Weren’t we on a Quest to Kean last month? As Isabel approached the Ned/George
trek included “real world opportunities in a safe environment.”
It was “interactive via e-mail and there was a high degree of participation”
as we dealt with “real world problems.” The quotes are all from
last month’s column on Quests (http://www.njteacher.org/quests.htm)
This
month deals with a different kind of quest, the official WebQuest
as originally envisioned by Bernie Dodge. It is important to understand the
definition of a WebQuest and almost equally important to understand what is
NOT a webquest. Here are some excerpts from an interview
with Bernie Dodge (http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech020.shtml)
that will help clarify those issues.
The
key idea that distinguishes WebQuests from other Web-based experiences is
this: A WebQuest is built around an engaging and doable task
that elicits higher order thinking of some kind. It's about
doing something with information. The thinking can be creative or critical,
and involve problem solving, judgment, analysis, or synthesis. The task has
to be more than simply answering questions or regurgitating what's on the
screen.
The
benefit to using WebQuests, once you have identified the right place to try
one, is that it puts more responsibility on the learners themselves. That's
a key benefit to the learners, because ideally they'll be getting some scaffolded
practice at making sense of new information, parsing data that comes from
something other than a textbook, accommodating the opinions of others, and
organizing themselves and each other to produce something to be proud of.
Unlike the sponsored treks, webquests are most often created by classroom
teachers, utilize a constructivist approach along
with cooperative learning strategies, are very specific to
a curriculum, and have well designed components – an introduction,
task, process, embedded resources, an evaluation, and a conclusion.
WebQuests
can be short or long term; it is the integrity of its components that is essential.
The introduction is an overview of the big question as well as the motivation
and clarification of roles for students. The task is short and sweet, setting
out what needs to be accomplished; it is the most important element and the
most challenging to develop. The process has the details of how to accomplish
the task; it often provides step-by-step instructions with embedded links
to resources. Some webquests have links to web resources built in while others
have a separate webliography for student use. Rubrics and evaluations help
students with assessment and the conclusion allows for a summary of the work
and reflection on the ideas presented and discovered.
There are so many links to great resources on webquests that it is best to
go to http://www.njteacher.org/webquests.htm
Here you will find (after 10/15 and my return from the Grand Canyon –
I am retired you know) information categorized by definition,
components, tutorials,
examples, templates, rubrics,
tips and tricks.
If you only have time for two here are the best with which to start:
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
- Bernie Dodge’s site, this is the motherlode of all information on
webquests; there is even a new portal there for webquests.
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/month8/index.html
- part of the Concept to Classroom series (wonderful stuff there on several
topics!) sponsored by Disney and WNET; you can take this mini-course for credit
(fee) or just for your own edification (free).
Earlier I made a statement that it was equally important to distinguish authentic
webquests from the impostors and there are many impostors. WebQuests are ‘home
grown’ and anyone can put the label ‘webquest’ on their
creation. Some may represent good education and good internet use but they
still fail to meet the criteria of a good webquest. Please check our webpage
to see the differences and locate tips on how to avoid the disappointments.
Last but not least webquests are for everyone (pre-k -> adult) and everything
(horticulture, culinary arts, bookkeeping and the usual suspects-math, science,
etc.) Here’s the link for the hottest webquest going – The DaVinci
Code Webquest - http://www.randomhouse.com/doubleday/davinci/
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LOOK like a GENIUS. Use these two sites:
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/adapting/index.html
Why reinvent the wheel? Why create webquests from scratch
when an existing one will do quite nicely with a few modifications? This webpage
tells all.
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
The Motherlode of information on webquests!
http://www.mapacourse.com/webquest%20HTML/webquest%20icon.html
Great visual overview; it has everything.
Quick
and Specific Solutions:
Go to Google or Teoma and type in art +webquest
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=art+%2Bwebquest
I got 44,500 hits that ranged from African Art, math and art,
Inuit art, rock art-you get the idea!
Here are some other tests that were quite productive.
* Bilingual webquests (3,060 hits)
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22bilingual%22+webquest&sourceid=opera&num=10
* Drafting (1510 hits)
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&q=%22drafting%22+webquest
* Horticulture (505 hits)
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&q=%22horticulture%22+webquest
* Media Specialist (2710 hits)
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&q=%22media+specialist%22+webquest
Caveat
Emptor!
http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/
pay money???
http://www.iwebquest.com/
Cute
name but not my favorite examples
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Definitions
http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech020.shtml
Interview with Bernie Dodge
http://www.ozline.com/webquests/intro.html
Intro, overview by Tom March
http://member.minds.tv/neccschedule.asp
You will probably have to sign into the ISTE - NEEC - MindsTv site; free!
