Webquesting
Being already somewhat familiar with webquests from our Science class and our Social Studies class, the Dodge presentation was a little boring for me, but it was extremely clear and helped me to understand the exact steps in creating one. I will definitely keep this link in case I want to create a webquest in the future. Seeing the steps so clearly laid out would be very helpful to make sure you don't miss any key components.
I enjoyed reviewing the three different webquests. The layout of the Cloud webquest was most confusing to read and least pleasing to look at. I really liked the Bald Eagle webquest and the Math webquest. They were visually attractice, easy to understand, and cool ideas. Obviously they are both at a higher level than I working at, but I’m sure I could either adapt those webquests to create my own lower grade webquest, or I could search for other similar webquests.
My roommate is in a Single-Subjects credential program, and as part of an assignment for a Math class she was asked to create a Math related Webquest. After telling her about my assignment today, she sent me the link to her webquest. I was very impressed! Click Here to see her TIME magazine mathematician of the year webquest.
I think Webquests would work well as an option for a final project. For example, my students studied different types of animals for about a month and completed posters with labeled pictures, facts, photographs, and other information about their animal. Some children loved this assignment, and some did not. I think it would be great to offer a Webquest as a possible option for kids to showcase their learning, rather than a poster. That way the children could choose which modality suited them better. Webquests seem to be very interactive and dynamic, which would benefit some of my learners.
If I were to use a webquest as a project in my classroom, I would assess learning in the same way that the webquests we viewed showed, based upon the final product being graded by a pre-determind rubric.
Kate, I agree that some of the webcasts were confusing and not visually
easy on the eye. If we as teachers (or soon to be teachers) have a hard
time understanding what is going on and what is expected from the webquest,
how are the children supposed to know? I thought your idea about using the
webquest simultaneously with another project and giving the children a
choice was interesting and would definitely differentiate instruction. Or
maybe they can all do the webquest but have a different final product?
Some can choose to create something on the computer and others can use more
traditional materials, as long as everybody uses the internet (or another
medium) in order to gather information?
Kate,
Kate,