"A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web" (Dodge 1995). "A well-designed WebQuest combines research-supported theories with effective use of the Internet to promote dependable instructional practices" (March 2003). A webquest needs to include many factors for example (March 2003) describes these a Scaffolded Learning Structure, Use of Essential Internet Resources, Authentic Tasks That Motivate, Open-Ended Questions, Individual Expertise, Transformative Group Process, and as with all learning journeys you need to include the set curriculum and suitable pedagogy.
Both Antartica Ice to Water Australia and Terrorist or Freedom Fighters are very real and relavent webquests. Both hold deep understanding and higher order thinking challenges as the topics are very contraversial. I can see some great debates arising from these webquests. When on the webquests I found the page layout on Antartica Ice to Water Australia easier to follow and understand compared to Freedom Fighters or Terrorists.
There are multiple implications that I can think of. Time would be a major factor, creating a webquest would require a lot of time. Also the teacher would need approval from the principal to go ahead and create a webquest before implimenting it in the classroom. The Webquest would need to meet curriculum requirments. The students would need sufficient internet and computer usage time. The teacher would need to keep the WebQuest up to date with the latest information. On the other side it creates an oppurtunity to have learners engaged in structured internet usage rather then just browsing. A webquest creates self guided learning for students with teacher facilitating rather then teacher up in front of class teaching. It creates a learner centred learning environment and could engage usually uninterested students.
It would take some time to create a Webquest- especially your first. The teacher would need to work on creating their webquest in their own time. As to how much of the curriculum you would cover would depend on which part of the curriculum the class was working on, the year level and the students in the class. In reality a Webquest could cover a lot of curriculum but maybe the principal, parents and school community might be more interested in how the Webquest could improve the students Naplan results.
Dodge, B. (1995). Some thoughts about WebQuests [Online]. Available: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/about_webquests.html
March, T., (2003) The Learning Power of WebQuests: http://coe.nevada.edu/nstrudler/MarchWQ03.pdf
March, T. (2000b). The 3 Rs of WebQuests. Multimedia Schools Magazine, 7(6), 62. Available:www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/nov00/march.htm
Both Antartica Ice to Water Australia and Terrorist or Freedom Fighters are very real and relavent webquests. Both hold deep understanding and higher order thinking challenges as the topics are very contraversial. I can see some great debates arising from these webquests. When on the webquests I found the page layout on Antartica Ice to Water Australia easier to follow and understand compared to Freedom Fighters or Terrorists.
There are multiple implications that I can think of. Time would be a major factor, creating a webquest would require a lot of time. Also the teacher would need approval from the principal to go ahead and create a webquest before implimenting it in the classroom. The Webquest would need to meet curriculum requirments. The students would need sufficient internet and computer usage time. The teacher would need to keep the WebQuest up to date with the latest information. On the other side it creates an oppurtunity to have learners engaged in structured internet usage rather then just browsing. A webquest creates self guided learning for students with teacher facilitating rather then teacher up in front of class teaching. It creates a learner centred learning environment and could engage usually uninterested students.
It would take some time to create a Webquest- especially your first. The teacher would need to work on creating their webquest in their own time. As to how much of the curriculum you would cover would depend on which part of the curriculum the class was working on, the year level and the students in the class. In reality a Webquest could cover a lot of curriculum but maybe the principal, parents and school community might be more interested in how the Webquest could improve the students Naplan results.
Dodge, B. (1995). Some thoughts about WebQuests [Online]. Available: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/about_webquests.html
March, T., (2003) The Learning Power of WebQuests: http://coe.nevada.edu/nstrudler/MarchWQ03.pdf
March, T. (2000b). The 3 Rs of WebQuests. Multimedia Schools Magazine, 7(6), 62. Available:www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/nov00/march.htm
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