WebQuests

Are your students bored?  Do you feel your students might not be picking up on the important parts of your lessons?  Are you trying to find a way to incorporate technology into your classroom?  Do you want to develop the collaborative skills of your students?  Maybe WebQuests are your answer!!!

 

What is a  WebQuest?

Bernie Dodge, the man responsible for thinking up the WebQuest format, defined it best when he stated that it was "an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet...".  Simply put, a WebQuest is an activity in which a student or group of students evaluates and explores pre-selected Internet resources, in order to complete a real world task. 

The best way to understand a WebQuest is to see one in action.  Here are some examples of WebQuests:

Put Your School on the Web
By: Leanne Twidwell
http://www.teachtheteachers.org/projects/LTwidwell/index.htm

Museum Exhibition
By: Kaylene Waite
http://staff.buffalostate.edu/waitekd/WebQuest/

Inside a Computer WebQuest
By: Joseph Lundin
http://users.adelphia.net/~joecentral/webquest/


Why should I use a WebQuest?

A WebQuest is an exciting way to get students working together and learning course material.  By having students work on a real world problem, it motivates them to find a solution.  Providing pre-selected Internet resources, lets the students research relevant information, instead of spending hours on fruitless Internet searches.  If you have students work in groups, it gives them the collaborative skills necessary for their future.  Best of all it develops their thinking skills by forcing the students to find a solution to a problem by exploring and evaluating resources. 

Not convinced yet?  Visit http://www.internet4classrooms.com/why_webquest.htm

 

How do I create a WebQuest?

There are five main sections to a standard WebQuest.

Introduction
In this section you lay the foundation for the rest of your WebQuest.  You should use this section to describe the question or problem, setup the scenario and engage the student.

Task
This section is where you describe the final product or solution you expect from the student.  The task is what all the student's work is centered around.

Process
A step by step description of how the student will accomplish the task.  In this section you can assign roles, give the students resources and guide the student through the quest.

Evaluation
Usually the evaluation is in rubric form and describes the method in which the student will be assessed during the WebQuest.

Conclusion
The final section which is used to sum up the activity or explain the concepts in further detail.

These five sections should be completed and then inserted into a webpage, Microsoft Word document, or some other electronic delivery method that supports hyperlinks (clickable text).   

For WebQuest templates visit:
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/LessonTemplate.html
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/web_quest/
http://westford.mec.edu/schools/Blanch/WebQ_Stu.htm

 

WebQuest Tips

* Don't reinvent the wheel, there are a lot of free WebQuests available on the Internet.  Before designing your own, see if there is a WebQuest you can use.  You can start your search at: http://webquest.org/ or http://kathyschrock.net/webquests/index.htm

* Provide well researched resources that students can use to complete their assignment.  Make sure that all your resources are complete and accurate.  For more information about evaluating web sites visit http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/web.asp

* Use an engaging real world problem or scenario that puts students into roles.  This will not only motivate the student, but develop their communication skills and make the project more important to the students.

One-Computer Classroom

Only one computer in your classroom?  Don't let it sit in the corner and collect dust!  Pull it out and use some of these ideas to help you integrate it into your course. 

Activities

  • Create a learning center where group of students can use the computer to research a topic
  • Use the computer as a station in a multiple station arrangement, each station could have different activities or resources
  • Have students type answers into the computer, graph the results and compare the data
  • Using specialized software, have students perform virtual experiments
  • Make students print out an Internet resource and use that resource to complete a task
  • Collect data from an experiment and have students manipulate or graph the data
  • Create a survey or quiz station to review or collect data

Presentation

  • Perform a virtual experiment in front of the class
  • Use presentation software, such as Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Take a virtual field trip or tour a facility online
  • Try graphical organization software such as Inspiration to organize or brainstorm ideas
  • Correct anonymous student papers in front of class to show common mistakes
  • Show pictures or graphics and annotate important parts (ie: fire investigation photos)
  • Present previously bookmarked Internet sites in class which supplement your course
  • Create an automatic slideshow for orientations, tours or open houses
  • Have students use presentation software for oral reports

Management

  • Keep attendance or a grade book for your courses (using spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel will automate calculations)
  • Create a webpage for your courses, or use a course management software such a Blackboard
  • Research course topics and/or teaching methods to convey the material
  • Email your students, other faculty members or join Internet mailing lists
  • Develop documents and handouts for your class (save paper by delivering them via electronic means)

Tips

  • If you can't afford a video/data projector for your computer, use cheaper methods such as a scan converter.  A scan converter can convert the signal from a computer into a format that will work with a television.  Then borrow a television from your audio visual department. 
     
  • Take baby step, don't try and implement all these ideas at once.  Start with one course and a couple of the above ideas.  Evaluate your implementation and make changes if necessary.
     
  • Don't even have one computer in your classroom?  Ask your technical staff, let them know what you plan to do with the computer.  If your school doesn't have any spare computers, try applying for grants.  Locally, in Western New York, there is an organization called Computers For Children, which supply computers to schools.
     

Other Resources

Classroom in a Cart aka Wireless Mobile Lab

Planning on a new computer laboratory, but don't have dedicated space?  Are you sick of wasting time bringing your students to the lab?  Ever wish your computer lab could be portable?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, maybe a classroom in a cart is for you!

What is a Classroom in a Cart?
A classroom in a cart is portable cart of wireless laptops that are rolled right into the classroom.  The laptops are distributed to students   The cart has an wireless access point mounted to it, which plugs into a network jack.  Once the access point is connected, the laptops can connect to it and get out to the network and/or Internet. 


Figure 1: A picture of a classroom in a cart

 

What are the advantages?
There are many advantages over a classroom in a cart rather than a computer lab.  Some of these advantages are listed below:

  • No more dedicating a room for a computer lab, you can now use any classroom for a computer lab by rolling in the cart and distributing computers

  • The computers are wireless and can easily be moved to rearrange students or furniture to make learning more conducive

  • The flexibility to bring the computer almost anywhere, for example into a laboratory during an experiment

  •  Laptops take up less room then desktops, thus enabling students to use their desk space more efficiently

  • Easy to store away when the computers are not needed

Any disadvantages?
Yes there are some disadvantages with using a classroom in the cart.  Some of them are:

  • The laptops are run on batteries, and those could run out during class.  Plugging them in would be a hassle since the cords are stored and tied up within the cart to charge up laptops. 

  • Depending on the cart, it may be awkward to roll the large cart down the hall

  • Laptops are smaller and easier to steal or walk away with, so security is a bigger issue

  • All classrooms would need to have a network wire in order to use the Internet with the cart

Resources
http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/aprilmay03/articles.asp?article=pointofview
http://www.pc.ibm.com/presentations/us/thinkpad/carte/56/index.html
http://www.apple.com/education/curriculumlabs/faq.html

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