Listen and see Bernie Dodge's most recent thoughts and projects dealing with
webquests
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/about_webquests.html
Bernie's early definition and samples
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm
Overview and Underpinnings
http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/whatis_articles3.asp
definitions
Components
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html
Scroll, scroll - absolutely the most important aspect; read this before attempting
any webquest construction. Your life will improve after reading this; guaranteed
to cure baldness (from pulling out your hair.)
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm
Building blocks of a good webquest - explained with examples
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/designsteps/index.html
webquest design process
Tutorials
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/month8/index.html
Disney and Channel 13 - How could you go wrong?! This one is great!
http://eduscapes.com/sessions/travel/index.htm
Annette Lamb's tutorial - excellent
http://carbon.cudenver.edu/%7Edlyoung/index.html
T-Spider.Net Interesting stuff here.
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/patterns2000/
Examples
Multi-topic Sites:
http://www.bestwebquests.com/default.asp
Tom March's very good listing, searchable
http://www.itdc.sbcss.k12.ca.us/curriculum/webquest.html
http://education.nmsu.edu/webquests/examples.html
http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hschool/webquest.htm
http://ab.mec.edu/webquests/examples.html
http://www.unm.edu/~jeffryes/RETA/WebQuest/examplewq.html
http://www.bergen.org/ETTC/ETTC2/Projects/Webquest/examplesofwebquests.htm
http://pages.cthome.net/jfleary/XWQ4M.htm
- math
http://kathyschrock.net/webquests/index.htm
Kathy Schrock
http://www.ouc.bc.ca/tltc/tr/webquest/
http://www.gigglepotz.com/webquests.htm
May need to review some of these carefully
http://www.occ.act.edu.au/home/itpd/webquests/matrix.htm
http://pd.impaq.net.au/Talo_online/webquests/index.htm
http://www.home.gil.com.au/~bookweek/web-quests.htm
Literary WebQuests
http://www.west.asu.edu/achristie/wqmatrix.html
http://www.fsu.edu/~CandI/ENGLISH/web.htm
Florida English Education - Literature
http://www.edhelper.com/cat311.htm
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
BlueWeb'n
http://www.pa.ash.org.au/rite/projects/webquests/form1/engine.asp
http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/index.htm
Specific
examples:
http://www.plasticforkdiaries.org/
not your regular webquest but worth a good look
http://www.geocities.com/dgve.rm/beth/
Water Pollution-Primary Grades - written for students with learning disabilities
http://www.thematzats.com/radio/index.html
Radio Days - create a radio play complete with sound effects and ads
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/as/education/projects/webquests/lewisclark/
Lewis and Clark
http://www.powayschools.com/projects/dolly/
Cloning - viewpoints on the topic of cloning: what our government's policy
should be about regulating cloning.
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/index.html
Templates
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/LessonTemplate.html
http://www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/
Online template - free and good
http://TeacherWeb.com/NJ/MountainLakes/carmenJR/index.html
This requires explanation. This is a mockup test that I used with teachers in a workshop. I am not sure why it is still there because I am fairly sure they now charge for this service. The fee is $2.50 a month for a very good way to publish all your work with no hassles. The webquest template is a dream.
http://TeacherWeb.com/AK/Appleton/WebQuest/ Here is a generic sample of what it could look like.
http://TeacherWeb.com/OH/MUC/WebQuest-Armstrong/index.html Civil War Webquest - I do not know how good a webquest this is but I do know it was realtively easy to publish it and it is a good example of how TeacherWeb works.
http://eduscapes.com/sessions/travel/template.htm
Annette Lamb's own
http://wizard.hprtec.org/index.php3 Might be of some value; if not for webquests, then surely for other web based projects. Below is a nonsensical webpage that was VERY easy to create, could be modified for webquests or any other web publishing need you have. FREE!!!
http://wizard.hprtec.org/builder/worksheet.php3?ID=35715 It's the swimming pool where we stayed!ttp://wizard.hprtec.org/builder/worksheet.php3?ID=35715
Rubrics
http://www.bestwebquests.com/bwq/matrix.asp
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/rubrics/weblessons.htm
Examples that are NOT WebQuests !
This doesn't mean they are not interesting activities; it does mean they do
not meet the criteria for a good webquest.
http://www.bestwebquests.com/about/default.asp
Important to scroll down and read
http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/ckratzer/azwebquest/azintro.html
Arizona "webquest"
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2000/pigeons.html
Homing Pigeon webquest
Tips and tricks
http://midgefrazel.net/lrnwebq.html
http://ozprojects.edna.edu.au/challenge/tips.html
