Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - Using WebQuests to Meet the

Using WebQuests to Meet
the Needs of All Learners
Laila J. Richman
[email protected]
What Is a WebQuest?
Inquiry-oriented activity in which most of
the information is drawn from the web.
– Designed to:
Use learners’ time well.
Focus on using information rather than looking for
it.
Support learners’ thinking at the levels of analysis,
synthesis, and evaluation.
(Dodge, 2001).
WebQuest: History
Developed in mid 1990s by Bernie Dodge and
Tom March
Based on Constructivism
Stemming from Universal Design for Learning
(UDL)
WebQuest: History
Constructivism:
– Theory focused on
students’ acquisition of
knowledge through
discovery and evaluation
of information and the
formulation of their own
meaning (Dede &
Sprague, 1999).
Universal Design for
Learning (UDL):
– The generation of
learning materials that
are accessible to
everyone.
WebQuest and Students with
Special Needs:
Allows teachers to provide multiple levels of
assistance
Meets two IDEA requirements:
– accommodating for special learners
– providing access to the general education
curriculum
Parts of a WebQuest
Introduction
Task
Process
Resources
Evaluation
Conclusion
The Introduction:
Orient the learner as to what is coming.
Raise interest by making the topic...
–
–
–
–
–
relevant
visually interesting
important
urgent
fun
Example:
Your expertise is needed immediately! KW, a young killer
whale, has been transferred to Aqualand Marine Aquarium and is
showing signs of distress. Aqualand has hired your team of experts
to evaluate the conditions at KW's new home to determine which
factors may be causing the symptoms. After analyzing the
situation, your team will present a final report based on your
findings to the board of directors of Aqualand. This report will
include recommendations which may help improve KW's
condition.
Parts of a WebQuest
Introduction
Task
The Task:
Description of what the learner will have
done at the end of the exercise.
– product
– verbal act
Important aspect of the Task
– Allow student input
– Provide options
WebQuest Taskonomy:
From WebQuest Page
Parts of a WebQuest
Introduction
Task
Process
Process:
Teacher suggests steps of discovery
including:
– strategies for dividing the task
– descriptions of roles to be played or perspectives
to be taken by each learner
Example Process Section:
The Process
1. Choose a group of four students to work with.
2. Decide upon the roles for the members of your group.
3. Identify an area of ocean pollution that is troubling to your group.
4. Conduct a preliminary internet search.
5. If search yields adequate information go to step 7; If search does not
yield adequate information go to step 6.
6. Modify original area and proceed from step 4.
7. Conduct an in depth internet search.
8. Print out and complete the answer sheet.
9. Use a map to show geographic location of your selected polluted area.
10. Bookmark any sites you find to be especially useful.
From WebQuest Page
Process:
Teacher suggests steps of discovery
including:
– strategies for dividing the task
– descriptions of roles to be played or perspectives
to be taken by each learner
Learning Advice:
– use to provide learning advice and interpersonal
process advice
Example Process Section:
The Process
Choose a group of four students to work with.
Decide upon the roles for the members of your group.
Identify an area of ocean pollution that is troubling to your group.
Conduct a preliminary internet search.
If search yields adequate information go to step 7; If search does not
yield adequate information go to step 6.
6. Modify original area and proceed from step 4.
7. Conduct an in depth internet search.
8. Print out and complete the answer sheet.
9. Use a map to show geographic location of your selected polluted area.
10. Bookmark any sites you find to be especially useful.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Learning Advice:
Help everyone remember their group roles. Keep a good
record of the sites you have located which contain useful information. You may
want to visit these again and much time can be spent relocating sites. Keep
focused on the key questions and write down your answers completely and
clearly. This information will be used when you write your newsletter articles.
From WebQuest Page
Process Checklist:
Project Name:
Project Author:
Checked By:
Date:
NO
?
YES
Notes:
ASPECT
Roles are well defined. It's clear who does what when.
Roles are integral to getting the job done, not just tacked on.
Logistics are clear (e.g., it's clear how groups get formed)
Enough resources are identified (Web or other) to convince one that
the learners would have enough information to go on.
Enough guidance is provided for activities in which learners interact
with each other (e.g. brainstorming) or with data (e.g. analyzing a
photograph, interviewing an expert)
There is enough specific guidance on how to produce/perform the
task (e.g. suggested outlines, examples, formats)
The Process matches the Task description.
Consistent voice is used (addresses students as "you", not "the
students".)
Vocabulary is matched to the reading level of the audience.
Bulleted and numbered lists are used to break up long paragraphs.
Links are placed so as not to distract readers and cause them to click
off to other sites prematurely.
Long role-specific information is put onto separate pages.
Return
Adapted from WebQuest Page
Parts of a WebQuest
Introduction
Task
Process
Resources
Resources:
Pre-selected web pages which the teacher
has located that will help the learner
accomplish the task.
Other resources
– Books
– Interviews
– Video
Parts of a WebQuest
Introduction
Task
Process
Resources
Evaluation
Evaluation:
We need to be able to measure results.
An evaluation rubric is well suited for the
task.
Students should be made aware of the
assessment process from the very
beginning.
Parts of a WebQuest
Introduction
Task
Process
Resources
Evaluation
Conclusion
Conclusion:
The Conclusion section provides an
opportunity to:
– summarize the experience
– encourage reflection about the process,
and/or
– extend and generalize what was learned
It provides the students with a sense of
closure and can often open a path into the
next lesson.
How WebQuest Accommodates to all
Learners:
Aesthetics:
– larger font size
– dark background w/ light
text
– more pictures
– reduced amounts of text
– Appropriate reading
levels
Guided notes
Guided research
Use of authentic
documents
Cooperative groups
Multiple means of
presenting information
Multiple representations
of materials
WebQuest Design Process:
Choose a Topic
Identify Resources
Establish Goals
Design Assessment
Specify the Task
Design the Lesson
Develop Pages
Implement WebQuest
Evaluate and Revise
Dodge & March
Resources:
The WebQuest Page
– http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
Dodge, B. (2001). FOCUS: Five Rules for Writing
Great WebQuests. Learning & Leading with
Technology, 28 (8).
Dede C., & Sprague, D. (1999). If I Teach this Way, am
I doing My Job? Constructivism in the Classroom.
Learning and Leading with Technology, 27 (1).
Kelley, R. (2000). Working with WebQuests: Making
the Web Accessible to Students with Disabilities.
Teaching Exceptional Children, 32(6), 4-13.
Cool Tool 
This tool allows you to create an online
WebQuest without having any web
creation experience or server space.
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgibin/cgiwrap/specconn/webquest/index.php