Introduction To WebQuests

1. Introduction To WebQuests Three Rivers Community College Technology For Teachers

2. Introduction To WebQuests Objectives • Define A WebQuest • Analyze Each Of Its Key Components • Locate WebQuests On The Internet • Acquire A WebQuest Evaluation Tool • Acquire Knowledge To Develop And Post A WebQuest To The Internet • Identify NETS Standards Supported By WebQuests

3. 30% of America’s high school students will leave without graduating. Here is what one town tells us about the crisis

4. The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives on High School Dropouts • Survey sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation • 47% of dropouts said that classes weren’t interesting

5. Competition?

6. Definition “A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet.” - Bernie Dodge, 1995

7. Why WebQuests? • Students don’t just memorize facts • Use information to answer a question and complete an achievable task • Apply social skills such participating as part of a team, active listening, expressing an opinion, dealing with diversity, conversing politely, and negotiating without aggression

8. School Safety WebQuest

9. And the Student Said… Would you recommend using WebQuests in the Job Corps curriculum? “Yes, I liked the WebQuest. It provided good, useful information and it was interesting and fun. It was constructive and challenging to find information. It was also a boredom relief.” “Yes, with this program it let’s individuals become more interactive. This should make work less boring.”

10. And the Student Said… • “I found the WebQuest to be informative and I did get a lot out of it. I found some difficulty with my assigned role as a sociologist because I had my own thoughts and beliefs which got in the way. Overall, I believe this was a great educational tool. Entertaining and informative. I probably took more away from WebQuests than any other format would have offered.”

11. Tom March’s Definition “A WebQuest is a scaffolding learning structure that uses links to essential resources on the WWW and an authentic task to motivate students’ investigation of a central, open-ended question, development of individual expertise and participation in a final group process…

12. March’s Definition Continued …that attempts to transform newly acquired information into a more sophisticated understanding. The best WebQuests do this in a way that inspires students to see richer thematic relationships, facilitate a contribution to the real world of learning, and reflect on their own metacognitive process.”

13. A WebQuest Is A Scaffolding Learning Structure • Rather than ask elementary students to write to the theme “How I spent my summer vacation,“ we might ask them to perform these activities before they think about an audience and descriptive details:

14. A WebQuest Is A Scaffolding Learning Structure • Brainstorm • Draw Pictures • List • Free Associate

15. Ashley Barth’s Egg Hunt, April 16, 2006 Kid Pix Software

17. Scaffolding Is At The Heart • Scaffolds are “temporary frameworks to support student performance beyond their capabilities.” - Cho and Jonassen, 2002

18. Examples of Scaffolding Examples of scaffolding are activities that help students develop the right mindset, engage students with the problem, divide activities into manageable tasks, and direct students’ attention to essential aspects of the learning goals.” - Ngeow and Kong, 2001

19. Differentiated Instruction • WebQuests can be modified for gifted as well as those students needing academic assistance • WebQuest design can span a large spectrum of abilities • Links may have simpler or more difficult vocabulary, larger text, audio and video, etc.

20. A WebQuest Uses Links To Essential Resources On The WWW • Focus on “essential” “Could this learning be achieved just as effectively without the Internet?” If the answer is Yes, maybe you should pursue another lesson.

21. A WebQuest Uses Links To Essential Resources On The WWW • Internet links are pre-selected by the WebQuest author • Focus is on using information rather than looking for it • Students avoid inappropriate sites • Provides students with a structured environment

22. http://www.miniature-earth.com

23. A WebQuest Uses Links To Essential Resources On The WWW A well-executed WebQuest facilitates meaningful use of the Web for educational ends.

24. A WebQuest Is An Authentic Task To Motivate Students’ Investigation • John Keller’s ARCS Model of Motivational Design

25. ARCS Model • Does the activity get students Attention? • Is it Relevant to their needs, interests, and motives? • Does the task inspire learners’ Confidence in achieving success?

