebQuest
As we travel through this seminar, ask questions
of your team-mates, other teams, as well as your
seminar facilitators. The idea is to leave today
with an increased understanding of how to develop
a WebQuest not to have a perfect product! The
purpose of these workshops is to give every
participant time to learn, share, and practice
then to come back with some part of the project
completed. Enjoy yourself and learn from one
another as you make the very best of team
learning. Please click on the following link to
take you to our Seminar Tutorial WebQuest.
http//questgarden.com/45/84/0/070123005743/ We
will spend a good deal of time on this site!
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Student Team WebQuest Log-In
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Log In
This is a screenshot of the WebQuest Design Home
Page, where student teams will grow your
WebQuest! Click http//questgarden.com/ to go to
the home page to log in. Both the user ID and
password are studentteame (student team e with
no spaces!).
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Student Team WebQuest Log-In Cont.
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Pencil
After you log in, you will be taken to this page.
Please click on the small pencil next to the
title of our project WebQuest Seminar Team E to
enter the project editing site. (Once again, Both
the user ID and password are studentteame
(student team e with no spaces!). This will
take you to the introduction of the Tutorial
WebQuest.
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This is the first WebQuest Design page which
provides valuable information. Look at the
column of headings on the left side of the page.
Click on Title/Authors and you will be taken
to the appropriate page that has
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Student Team WebQuest Editing
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Student Team WebQuest Editing cont.
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the title of your project, WebQuest Seminar
Team E. Follow the instructions and feel free to
change the name of your project because it is now
yours! Continue to look around the site and add
information by following the detailed
instructions provided by WebQuest. You may
Copy/Paste from the Tutorial WebQuest, a Word
document or anywhere. Just be sure you have
permission from authors
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Preview!!
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Preview
As you progress with designing your WebQuest, you
will want to see what the real product will look
like. At the bottom of the blue selection area on
the left of the page under Polish and Publish
is Preview. Click once and you will see what your
creation will look like! When you are ready to
make changes, just close this window and you will
be back in your editing area. Once again, while
editing, please remember to submit before
changing to another editing page.
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The benefits of this style of learning include
the following
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• Learning is meaningful and purposeful because all
  aspects of the curriculum can be tied together
• It develops skills technological, oral, written,
  and verbal. This prepares students to take their
  rightful place in the global market
• It fosters both interdependence as well as
  preserving the uniqueness of each learner
• It gives students control over their learning
• It teaches organizational skills and time
  management in order to meet deadlines
• It teaches students to recognize the strengths of
  individuals and respect people for what they have
  to offer
• Self-evaluation, peer evaluation and group
  evaluation using a language of respect
• Promotes critical thinking and problem solving
• The way that the unit is structured permits a
  natural way to adapt and modify materials to meet
  the needs of all learners
• Assessment and evaluation is done using various
  strategies
• Promotes inclusion
• Allows for conferencing between teachers and
  students on a regular basis
• Reduces the ration of teacher/student support
• Teaches thought processes (high order thinking)
• Teaches strategies that students can use in the
  future
• It brings the outside world in so that
  individuals can see themselves as members of a
  global community and how people can assist others
  
• This design of a unit can be adapted to any
  topic
•  

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This WebQuest is designed as an instructional
tool that will
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• 1)  Provide a description of the WebQuest concept
• 2)  Provide examples of quality existing
  WebQuests
• 3)  Provide team-based evaluation of various
  WebQuest designs (pros and cons)
• 4)  Provide team-based opportunity to brainstorm
  possible new WebQuest-based projects
• 5)  Provide team-based opportunity to design a
  basic WebQuest from provided material options.
• This endeavor will hopefully provide insight into
  ways of educating students in a
  technology-oriented, fun-to-use package.

