Teacher
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is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire."
---W.
B. Yeats
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A note about external links. All the resource links in this WebQuest were checked and were live as of 18th October 2005
Click on a link below for more information:
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WebQuests are online, group based research projects. They are self contained as links to all the resources the students need are locate din the WebQuest. They have been developed, as a concept, over many years by Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University.
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The national curriculum sets out four areas where learning should take place across the curriculum. These four areas are;
This WebQuest deals with aspect 3 above. The curriculum also sets out two areas which should be taught across the curriculum.
This WebQuest, as well as teaching thinking and learning skills, is also an opportunity to teach these two aspects. source: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/n/nationalcurriculum/
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For each of the learning styles/learning aspects that I have included in this WebQuest I have provided a range of tasks and questions to be attempted. I have tried to make them progressively more involved so that students will have the opportunity to use a range of cognitive abilities, from simple information processing up to higher order thinking skills. This will allow all students to achieve something but enough depth for the more advanced students to stay engaged and be extended. (Differentiation by task)
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To run the actual WebQuest the students only need to have a web browser such as Internet Explorer and access to the Internet. For the product they produce (website/booklet/poster/PowerPoint slideshow) they will need a variety of software depending on their (and your own) skill levels and how they choose to present the information they have collected. See the section below for skills needed.
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Prior to starting this WebQuest with your children you will need to make sure that they have sufficient software skills to produce their finished product (website/booklet/poster/PowerPoint slideshow). It is important for the success of this exercise that the technology does not get in the way of the material that they are trying to understand and explain so make sure they are competent with the software before hand.
Below are some links to sites offering tutorials in many of the major software packages. The students will also need to be aware of basic page layout and design principles so that they have the opportunity to present their findings in an appropriate manner. These principles can be applied to printed pages, web pages and presentations. Some links to suitable page layout sites are: |
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This webquest is designed to be completed in 4/5 periods/hours/ICT sessions but it is very flexible. It is possible that it will be integrated into a larger unit where the software skills are taught prior to running the WebQuest. Depending on the needs of your class it can be extended quite easily. The students can spend a lot of time working on their product (website/poster/PowerPoint/booklet) and their oral presentations to the class will also take time. If time is short then you could do away with the classroom presentations and would simply collect and mark their product. If time is even shorter you could direct the students to just produce a written report.
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I have tried to make the evaluation of this project straightforward for the teacher and so have used the idea of a rubric for marking. If you would like to alter the rubric to change the importance or emphasis then by all means do so. If you are not sure about creating rubrics then here is a link to an online rubric generator. http://teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/general/ Click on the link above and scroll down the page to the generator.
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If you would like to extend certain groups of students then you could get them to investigate other aspects of learning and learning methods. One of the features of their project could that they have to research and find other methods and get them vetted by you before they begin their project and presentation. For the less able students you could limit their methods of presenting their information. i.e. perhaps only Power Point or a poster. Also for the less able you could remove the "tricky" questions and leave the information/gathering/processing/presenting ones.
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If you feel that the idea of using WebQuests has been a good one then you could consider making your own. There is much advice, guidance and examples about making and using WebQuests at: http://webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm If you would like to have yours hosted on the internet but don't have a website of your own or are unsure of how to make a website then have a look at Filamentality. This is a free site where you can host and edit your WebQuest and you will be guided in its construction. http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/
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There are many sites available on the Internet with links to WebQuests. However I would suggest you view the sites and their links to make sure they are still active before you direct students to them. Also make sure that they fulfill your curriculum requirements as many have been made to match overseas curricula. Below are some links to sites that have many WebQuest links. http://www.ozline.com/learning/index.htm http://www.kn.pacbell.com/kne_search.html http://www.eduscapes.com/sessions/travel/k3webquests.htm http://egfl.net/Teaching/Resources/Webquests/webquestlinks.html (a UK site) http://ferl.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?page=628&catID=610 (a UK site)
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Why a WebQuest?