Leigh Ausband, Ed.D.UNCC

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Making the

Most out of WebQuests You Find on the Internet

an inquiry-oriented lesson format that uses information primarily from the web

a technique for engaging students in active learning which uses the web as well as other resources to help students understand a topic

What is a WebQuest?

1. Introduction2. Task3. Process4. Resources5. Conclusion

Teacher Page

What does a WebQuest look like?

The Tuskegee Tragedy

Real world, authentic taskTransformative, high-level thinking

Groups/rolesScaffold thinkingDevelopmentally appropriateMakes timely use of the Internet

Critical components (Task)

Critical components Authentic Question/Task

The U.S. National Debt What should be done with the U.S. debt and deficit?

China How should the U.S. relate to China in order to achieve positive international goals?

The U.S. National Debt Send a letter to your representative in the United States Congress that demonstrates what your team has learned from the three perspectives provided by the Number Cruncher, Fact Checker, and Budget Director.

China Complete a Group Report that combines the separate reports offered by team members into one clear argument that presents possible solutions and their likely consequences.

Critical components Authentic Question/TaskCloning What are

the social, economic and political effects of cloning on individuals, families and communities?

Art What is the value of art?

Cloning Each team presents a brief (10 to 15 minute) informational summary of its findings. Then a detailed plan is created on how the senate should proceed.

Art Prepare a presentation that will persuade your client to contract with your gallery. Include the following in your presentation: a brief history, a map, a chart, and a spreadsheet.

Clearly lay out all the instructions for the phases on learning background information and developing expertise in the roles.

Prompt higher-order thinking.Use visual organizers.Consider roles and grouping.

Critical components Scaffold Thinking

Inputs Transformations Outcomes   - references, articles   - images, sounds   - news reports   - press releases   - experts   - dynamic data sources   - project / field reports

   - compare / contrast   - concept creation   - analysis   - synthesis   - evaluation   - problem solving   - decision making   - policy formation

   - oral presentations   - written reports   - letters, petitions, etc.   - creative writing   - podcasting   - expert blog   - videoconferencing   - audioconferencing   - Web publishing

Critical components Transformative thinking – Active learning flow

Critical components Transforming Information into Understanding

Critical components Transforming Information into Understanding

From http://www.web-and-flow.com/help/trans_tree.asp

Taxonomy of Tasks in

a WQ

retelling

compilation

my stery

journalistic

designcreativ e product

consensus building

persuasion

self -knowledge

analy tical

judgment

scientif ic

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks

From http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html

Most commonly found Least challenging or interestingStudents are given latitude about what

to report and how to organize their findings

Cutting and pasting or simple answers to pre-determined questions not done

Skills of summarizing, distilling, and elaborating are required and supported

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks retelling

Use information sources that are in different formats and require that they be rewritten or reformatted to create the compilation

Set standards for the task but leave some decisions to students

Have students create their own criteria for selecting items for the compilation

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks compilation

Goes beyond simple analysis to the implications of what is found

Relationships, inferences, etc.

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks analy tical

Requires synthesis from a variety of sources

Put information together my making inferences or generalizations

Eliminate false trails that might seem to be likely answers at first but which fall apart under closer scrutiny

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks my stery

Maximizes accuracy by using multiple accounts of an event

Broadens understanding by incorporating divergent opinions into their account

Deepens their understanding by using background information sources

Helps students examine their own biases

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks journalistic

Provide a rubric or other set of criteria for making the judgment

Have learners explain and defend their system of evaluation

Require and support learners in creating their own criteria for evaluation

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks judgment

Describes a product that is real-world

Describes resource and other constraints that are not unlike those faced by real designers of such products

Encourages creativity within these restraints

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks design

Make hypotheses based on an understanding of information provided in the WebQuest

Testing the hypotheses by gathering data from pre-selected sources

Determining whether the hypotheses were supported and describing the results and their implications in the standard form of a scientific report

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks scientif ic

Constraints – historical accuracy, adherence to a particular artistic style, use of the conventions of a particular format, internal consistency, limitations on length, size, or scope

Invite creativity, be open-ended

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks

creativ e product

involve learners taking on different perspectives by studying different sets of resources;

be based on authentic differences of opinion that are actually expressed by someone somewhere outside of classroom walls;

be based on matters of opinion and fact, not just fact;

result in the development of a common report that has a specific audience (real or simulated) and is created in a format that is analogous to one used in the world outside classroom walls

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks

consensus building

students work on convincing an external audience of a particular point of view

a plausible audience for the message is identified whose point of view is different or at least neutral or apathetic

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks persuasion

Compels the learner s to answer questions about themselves that have no short answers

Such tasks could be developed around:long term goals;ethical and moral issues;self-improvement;art appreciation;personal responses to literature.

Critical components Taxonomy of Tasks

self -knowledge

Consider group sizeMake roles authenticPlan how the different roles will be synthesized into the final product

Critical components Groups/Roles

ContentTaskResourcesProcess

LayoutReading level

Critical componentsDevelopmentally appropriate

WorthwhileReputableBest source of information

Up-to-date information

Critical componentsMakes timely use of the Internet

Things to think aboutAdapting WebQuests

1. Choose a standard or topicAdapting WebQuests

2. Search for existing WebQuests

3. Determine which one(s) you might use

Adapting WebQuests

Baseball WQ

4. Select those with high potential

Adapting WebQuests

1. Aligns with your standards and objectives.

2. Task is engaging and requires higher level thinking (transformative).

3. Links are working and up to date.4. Pages are attractively laid out and free of

spelling, grammar, and technical errors.5. Readability level and tone matches well

with your students.

Adapting WebQuests – high potential

5. Identify changes needed6. Consider getting author permission

Adapting WebQuests

7. Download the WebQuestAdapting WebQuests

8. Make changes – modify and enhance

Adapting WebQuests

9. Evaluate and revise as neededAdapting WebQuests

Tom March: http://tommarch.com/learning/

Bernie Dodge: http://webquest.org/index.php

Information on all facets of WebQuests: http://webquest.org/index-resources.php

Online web authoring tools:PHPWebQuest -

http://eduforge.org/projects/phpwebquest/

zWebQuest - http://www.zunal.com/Filamentality -

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/

Resources