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Links to National Curriculum Standards
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• United States
• http//www.education-world.com/standards/national/
  index.shtml
• Canada
• http//www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/
• United Kingdom
• http//sg.dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/United_
  Kingdom/Education/Teaching/Curriculum/
• Australia
• http//www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/
• New Zealand
• http//www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layoutindexi
  ndexid1005indexparentid1004
• Singapore
• http//www.sonlight.com/singapore.html

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Teacher Resources
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• The following resources are placed here to assist
  you the teacher, in the construction of  a
  WebQuest unit.
• They include the following
• Training pages
  
• Curriculum sites
• Instruments for rubric development
• Articles related to assessment
• Articles related to the benefits using technology
  in the classroom
• Testing and Assessment       
• 
  Amanda Kendle                                    
                        
• http//www.suite101.com/articles.cfm/testing_asses
  sment
• Integrating Technology in the Elementary
  Classroom
• Tammy Payton              
                  
• http//www.siec.k12.in.us/west/article/integrate.
  htm
•  Excellent WebQuest training page from the
  WebQuest site.
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm
•  Really Fine Rubrics
• http//www.really-fine.com/Rubrics.html 
• Rubric Creation Tools
• Rubistar

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WebQuest Collectionshttp//www.west.asu.edu/achr
istie/wqmatrix.html
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Samples of WebQuests available on
linehttp//www.west.asu.edu/achristie/wqmatrix.ht
mlDr. Alice Christie's Matrix of 400
WebQuestsWritten by her Students. These are
areas that are available on her site Language
Arts Social Studies Science Math Foreign
Language The Arts PECross Curricular
Vocational Professional Development More than
20 NEW WebQuests added  June 2006
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ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
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• Valid assessment must be closely matched to the
  curriculum. Assessment measures not only what has
  been taught, but also how it has been taught. In
  order for assessment to be valid it has to be
  done frequently and timely. Assessment needs to
  be flexible to meet the changing requirements of
  a modern curriculum and reflect its objectives,
  methods, and approaches. Teachers need to
  differentiate instruction to meet the varied
  learning needs and styles of individual students.
    Within this model, the assessment of
  students achievement would beCurriculum based
   Locally designed and implemented  An
  opportunity for teachers to design assessment
  measures, to work with colleagues in marking and
  considering student workPart of a process of
  assessment and reporting to parents that would
  constitute a Division Assessment Plan in each
  division. 

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EVALUATIONof WEBQUESTS
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• Determine the Fine Points of the Project
• Develop an Assessment Rubric
• Evaluate the WebQuest Before Students use it
• Provide students with a clear understanding of
  the grading criteria which will be used to
  evaluate their efforts.
• Provide links to online rubrics which will show
  students what grading criteria will be used.

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WebQuest Evaluation Form
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Proficient Competent Basic
Frames the essential question The essential question scaffolds learning, spanning Blooms Taxonomy the learner is encouraged to wonder the learner is encouraged to invent his/her own solution the essential question builds on prior knowledge. The question spans the lower levels of Blooms Taxonomyknowledge, comprehension and application the student is able to quickly reach a conclusion in response to the question does not attempt to have students make judgment or evaluation. The question can be answered directly the focus of the question is knowledge and comprehension the question has one obvious answer (i.e., Is slavery good or bad).
Connects WebQuest to Academic Standards at developmentally appropriate grade level WebQuest is interdisciplinary with clearly targeted standards standards are directly correlated To the task WebQuest is not interdisciplinary no effort is made to connect to other disciplines standards are related to the WebQuest. WebQuest lists multiple items from standards that are peripherally connected to the topic standards listed are not appropriate to the WebQuest.
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WebQuest Evaluation Form Cont.
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Proficient Competent Basic
Engaging Scenario Tasks The scenario and task is engaging for students the task provides sufficient background information to excite the interest of students the procedures are clearly outlined. The scenario is interesting the tasks are not clearly defined inadequate background information is supplied for each role directions are clear. The scenario is one-dimensional the task requires a student to research at the knowledge or comprehension level directions are vague.
Relevant Internet sources at appropriate grade level for students All information listed is relevant information sources are differentiated for each role puts meaning of the problem in personal, social or community perspectives sources are at an appropriate reading level for students. Information listed includes relevant and irrelevant materials uses a limited number of sources sites do not encourage reflection sites may be developmentally inappropriate. Links to sites and materials are not directly connected to the assignment uses one source interprets meaning from one source does not provide information for students to analyze or interpret.
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WebQuest Evaluation Form
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Proficient Competent Basic
Roles are interesting and create dissonance The WebQuest introduces characters who would interact with the information in the "real world" there are several characters the characters are unique characters have different points of view on the subject. The characters are similar in belief or thought there is insufficient background information their two or fewer roles the character is clearly "invented" and would not be involved in the scenario in the real world. There are no clearly defined characters characters are stereotypical or one-dimensional background information is the same for all characters there is one role in the WebQuest.
Produces Product Connected to Assignment The description of the product is clearly and coherently presented, product is clearly related to task product is unique and would clearly stretch the group's thinking The product does not encourage students to reflect and evaluate contrasting points of view product is similar to other products that have been produced. Product is not clearly connected to the question.
Creativity Student would be able to generate multiple approaches of looking at the problem Student would be challenge to demonstrate different approaches Student would be able to demonstrate one clear approach to understanding the problem does not ask students to draw conclusion. Student copies and pastes from the Internet without discrimination product demonstrates little connection to the question product does not show reflection.
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Fine Points
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• Fine Point 1 Line Length
• Research has shown that reading from the screen
  is more difficult than reading from paper.
  Because this is so, you need to take extra steps
  to make the best of the situation. One mistake
  web developers often make is to let the length of
  lines of text fill the screen without
  constraints, something that doesn't happen on
  paper.
• Readability is best when each line contains 8 to
  15 words. There are several ways to achieve this.
• Design your pages within frames to create a left
  margin and thus shorten the length of the
  remaining screen, or use a large type size
  (appropriate for primary grades only), or put all
  your pages within tables.
• The third possibility is the one most generally
  applicable. The text on this page is contained
  within a table 550 pixels wide, with an empty
  column 50 pixels wide. The line length, then, is
  constrained to 500 pixels

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Fine Point 2 Paragraph Length

• Fine Point 2 Paragraph Length
• As mentioned in Fine Point 1, reading from the
  screen is more difficult than reading
• on paper. Another strategy you can use to make
  reading your web document easier is to shorten
  your paragraphs. This will help the readers' eyes
  from getting lost in your text. These breaks help
  the eye track.
• A few short and easy tips can make your
  pages a little more user friendly.
• Limit your paragraphs to 1-3 sentences.
  This style is is commonly used by journalists in
  newspapers around the world.
• Be as brief as possible. Say what you
  mean, mean what you say. This will limit the
  length of the your paragraphs and document.
• Fine Point 3 Use Sans-Serif Fonts
  
• Another way to make your pages more readable is
  to use a sans-serif font. The serif fonts
• like Times, Palatino, and New York are
  good fonts for printing, but on the screen the
  serifs
• make them more difficult to read, especially in
  a smaller font size or on a smaller screen.
• Fonts that work well are Verdana, Arial, and
  Helvetica. You may also review your font listing
  for other more readable fonts. Not all
  computers have all the same fonts so you may want
  to indicate several two or three fonts so you can
  make sure others see your pages as you designed
  them.
• See for yourself. The first paragraph below is
  Times, the second Verdana. They are both the same
  font size. Which would you rather read all day?

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Fine Point 4 Using Fonts ConsistentlyIf you
decide to change the font of your document you
must stick with it. Now this may sound like a no
brainer, but in fact, Home Page sometimes will
slip right out of your changed font and back into
Time or whatever the default font is. Some
things that could cause the font to change back
include 1. hitting return, 2. changing from a
number/bulleted list back to normal text, or 3.
clicking below the paragraph you are working on.
The fix is quite simple. 1. Examine your text
closely. 2. Change the font again if it slips
out of your designated font. 3. When finished
with your document, Select all and change
everything on the page at once.
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• Fine Point 5 Checking the Reading Level
• You have to consider who is going to be reading
  your online documents as you
• write and edit them. The teacher page can be as
  complex as you need it to be, but
• the student pages need to reflect the reading
  levels of the target grade level.
• Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators has a look at
  readability for different grade
• levels complete with a graph.
• You don't want your students to get stuck on the
  directions, here are some tips to ensure
  understanding.
• 1. Be direct and simple.
• 2. Use vocabulary appropriate to the reading
  level.
• 3. If necessary use an online dictionary to
  assist your student.
• Fine Point 6 Underlining
• There is an easy rule when using underlining in
  web pages. Don't. Links are automatically
• underlines and when people start underlining
  regular text, users get confused. Less
• experienced users think the link is broken. How
  do you get around underlining? Use italics
• or bold. Book titles should be italized.

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• Fine Point 7 Meaningful Titles
• Nothing says "I was in a hurry!" louder than
  when the title bar has no title, or one that
• say "Put the Name of Your WebQuest Here".
• The WebQuest template Title needs to be
  changed and it is up to you! Use a name that
• suits your specific topic. Generic titles like
  "WebQuest" or "Student Page" should be
• avoided. Specific titles add more character
  and individuality to your page.
• When you get to the page, it is very apparent
  whether or not you took the time to
• change the title.
• Fine Point 8 Using Transparency
• When using GIFs you can make a single color
  value become transparent. Since images can only
  be rectangular in size, transparency is a way to
  get around this limitation. This only works with
  GIFs with backgrounds that are a single color
  value (if you notice little color specs in the
  background it will not work).
• On a white or patterned background, this image
  would look awkward. With a transparent
  background, the blue disappears and it appears
  the image is in the shape of the light bulb.

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• Fine Point 9 Pad the Image Space
• When you place an image into a document and
  align it left or right, any text you have will
  simply hug itself around the image. This fine
  point nudges the text away from the graphic,
  giving it more space and reducing the clutter on
  the web page.
• Now this can be easily accomplished by changing
  what is called the VSPACE and HSPACE of an image.
  Sound familiar? Probably not, Home Page has not
  yet incorporated this option. Despite that, it is
  easily done.
• Fine Point 10 Lighten a Background
• Have you ever found the perfect background for
  the subject of your page, but you just couldn't
  read the text very well? Instead of finding
  another background, using a color, or risking
  your students not being able to read the text,
  you can easily lighten the background so you can
  use it.
• Using a shareware program called Graphic
  Converter from Lemke Software, you can easily and
  quickly lighten a background.
• This program may be downloaded directly from
  Downloads.com. While you can use the trial
  version without any limitations, the 35.00
  dollar shareware fee covers all future
• updates.

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• Fine Point 11 Give Text
  Some Room
• When using tables you need to keep your text
  from being right on the borders or edges, much
  like Fine Point 9 did with images. This is
  especially important when using a background or
  borders.
• This is another easy task to complete. All you
  need to do is adjust the padding of the table and
• you are set.
• Fine Point 12 Put text and graphics next to
  each other in
• Home Page
• Another way to conserve space on your page is to
  put your graphics next to your text in a table,
  this technique can be particularly helpful with
  the use of photographs and other medium sized
  images.
• In stead of describing the image or continuing
  with your text below the image, you can simply
  run the text on either side. This compacts the
  page in stylish and uncluttered fashion.

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Fine Point 12 Put text and graphics next to
each other in Home PageIf you have been working
down the list of Fine Points, you will have
noticed that we are trying to make your pages
more readable and efficient. Another way to
conserve space on your page is to put your
graphics next to your text in a table,This
technique can be particularly helpful with the
use of photographs and other medium sized images.
In stead of describing the image or continuing
with your text below the image, you can simply
run the text on either side. This compacts the
page in stylish and uncluttered fashion.
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• This image of Crater Lake in Oregon is sitting
  directly above the text. Notice
• all of the wasted space on either side of the
  image?
• This method allows you to utilize that
  space that would otherwise be wasted.
• It would be a good idea to adjust the padding
  to keep the text off the edge
• of the table.

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• Fine Point 13
• Removing Borders on Images in Home Page
• When using an image as a link or button, you
  need to remove the border. Otherwise,
• you will have a blue box around the linked
  graphic. While this may not seem like
• much, it is one of the many characteristics
  that separates a good page from a great
• page.
• Unless you change it, the default border for a
  linked image will be the color of your
• links. After you visit the link, it will turn
  the color of your visited links. This situation
  is
• easily remedied by changing the border to
  zero.

