Using Webquests

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Using Webquests

• Carol Clinton
• University of Cincinnati
• Project STEP Technology Workshop
• January 16, 2008

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Outline

• What is a Webquest?
• Why is it useful?
• Try It!
• How can you implement it in your classroom?

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What is a Webquest?

• An inquiry oriented activity in which some or all
  of the information the student uses is found on
  the Internet
• Deliberately designed experience make efficient
  use of time
• Two key levels
• Short term
• Knowledge acquisition and integration
• Longer term
• Extending and refining knowledge

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How to Build Webquests

• The Introduction
• orients students and captures their interest.
• The Task
• describes the activity's end product.
• The Process
• explains strategies students should use to
  complete the task.
• The Resources
• are the Web sites students will use to complete
  the task.
• The Evaluation
• measures the results of the activity.
• The Conclusion
• sums up the activity and encourages students to
  reflect on its process and results.

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A Typical Webquest

• Students work in groups
• Each student has a different role in answering
  the question
• Interdisciplinary
• Short term 1-3 class sessions
• Longer term between one week and one month

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Why is it Useful?

• Gets students involved with technology
• Web is increasing where our most current
  information is
• Teaches them a structured process for efficiently
  finding, assessing and using internet information
• Collaborative discussing and processing the
  results, coming to consensus around results
• Can link students with experts, other students
  around the world

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Lets Try It

• Webquest about Webquests!
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-hs-maths
  ci.html
• Self-select groups of four
• Choose your role
• Efficiency expert
• Affiliator
• Altitudinist
• Technophile
• Explore given websites individually, note your
  findings on the worksheet
• Small group consensus
• Share with larger group

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Implementing in Your Classroom

• www.webquest.org
• Information about webquests
• Database of existing webquests
• Templates for creating new webquests
• Rubrics for evaluating a webquest and for
  evaluating student performance
• Online training

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For More Information

• http//bestwebquests.com searchable refereed
  matrix of webquests
• http//tommarch.com/learning/index.php OzLine Web
  Quests Everything you ever wanted to know about
  Web Quests
• http//www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/index.html
  ATT Filamentality (Webquests) This is a
  fill-in-the-blank tool that guides you through
  picking a topic, searching the web, gathering
  good internet links and turning them into online
  learning activities
• http//www.spa3.k12.sc.us/WebQuests.html -
  webquest templates, rubrics, examples
• www.webquest.org/index-resources.php Useful
  WebQuest Resources The resources on this page are
  designed to be useful to teacher educators and
  staff developers who are putting together a
  course or workshop about WebQuests ...
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/LessonTemplate.html
  Templates provide an easy way to get started
  creating your WebQuest. Since 1995, we've
  provided templates for the Student and Teacher
  pages as simple, single-page documents.
• www.biopoint.com/WebQuests/Welcome.html
  WebQuest Training Page- Internet Innovations is
  the leader in helping teachers use WebQuests as
  an online learning tool which promotes engaged
  learning.
• www.warrensburg.k12.mo.us/webquest/teacher_quest/i
  ndex.htm How to Design a WebQuest A WebQuest
  on Creating a WebQuest.
• http//questgarden.com/ QuestGarden - an online
  authoring tool, community and hosting service
  that is designed to make it easier and quicker to
  create a high quality WebQuest. No knowledge of
  web editing or uploading is required. Prompts,
  guides and examples are provided for each step of
  the process. Images, worksheets and other
  documents can easily be attached or embedded in
  the WebQuest, and users have complete control
  over the appearance of the final lesson.20 for
  a 2-year subscription 30-day free trial is
  available