Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

WEBQUESTS


WEBQUESTS


Critical Attributes


WebQuests of either short or long duration are deliberately designed to make the best use of a learner's time. There is questionable educational benefit in having learners surfing the net without a clear task in mind, and most schools must ration student connect time severely. To achieve that efficiency and clarity of purpose, WebQuests should contain at least the following parts:


1. An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background information.


2. A task that is doable and interesting.


3. A set of information sources needed to complete the task. Many (though not necessarily all) of the resources are embedded in the WebQuest document itself as anchors pointing to information on the World Wide Web. Information sources might include web documents, experts available via e-mail or realtime conferencing, searchable databases on the net, and books and other documents physically available in the learner's setting. Because pointers to resources are included, the learner is not left to wander through webspace completely adrift.


A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. The process should be broken out into clearly described steps.


Some guidance on how to organize the information acquired. This can take the form of guiding questions, or directions to complete organizational frameworks such as timelines, concept maps, or cause-and-effect diagrams as described by Marzano (1988, 1992) and Clarke (1990).


A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other domains.


Some other non-critical attributes of a WebQuest include these:


1. WebQuests are most likely to be group activities, although one could imagine solo quests that might be applicable in distance education or library settings.


I WOULD PREFER INDIVIDUAL QUESTS IF THE LEARNERS' PROPOSITIONAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MATERIAL VARIES WIDELY.


CONTRADISTINCTIVELY, I MIGHT EMPLOY GROUP ACTIVITIES WHEN THE LEARNERS ARE MORE OR LESS EQUAL WITH RESPECT TO THEIR PROPOSITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATERIAL.


2. WebQuests might be enhanced by wrapping motivational elements around the basic structure by giving the learners a role to play (e.g., scientist, detective, reporter), simulated personae to interact with via e-mail, and a scenario to work within (e.g., you've been asked by the Secretary General of the UN to brief him on what's happening in sub-Saharan Africa this week.)


ONE PERSON WILL REPORT ON WORLD AFFAIRS GOING ON AT THE TIME;


ONE PERSON WILL REPORT ON THE LITERARY EVENTS OF THE ERA;


ONE PERSON WILL REPORT ON THE MUSIC OF THE TIMES;


ONE PERSON WILL REPORT ON THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF MEXICO.


3. WebQuests can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary. Given that designing effective interdisciplinary instruction is more of a challenge than designing for a single content area, WebQuest creators should probably start with the latter until they are comfortable with the format.


Thinking skills that a longer term WebQuest activity might require include these (from Marzano, 1992):


1. Comparing: Identifying and articulating similarities and differences between things.


INFORMATION ABOUT THE REVOLUTIONS THAT WERE TAKING PLACE IN RUSSIA, MEXICO, AND EUROPE.


2. Classifying: Grouping things into definable categories on the basis of their attributes.


GROUPING THE VARIOUS REVOLUTIONARY FACTIONS: THE VILLISTAS, THE ZAPATISTAS, THE FOLLOWERS OF CARRANZA.


GROUPING NEWPAPER PROPAGANDA INTO THE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES: BANDWAGON, GLITTERING GENERALITIES, PLAIN FOLKS, TESTIMONIAL. ETC.


3. Inducing: Inferring unknown generalizations or principles from observations or analysis.


INDUCING THE MOTIVES OF THE VARIOUS FIGURES OF THE REVOLUTION ON THE BASIS OF THEIR ACTIONS.


4. Deducing: Inferring unstated consequences and conditions from given principles and generalizations.


USING GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT THE VARIOUS LEADERS AND FACTIONS FROM TEXTBOOKS AND CONTEMPORARY NEWSPAPERS AND APPLYING THEM TO EVENTS FROM THE REVOLUTION.


5. Analyzing errors: Identifying and articulating errors in one's own or others'thinking.


WHAT INFORMATION CHANGED INITIAL PERCEPTIONS?


6. Constructing support: Constructing a system of support or proof for an assertion.


PUTTING TOGETHER A LOGICAL THEORY FOR THE EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION.


7. Abstraction: Identifying and articulating the underlying theme or general pattern of information.


WHAT ARE THE GENERAL FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY OF THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION?


8. Analyzing perspectives: Identifying and articulating personal perspectives about issues.


HOW DOES ONE VIEW THE CURRENT REVOLUTION IN CHIAPAS IN LIGHT OF THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION OF 1910?