WebQuests

Using WebQuests to Fulfill Common Core Expectations

“Critical Thinking, Cooperative Learning, Authentic Assessment, Technology Integration”

Stephen TowTechnology Teacher/Coordinator

Goudy School – CPShttp://ipadsatgoudy.ning.com

Agenda

1. What are WebQuests 1. What are WebQuests

2. Why use a WebQuest 2. Why use a WebQuest

3. Design Template 3. Design Template

4. Evaluating Websites4. Evaluating Websites

5. Next Steps/Implementation5. Next Steps/Implementation

6. Aligning with Common Core6. Aligning with Common Core

What are WebQuests?

“An inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information used by students come from the Internet.”

Created by Bernie Dodge and Tom March in 1995.

WebQuests ARE…

Lessons that synthesize new knowledge by accomplishing a task, often to solve a hypothetical problem or address a real world issue

Breaks the lesson into meaningful “chunks” and asks students to undertake specific sub-tasks

Requires higher level thinking, including synthesis, analysis, problem-solving, creativity, and judgment

A WebQuest is NOT:

A research report or a step-by-step science or math procedure

Simply summarizing what the student learned

A series of web-based experiences

A hunt for facts for a worksheet/graphic organizer

Benefits of a WebQuest

Allows students to discover information rather than just telling them

A way to let students work at their own pace, either individually or in teams

Different Dynamic approach to teaching

Increase the comfort level of students using the Internet for learning activities

WebQuest Structure

Introduction

Task

Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Introduction

The purpose of this section is to both prepare and “hook” the reader.

The hook Why am I learning this and why should I care? Example: Competition between groups (ad campaign)

These “hooks” are important motivating factors and incentives you can use to keep students interested

The student is the intended audience, so write Introduction accordingly

Breaking News – War of 1812

Task

The task focuses learners on what they are going to do – specifically, the culminating performance or product that drives all the learning activities.

This is NOT the step-by-step process

A Glimpse into the Holocaust Through

Photographs

Process

This section outlines how the learners will accomplish the task

Scaffolding includes clear steps, resources, and tools for organizing information

Provide guidance on how to organize the information gathered

Blogging Green Technology

1. Choose a topic: Choose a topic that interests you, relating to climate change, green energy or energy efficiency.  Choose a specific topic within this larger topic. Some possible questions to answer: How is the climate changing, and how do we know that the climate is changing? How are humans impacting the climate? How do we get our energy here in America? What are other ways Americans can fulfill their energy needs?  How can Americans reduce their energy usage and/or their impact on the environment? Your topic should be ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER to the question (for example, "How do we get our energy here in America?" could be answered by an article describing how coal is mined and used in the U.S.) This should be a topic that you are interested in and could write an article of 5-8 paragraphs about. You are not limited to the questions above, as long as your topic fits within the topics we have been exploring this year.

2. Get Your Topic Approved: Submit your article topic to Ms. Hoerner for approval.

3. Begin Researching: Begin researching your topic, using the following ONLY: 1) The Green Energy and Climate Change books in Ms. Hoerner's library; 2) the EarthTechling iPad app and other climate apps; 3) the website resources on the "Title" page of the WebQuest. You may not use Wikipedia or do Google searches. You will need at least 3 sources for your article, including citations within the article for your facts. You will also need to create a bibliography for your article. If you cannot find the information you need in the sources I have provided, please let me know.

4. Research and Note-taking: What information will you need to answer the question/explain the topic you have chosen? Record your information and sources, either on paper or in your iPad in "Pages." You may want to use the notecard method we practiced while researching our science fair projects. You can also use graphic organizers of your own creation to organize your information.

5. Outline: Create an outline of your article. Get feedback on your outline from a classmate, using the "Outline Feedback Form.“

6. 1st Draft: Create a first draft of your article. Once your first draft is complete, get feedback on your draft from a classmate using the "Article Feedback Form.“

7. Final Draft and Bibliography: Create your final draft and bibliography.

8. Publish: Publish your article to the "Green Goudy" blog.

Evaluation

This section describes the evaluation criteria needed to meet performance and content standards

How are the students being graded? What assessment tools/rubrics will you be using?

iMovie Evaluation Rubric

Conclusion

The conclusion brings closure and encourages reflection

Summarize what the students will have accomplished or learned by completing this activity or lesson

Extending Questions

Teacher Page

The teacher page includes information to help other teachers implement the WebQuest including:

Target Learners Standards Notes for teaching/implementing the activity Examples of student work if possible

Teacher Page

FOCUS Principle

Find great sites

Orchestrate your learners and resources

Challenge your learners to think

Use the medium

Scaffold high expectations

Effective Web Searching

#1 Problem = Too many hits Search logic varies by search tool

e.g., how multiple words are treated Boolean logic limits hits

AND, OR, NOT Presentation of results

Ranked? No order? Paid promotions?

Evaluation Techniques

No content control Anyone can publish

anything Essential in schools to

teach caution Traditional sources have

known content

Evaluation Techniques

COCOA P (Education World) Coverage Objectivity Currency Origin (author) Accuracy Purpose

Evaluating Web Sites

Schrock’s 26 ABC criteria Author / authority Bias? Citations? Date of creation and last update Etc.

Next Steps

Use WebQuest Templates to create your own

http://www.webquest.org/ - Bernie Dodge WebQuest Main Page

“Don’t Re-invent the Wheel” http://www.zunal.com/

$20 for 3 years – 50 WebQuests iPads at Goudy

http://ipadsatgoudy.ning.com

Aligning with Common Core

Increase students’ inquiry and critical thinking skills and develop their ability to research and use evidence

By utilizing a WebQuest, students are showing what they know and demonstrating the standards

A high-quality WebQuest will make good use of internet based resources, allowing teachers to present content in diverse formats and media

If we are serious about building strong readers, we need to be serious about building strong knowledge foundations – especially as we move into more complex text

Instructional Shifts in Literacy

1. Regular practice with complex text and academic vocabulary

2. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction and informational text

3. Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text

References

Anonymous. "Building Blocks of a WebQuest." . 2000. San Diego State University. 02 Aug. 2009 <http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm>.

Dodge, Bernie. "Five Rules for Writing a Great WebQuest." Learning & Leading with Technology 2001. 02 Aug. 2009 <http://webquest.sdsu.edu/documents/focus.pdf>.

Dodge, Bernie. "WebQuests." . 2007. San Diego State University. 02 Aug. 2009 <http://webquest.org>.

Dodge, Bernie & March, Tom. "Why WebQuests?." . 2000. Internet4Classrooms.com. 02 Aug. 2009 <http://www.internet4classrooms.com/why_webquest.htm>.

Schrock, Kathy. "Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: WebQuests in our Future." . 2009. . 02 Aug. 2009 <http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/webquest/webquest.html>.

Yoder, Maureen Brown. "The Student WebQuest: A Productive and Thought-Provoking Use of the Internet." Learning & Leading with Technology 1999. 02 Aug. 2009 <http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/myoder/webquest.pdf>.

Technology Tools

Bibliography Maker – Cite Sources Generator in any format

http://www.bibme.org/

TeacherTube – Like YouTube but contains instructional videos

http://www.teachertube.com

Miro Video Player – Allows you to download videos from YouTube and TeacherTube to be played on a flash drive or computer

http://www.getmiro.com/

Royalty Free ClipArt

http://www.wpclipart.com/

Download Streaming Videos

http://keepvid.com/