26. ARCS Model Continued • Would completing the activity leave students with a sense of Satisfaction at their accomplishment?

27. A WebQuest Task Is A Central, Open-Ended Question “Puzzlement is the factor that motivates learning.” - Savery & Duffy, 1995

28. A WebQuest Task Is A Central, Open-Ended Question • Posing a question in the task statement • Activates students’ prior knowledge • Creates personal curiosity that inspires investigation and increased motivation

29. A WebQuest Task Is A Central, Open-Ended Question • Challenges students to do more than “know” facts and recite statistics • Questions lead to further inquiry and assimilation of a more comprehensive understanding

30. “It never ceases to amaze me at how focused the kids stay when they are working with a WebQuest. It is often difficult to tear them away from it to work on other things or even to get them to go outside for recess.” - Cindy Graves, 3rd grade eMINTS teacher in Monett

31. A WebQuest Maximizes The Development Of Individual Expertise • Process of acquiring information to develop a body of knowledge to share with a group • Consider a background section • Why? Alleviates preconceptions and stereotypes • Establishes a baseline so everyone is starting at a similar level

32. A WebQuest Maximizes The Development Of Individual Expertise • Begin to develop an individual role to reflect a viewpoint • Logger or environmentalist • Provide different perspectives from which to view an open-ended question

33. "Our high schools were designed 50 years ago, to meet the needs of another age. Until we design them to meet the needs of the 21st century, we will keep limiting–even ruining–the lives of millions of Americans every year."  — Bill Gates, Speech to the 2005 National Governor's Association

34. A WebQuest Maximizes Participation In A Final Group Process That Attempts To Transform Newly Acquired Information Into A More Sophisticated Understanding

35. A WebQuest Maximizes Group Participation • Often cooperative in nature • Students know their teammates are counting on them to contribute to the completion of the task • When students know their work will be shared with an outside audience, the motivation to do quality work is increased

36. WebQuest Is Two-Fold • A WebQuest is a two part exercise • A building of expertise • An application of it

37. Litmus Test • Could the answer be copied and pasted? • Does the task require the student to make something new out of what they have learned?

38. Two Fold • Think globally, act locally • Use knowledge to application here at home • Justify your answer after considering the interests of various stakeholders in the community • Ecologists, future generations, local inhabitants, government officials for environmental concerns

39. Final Component • The best WebQuests do this in a way that inspires students to see richer thematic relationships, facilitate a contribution to the real world of learning and reflect on their own metacognitive process • Students reflect upon the knowledge of their own learning patterns

40. Final Component • Is it Rich, Real, and Relevant? • Students use real, timely resources instead of dated textbooks and materials that are only presented from one point of view • Encourage learners to test their newly constructed knowledge against real world feedback

41. Final Component • Many WebQuests identify an expert and provide an opportunity to communicate with that expert to receive feedback

42. Rich, Real, and Relevant “I use WebQuests almost exclusively for science and social studies instead of textbooks. Although the textbooks offer valuable information, the WebQuests bring it to life for the students.” - Janna Elfrink, 3rd grade eMINTS teacher in Reed Springs

43. Final Component • Goal is self-initiated learners • Research shows that when students are aware of their own thinking patterns, independent use of these strategies eventually develops in learners.

44. Questions, Reflections, & Group Discussion

45. Where Do I Find WebQuests? • http://bestwebquests.com • http://www.webquest.org • http://www.kn.sbc.com/kne_search.html#fil

46. Evaluation Rubric http://ozline.com/webquests/rubric.html

47. Develop Your Own WebQuest • HTML skills not required • Template for Hotlist, Knowledge Hunt, and WebQuest http:www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/index.html

48. Career Exploration WebQuest http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/webcareersir.html

49. WebQuests Address National Standards • International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) http://it.wce.wwu.edu/344/Tasks/standards.html

50. WebQuests Address National Standards II. Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences A. Design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners