WebQuestsGetting Deeper into

the Content

Adapted from articles by

Bernie Dodge, San Diego State University

“FOCUS: Five Rules for Writing a Great WebQuest”

“Some Thoughts about WebQuests”

and

“Building Blocks of a WebQuest”

Also from the website of

Tom March, Ozline

http://www.ozline.com

Original slides were written by Marlene Johnshoy and modified by Candace Chou

Graphic from http://www.web-and-flow.com/help/formats.asp

What is a WebQuest?

• An inquiry-oriented activity based on a real world issue

• Students analyze a variety of resources, many from the Web

• Students derive solutions to a problem and get feedback

WebQuests are designed to:

• Use learners’ time well

• Focus on using information rather than looking for it

• Support learners’ thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation

Why use a WebQuest?

Involving and Motivating Students

• authentic task

• wide variety of resources

• breadth of perspectives and viewpoints

• cooperative learning

Two types of WebQuests

Short term one to three class periods

Longer termbetween one week and one month

Most WebQuests:

• Are likely to be group activities

• Include role-playing for learners

WebQuests can be single discipline or interdisciplinary

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm

Introduction

Task

Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

*A WebQuest about WebQuests• Elementary

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-es.html

• grades 3-4

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-3-4.html • middle school

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-ms.html • middle and high school

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-hs.html • humanities 7-12

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-hum.html • Kosherquest

http://webinstituteforteachers.org/~Emrubin/webaboutweb/index.htm

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm

Design Steps for Teachers

• Identify topics • Get to know the resources• Organize the resources • Think of a compelling question

• Sort links into roles• Define the task (transformations)

• Create your WebQuest

FOCUS: 5 Rules for Writing a Great WebQuest

• Find Great Sites

• Orchestrate Learners and Resources

• Challenge your Learners to Think

• Use the Medium

• Scaffold High Expectations

Find Great Sites

• Master a search engine– Four Nets for Better Searching

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/fournets.htm

• Probe the deep Web

• Don’t lose track of what you find

Orchestrate Learners and Resources

• Organizing resources– One or small group of computers– Limited lab time or Internet access

• Organizing people– Teams and roles– Cooperative learning concepts

Challenge your learners to think

• What do we ask learners to do with the information?

Graphic from http:projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/tasksimap

Use the Medium

• A Network of People

• Conversation

• Selective glitz

© 2000-2001 www.arttoday.com

Scaffold High Expectations

• Reception

• Transformation

• Production

Resources• The WebQuest Page

http:// webquest.sdsu.edu • Best WebQuestshttp://bestwebquests.com/• WebQuest Template downloadhttp://webquest.sdsu.edu/LessonTemplate.html