Web quests
description
Transcript of Web quests
INTRODUCTION TO WEBQUESTS
What is a WebQuest?
• inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that students work with comes from the web.
• developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in 1995
• Basically any documets that can contain hyperlinks (online/offline/printed)
• More info at http://www.webquest.org/Webquest examples: http://questgarden.com/search/Free webquest tool: http://www.zunal.com/
• Students assume the role that allows them to investigate an issue through their view.
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• Web-based resources are much wider than offline ones2
• Free WebQuests are available online (http://webquest.org/)3
WebQuests advantages
Before you begin…
• Your WebQuest should be an enhancement or culmination of a unit of study, not the entire unit itself
• Selecting a Topic – a Hook (Introduction)1
• Formulating the essential question (Task)2
• Finding the information and guiding the student / scaffolding (Process)
3• Describing the grading method
(Evaluation)4• Summing it all up and giving
reflections (Conclusion)5
Creating WebQuest
Introducing the subject matter to the student
• Identify “roles” (e.g. “You are an archaeologist who must report to his boss about an amazing new discovery…”)
• Remember, you are addressing the student directly, so use the second person: “You will be researching the Egiptian Pyramids”
Formulating the Essential Question (TASK)
• The task is the most important part of your WebQuest
• It must be achievable with the resources the students have available
• Decide how you want your students to complete the WebQuest: Individually, in pairs, or in a small group of three to four students
• http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html
The Task
• With the task decided upon, write a paragraph or a bulleted list that clearly states in the second person voice what you expect the student to accomplish, create, or present.
• If the final product requires student to use any specific software, be sure to mention it in this section
Finding the Information
• The most crucial element of writing a good WebQuest is researching appropriate and helpful online resources. (use google or local search engines, wikipedia)
• As you find sites, be sure to save them or bookmark them
• Include a short description of the site so your students as well as yourself will have a synopsis of the resource.
Guiding the Student
• Outline the steps that the students will go through in order to complete the task.
• Clearly state these steps in a logical, sequential order.
• Make a list of websites you developed previously.• If the students will be working in groups, you
may want to discuss how they are to divide the responsibilities.
• Again, the student is the audience, so use the second person voice
The Final Analysis (Evaluation)
• Formulate a method for evaluating the student’s progress and performance.
• Possibly use a rubric – a scoring tool that employs a graduated point scale for each of the tasks.
• Share the rubric with the students prior to the start of the WebQuest. (http://www.schrockguide.net/assessment-and-rubrics.html)
Summing it all up
• At the end of the WebQuest, it is necessary to include a few sentences that tell what it is you hope they will have learned or demonstrated upon completion.
• To encourage further exploration, its often helpful to insert rhetorical question or two and a few mor links to websites containing extension materials.