Web quests for Language Teaching

ETRC Spring School 2011

Daniela Munca, PhD

Task 1

• You are members of a team in charge of creating a Catalogue of ALL products made in Moldova

• You have to design the cover of the catalogue• Decide how many sections should there be• Decide what each section would include• How the products would be presented

Tips / Resources

• Explore the complete list of producers from Moldova• Analyze the catalogues of several

Moldovan producers • Chose the elements to be

included in the catalogue

A WebQuest is …

• an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.

• simple word processing document that includes links to websites

• Power point• Email• Blog

• The model was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in February, 1995• Professor of Educational

Technology

WebQuests should contain • An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background

information.• A task that is doable and interesting.• A set of information sources needed to complete the task. • A description of the process the learners should go through in

accomplishing the task. • Some guidance on how to organize the information acquired. This can

take the form of guiding questions, or directions to complete organizational frameworks such as timelines, concept maps, or cause-and-effect diagrams as described by Marzano (1988, 1992) and Clarke (1990).

• A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other domains.

Marzano’s (1992) 7 Thinking Skills• 1. Comparing: Identifying and articulating similarities and differences

between things. • 2. Classifying: Grouping things into definable categories on the basis of

their attributes. • 3. Inducing: Inferring unknown generalizations or principles from

observations or analysis. • 4. Deducing: Inferring unstated consequences and conditions from given

principles and generalizations. • 5. Analyzing errors: Identifying and articulating errors in one's own or

others' thinking. • 6. Constructing support: Constructing a system of support or proof for an

assertion. • 7. Abstraction: Identifying and articulating the underlying theme or

general pattern of information. • 8. Analyzing perspectives: Identifying and articulating personal

perspectives about issues.

WebQuests …

• can be designed to be an effective use of student time

• using information instead of searching for it• extend the students' thinking to the higher levels of

Bloom’s taxonomy; analysis, synthesis and evaluation

• support a variety of instructional and cognitive practices such as critical thinking and problem solving through authentic assessment, cooperative learning, scaffolding and technology integration

Webquests can be used to …

• introduce a unit or to conclude a unit, as a culmination activity

• foster cooperative learning through collaborative activities with a group project

• encourage independent thinking and to motivate students; thus increasing learning.

• help enhance students’ technological competencies

WebQuests …

• Are most likely to be group activities• might be enhanced by wrapping motivational

elements by giving the learners a role to play (e.g., scientist, detective, reporter), simulated personae to interact with via e-mail, and a scenario to work within (e.g., you've been asked by the Secretary General of the UN to brief him on what's happening in Eastern Europe Africa this week.)

• WebQuests can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary

Sample Web quests

• Homeless in America • Web quests Templates• Adjectives (ZUNAL)• Following Oliver • A Brochure to US• The Writing Process