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• Fine Point 14 Making Your Page Accessible
• It's easy to forget that not everyone is able to
  perceive your web pages the way you do. If you're
  designing your pages with the hope that people
  you'll never meet will be using them (and you
  should), you'll need to consider the fine points
  of making them accessible.
• You can check your pages for accessibility by
  calling up the new Bobby page, though you might
  find that to be unduly daunting.
• The IBM Guidelines for Web Accessibility page
  lists 11 recommendations for web page designers.
  For most WebQuest pages, you'll probably only
  need to think about rules 1, 2 and 10.
• Rule 10 is pretty self-evident. It recommends
  that you make your hyperlinks self-descriptive
  (like the IBM one in the paragraph above) rather
  than links that simply say click here.
• Rules 1 and 2 are about providing a text
  alternative to every graphical link. By doing so,
  the visually impaired will be able to have the
  computer read the page to them. When the computer
  comes to a graphic, it reads the text caption
  which (if written correctly) will communicate at
  least some of the information provided by the
  graphic.

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WebQuest Template
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• Put the Title of the WebQuest Here
• Developed by (put your name, an email link, and
  your URL)
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion
• 1. Overview
• Describe what the lesson is about. Specify
  content area (mathematics, language arts, etc)
  and grade level (middle, elementary, early
  childhood, etc.). Specify strands and objectives
  from the South Carolina Curriculum Standards that
  this WebQuest Supports. List by subject area
  (WebQuests should be interdisciplinary projects).
  List any special resources that a teacher would
  need in the classroom or in the media center for
  the students to complete the activity. For
  example, print resources in the media center, art
  reproductions, or video and audio materials.
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion
• 2. Introduction
• Write an introduction to your WebQuest that will
  give students some background about your topic. 
  Try to interest them.
• If your webquest is about a place, include some
  general information, a picture, and/or audio
  files. 
• If it is about a person, describe something about
  the person that gives general background to the
  students.
• If you are creating a scenario with opposing
  points of view, describe the views briefly.  
• Remember, you want to interest the students in
  pursuing this WebQuest.
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion

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WebQuest Template
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• 3. Quest(ions) and the Task
• What are the guiding questions that students need
  to keep in mind in order to accomplish their
  task? What is the task that the student(s) must
  undertake? Why is the job necessary? What are the
  circumstances surrounding the task or the
  question that may cause conflict? What led up to
  this circumstance? Is there more than one way of
  looking at this. Can you see conflicting roles
  for people--such as environmentalist and
  industrialist.
• You should briefly outline for student(s) what
  they are expected to learn. For example Despite
  the known risks of space flight should the
  elderly be encouraged to make space shuttle
  flights for the sake of gaining potentially
  beneficial medical knowledge?
• Assign various roles to students. A good WebQuest
  generates some tension or conflict that must be
  resolved so you should try to develop two to four
  roles. Remember that you want this to be a
  collaborative activity for students.
• Person 1
• Person 2
• Person 3
• Person 4 
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion
• 4 Process
• Explain that students who have similar roles may
  work together to compare ideas based on the
  factual information they have collected, or that
  students may continue to pursue their role
  individually until the conflict generated by the
  original guiding question (s) forces them to
  resolve the issue with the entire group.

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WebQuest Template
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• 4a Process
• Once students have understood their roles and
  investigated the background material necessary to
  make informed decisions, then it is time for them
  to come together as a group and to discuss the
  issue(s). Group work should result in a consensus
  document or presentation.
• Give students directions on this group work.
• Be sure that they understand that their role may
  place them in conflict with another person's
  role. How should they resolve this conflict?
  What overall idea should they keep in mind that
  will allow them to compromise? Is there a
  greater good?
• Provide options for how students may present
  their information to the group. Here are some
  ideas
• Flowcharts Multimedia Presentations Web Page
  Summary Tables Concept Maps Venn Diagrams
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion
• 5 Resources
• Identify for the students which other resources
  they may use to complete their task(s). Other
  resources may include

