WebQuests

General Lesson

Introduction

This set of activities is designed for use in groups. WebQuests are teaching tools that utilize the Internet for web-based research and collaboration. In the activities, participants will evaluate several WebQuests, create rubrics for evaluating other WebQuests, and create their own WebQuests using information gained from the activities.

Process

Resources

Online

All-inclusive information on WebQuest - http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/ttu1.html
WebQuests about WebQuests
- Elementary school version: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestwebquest-es.html
- Mid and High school version: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestwebquest-hs.html
Making a WebQuest -http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html
Draft rubric - http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestrubric.html
NMSU WebQuests - http://education.nmsu.edu/webquest/examples.html

Technology

Internet
Front Page, Adobe Page Mill, Microsoft Word, Netscape or some other web page building software (or, if you prefer, write your own source code in a text file)

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Materials

4-5 computers with Internet browser and web page building software (Front Page, Adobe Pagemill, etc.)

Preparation

Ensure that Internet connections are working on all computers.
If each computer is not connected to a printer, then print out the worksheet found at http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/wqworksheet-es.html (elementary version) or http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/wqworksheet-hs.html (high school version).

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Instructor Tasks

1. Divide participants into groups of 4. If possible or desired, break groups into elementary and high school because the WebQuests are broken down that way.

2. Have each group go to either the elementary or high school WebQuest site (listed under resources) and follow the instructions. It takes approximately two hours to go through the entire online lesson in detail because there are five WebQuests to evaluate. Each WebQuest demonstrates a different approach to WebQuests so, if you have time constraints, it would be better to evaluate each one more superficially then to cut out some of the WebQuests. In this way, the participants will "get a feel" for the different approaches.

3. Using information gained from step 2 and rubric resource http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestrubric.html, have participants create a rubric that will be used to evaluate the WebQuests that they create later.

4. After finishing the WebQuest About WebQuests and creating the rubric, have participants go to Building Blocks of a WebQuest http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm (a link from resource 1 above). This is where the participants will learn how to create their own WebQuest.

5. Have particpants choose a topic on which to base the WebQuest they will create. Each group (or individual) will create a WebQuest using one of the web page developer programs (or a paper version for later html coding if the proper software is not available).

6. Have each group or individual evaluate another group or individual's WebQuest using rubric created in step 3.

7. Entire group get together and share what they have learned. Each person should state one thing s/he found interesting or important.

8. Discuss how this lesson could be used in the elementary/high school classroom: How would students do the assignment? What would they gain from it? How would teachers evaluate their students' work?

9. Complete session evaluation.

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Assessment

Use rubric created in step 3 above.

Extensions

Find out how you/your students could publish the WebQuests on the web.
Have students create WebQuests for students in other classes/grades.

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Student Outcomes

Upon completing this unit on creating webquests, students will:

Gain research skills specific to the WWW.
Locate and list sites on the WWW which contain relevant information.
Evaluate websites for accuracy and reliability.
Link information and ideas from a variety of sources.
Synthesize data to create coherent reports, summaries or other formats.
Work cooperatively with peers to create an original WebQuest.

Content Standards

National Educational Technology Standards

1) Basic operations and concepts
4) Technology communications tools
5) Technology research tools

New Mexico's Standards and Benchmarks

Language Arts

1) Students will understand and use Language Arts for communication
4) Students will use a variety of listening and reading strategies appropriately
7) Students will respond personally, analytically and critically to written and spoken language and other media
10) Students will use state-of-the-art computer and other technology to gather, use and synthesize information, and to create and communicate knowledge

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This module adapted from materials submitted by Carl Bogardus, Bethany Bovard, Chuck Culpepper, Marsha Freidline, Lorenzo Gonzales, Terry Jimarez, Miriam Lund, Juan F. Orrantia, Joe R. Sanchez, Susan Smith and Laura Sujo de Montes, RETA instructors.