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WebQuest Template
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• 6. Evaluation
• Provide students with a clear understanding of
  the grading criteria which will be used to
  evaluate their efforts.
• Provide links to online rubrics which will allow
  students to know upfront what grading criteria
  will be used. Following are some examples that
  could be used for a variety of projects.
• Include a phrase such as, "Please click here to
  review the criteria on which your individual
  grade will be based."
• OR
• "You will also receive a collaborative grade.
  Please click here to review the criteria which
  will determine you collaborative grade."
• Explain how the grades will be counted or
  averaged.
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion
• 7. Conclusion
• Explain to students how the conclusion will offer
  the opportunity to engage in further analysis.
  For example
• Ask students how their roles could have been
  interpreted in a different light? Ask students if
  they had interpreted their roles differently, how
  might the outcome have changed? Ask students if
  they were flexible enough to compromise with the
  group and attain resolution, or did they yield to
  group pressures? Ask students what new questions
  did the issue(s) generate? Why would these new
  questions be important in answering the original
  question(s)?
• OverviewIntroductionQuest(ions)ProcessResource
  sEvaluationConclusion
• Return to WebQuests

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Teacher Guide 1 Evaluating Web Pages
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• Just about anyone can create a web page on just
  about any topic. It is very important that
  students and teachers recognize that not
  everything out there is a viable resource. There
  are several things to look for when trying to
  determine if a web page is a viable source.
• The following are the items you and your
  students should consider before using a web page
  as a resource (information here is adapted from
  the Evaluating Internet Information page by
  Elizabeth E. Kirk).
• 1. Author -
• Who is the person writing on this topic?
• Is he/she an expert in the field? A professor or
  teacher? Or just someone with a little interest
  in the area?
• Is there biographical information available?
• Is the information in a reputable online
  publication?
• Is there a bibliography? All information from
  academic or official sources will have a
  bibliography.
• Unless the web page is part of a larger site
  (e.g. an encyclopedia or journal), there must be
  an author sited.

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Teacher Guide 1 Continues
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• 2. Publisher -
• Has an individual just put up his/her own site?
  Or is it part of a larger site?
• Does someone evaluate the information prior to
  being published on the web?
• Does this Web page actually reside in an
  individual's personal Internet account rather
  than being part of an official Web site? This
  type of information resource should be approached
  with the greatest caution.
• If you come across a geocities or aol site, you
  need to remember that anyone can (and does)
  create web pages on these sites.
• If in doubt of the source, try going to the base
  site (i.e. http//www.geocities.com). If this
  site ends up being just a web page provider,
  think twice about the validity of the
  information.
• 3. Bias -
• Who is providing the information?
• Do they have any self interest in the way they
  present the information? Watch out for
  information on smoking from a tobacco company!
• 4. Age of Information -
• When was the information published?
• There should be a date somewhere on the page,
  especially if the page contains statistics or
  other time sensitive material.
• The age of some materials is irrelevant (like
  slave narratives).

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Teacher Guide 2 Using Photographs
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• The following is a short list of strategies for
  using photographs in the classroom. This list is
  by no means complete, so don't be limited by
  these ideas. Use the Looking at Photographs Guide
  to help your students evaluate the content of the
  images.
• 1. QuickWrite Topics
• Describe everything you see in the photograph.
• What is/are the person/people thinking in the
  photograph?
• What questions does the photo answer? pose?
• List anything that comes to mind when looking at
  the photo?
• Write about what led up to this moment or what
  happened directly after it.
• 2. Creative Activities
• Write a short story about what is happening in
  the photo.
• Write a poem.
• Write a play and act it out with your classmates.
  
• Have Socratic Seminar.

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Teacher Guide 3 Evaluating Web Pages
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• Did you know that anyone can write and publish a
  web page? Because of this, it is important that
  you and your teacher use web sites that are
  created by people who are are qualified to be
  writing on the subject matter. For example, would
  you rather use information on the human body
  written by a doctor, or someone who has just been
  to the doctor?
• The following are a list of questions you need
  to consider when evaluating at a web page along
  with some tips and things to look for.
• 1. Who wrote it?
• Is he/she an expert in the field? A professor or
  teacher? Or just someone with a little interest
  in the area?
• Is there biographical information available?
• What exactly do we know about the author?
• Unless the web page is part of a larger site
  (e.g. an encyclopedia or journal), there must be
  an author cited.

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Teacher Guide 3 Continued
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• 2. Who is publishing it?
• Has an individual just put up his/her own site?
  Or is it part of a university or company site?
• If you come across a geocities, angelfire,
  tripod, or aol site, you need to remember that
  anyone can (and does) create web pages on these
  sites.
• If in doubt of the source, try going to the base
  site (i.e. http//www.geocities.com). If this
  site ends up being just a web page provider,
  think twice about using the information.
• 3. Is there an opinion being presented?
• Who is providing the information?
• Do they have any self interest in the way they
  present the information? (e.g. Watch out for
  information on smoking from a tobacco company!)
• 4. How old is the web page?
• When was the information published?
• There should be a date somewhere on the page,
  especially if the page contains statistics or
  other time sensitive material.

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A Rubric for Evaluating WebQuests
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• The WebQuest format can be applied to a variety
  of teaching situations. If you take advantage of
  all the possibilities inherent in the format,
  your students will have a rich and powerful
  experience. This rubric will help you pinpoint
  the ways in which your WebQuest isn't doing
  everything it could do. If a page seems to fall
  between categories, feel free to score it with
  in-between point.

Once you've got a copy of the rubric, here are
the three steps to putting your rubric
together. 1.Generate a number of potential
dimensions to use 2. Select a reasonable
number of the most important dimensions 3.
Identify benchmarks for each level of each
dimension
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Overall Aesthetics Beginning 0 points Developing 2 points Accomplished 4 points Score
Overall Visual Appeal There are few or no graphic elements. No variation in layout or typographic OR Color is garish and/or typographic variations are overused and legibility suffers. Background interferes with the readability. Graphic elements sometimes, but not always, contribute to the understanding of concepts, ideas and relationships. There is some variation in type size, color, and layout. Appropriate and thematic graphic elements are used to make visual connections that contribute to the understanding of concepts, ideas and relationships. Differences in type size and/or color are used well and consistently..
Navigation Flow Getting through the lesson is confusing and unconventional. Pages can't be found easily and/or the way back isn't clear. There are a few places where the learner can get lost and not know where to go next. Navigation is seamless. It is always clear to the learner what all the pieces are and how to get to them.
Mechanical Aspects There are more than 5 broken links, misplaced or missing images, badly sized tables, misspellings and/or grammatical errors. 1 point There are some broken links, misplaced or missing images, badly sized tables, misspellings and/or grammatical errors. 2 points No mechanical problems noted.
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Introduction Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
Motivational Effectiveness of Introduction 0 points The introduction is purely factual, with no appeal to relevance or social importance OR The scenario posed is transparently bogus and doesn't respect the media literacy of today's learners. 1 point The introduction relates somewhat to the learner's interests and/or describes a compelling question or problem 2 points The introduction draws the reader into the lesson by relating to the learner's interests or goals and/or engagingly describing a compelling question or problem.
Cognitive Effectiveness of the Introduction 0 points The introduction doesn't prepare the reader for what is to come, or build on what the learner already know 1 point The introduction makes some reference to learner's prior knowledge and previews to some extent what the lesson is about. 2 points The introduction builds on learner's prior knowledge and effectively prepares the learner by foreshadowing what the lesson is about.
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Task Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
Connection of Task to Standards 0 points The task is not related to standards. 2 point The task is referenced to standards but is not clearly connected to what students must know and be able to do to achieve proficiency of those standards. 4 points The task is referenced to standards and is clearly students must know and be able to do to achieve proficiency of those standards.
Cognitive Level of the Task 0 points Task requires simply comprehending or retelling of information found on web pages and answering factual questions. 3 points Task is doable but is limited in its significance to students' lives. The task requires analysis of information and/or putting together information from several sources. 6 points Task is doable and engaging, and elicits thinking that goes beyond rote comprehension. The task requires synthesis of multiple sources of information, and/or taking a position, and/or going beyond the data given and making a generalization or creative product.
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Process Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
Clarity of Process 0 points Process is not clearly stated. Students would not know exactly what they were supposed to do just from reading this. 2 points Some directions are given, but there is missing information. Students might be confused. 4 points Every step is clearly stated. Most students would know exactly where they are at each step of the process and know what to do next.
Scaffolding of Process 0 points The process lacks strategies and organizational tools needed for students to gain the knowledge needed to complete the task. Activities are of little significance to one another and/or to the accomplishment of the task 3 points Strategies and organizational tools embedded in the process are insufficient to ensure that all students will gain the knowledge needed to complete the task. Some of the activities do not relate specifically to the accomplishment of the task. 6 points The process provides students coming in at different entry levels with strategies and organizational tools to access and gain the knowledge needed to complete the task. Activities are clearly related and designed to take the students from basic knowledge to higher level thinking. Checks for understanding are built in to assess whether students are getting it.
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Richness of process 0 points Few steps, no separate roles assigned. 1 points Some separate tasks or roles assigned. More complex activities required 2 points Different roles are assigned to help students understand different perspectives and/or share responsibility in accomplishing the task.
Resources Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
Relevance Quantity of Resources 0 points Resources provided are not sufficient for students to accomplish the task. OR There are too many resources for learners to look at in a reasonable time. 2 point There is some connection between the resources and the information needed for students to accomplish the task. Some resources don't add anything new. 4 points There is a clear and meaningful connection between all the resources and the information needed for students to accomplish the task. Every resource carries its weight.
Quality of Resoures 0 points Links are mundane. They lead to information that could be found in a classroom encyclopedia. 2 points Some links carry information not ordinarily found in a classroom. 4 points Links make excellent use of the Web's timeliness and colorfulness. Varied resources provide enough Meaningful information for students to think deeply.
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Evaluation Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
Clarity of Evaluation Criteria Total 0 points Criteria for success are not described. 3 points Criteria for success are at least partially described. 6 points Criteria for success are clearly stated in the form of a rubric. Criteria include qualitative as well as quantitative descriptors. The evaluation instrument clearly measures what students must know and be able to do to accomplish the task. /50
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ConclusionSums up the activity and encourages
students to reflect on the process and results
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• Explain to students how the conclusion will off
  the opportunity to engage in further analysis.
• 1. Ask students how their roles could have been
  interpreted in a different manner.
• 2. Ask students if they had interpreted their
  roles differently, how might the outcome
  have changed?
• 3. Ask students if they were flexible
  enough to compromise with the group and
  attain resolution, or did they yield to group
  pressure?
• 4. Ask students what new questions did the
  project generate? Why would these new
  questions be important in answering the
  original question.

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References
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• Process Guides Teacher guides. Retrieved
  February 13, 2007, from
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/processguides/index.htm
  
• Fine Points Little things that make a
  difference. Retrieved February 8, 2007, from
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/finepoints/index.htm
• A Rubric for Evaluating WebQuests. Retrieved
  February 13, 2007, from
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html
• WebQuest Evaluation Form. Retrieved February 8,
  2007, from
• http//www.spa3.k12.sc.us/webquestrubric.htm
• Dr. Alice Christie's Matrix of 400 WebQuests.
  Retrieved February 8, 2007, from
• http//www.west.asu.edu/achristie/wqmatrix.html
• Images of group work. Retrieved February 15,
  2007, from
• http//ca.search.yahoo.com/search/images?pgroup
  work2CstudentseiUTF-8frFP-tab-img-t340xwrt

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References (continued)
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• International Curriculum Standards. Retrieved
  February 15, 2007, from
• http//questgarden.com/author/create-standards.ph
  p
• United States
• http//www.education-world.com/standards/national/
  index.shtml
• Canada
• http//www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/
• United Kingdom
• http//sg.dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/United_
  Kingdom/Education/Teaching/Curriculum/
• Australia
• http//www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/
• New Zealand
• http//www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layoutindexi
  ndexid1005indexparentid1004
• Singapore
• http//www.sonlight.com/singapore.html