“The Computer as an Educational
Tool: Productivity and Problem
Solving”
©Richard C. Forcier and Don E. Descy
Today
 Introduction
 Definition of terms
 Finding the “right” WebQuest
 Anatomy of a WebQuest
 Evaluating a WebQuest
 Examples
Why WebQuests? (1)
Infuse technology into the
classroom and curriculum
Match YOUR curriculum and
your needs
Match YOUR students and their
needs
Safe surfing for students
Why WebQuests? (2)
 Use strategies to increase student
motivation
 Ideal for cooperative learning
 Develop thinking skills
 Use many resources
 Encourage students to explore new
ideas, ways to present these ideas
Definition of a WebQuest
An inquiry-oriented activity in
which some or all of the
information that students
interact with comes from
resources on the Internet.
A Typical WebQuest
Main Web Page
Supplemental
Web Pages
1. Introduction
2. Task
3. Process
Supplemental
Web Pages
Filtered
Websites
4. Information/Resources
5. Evaluation
6. Conclusions
Other Material
(books, film,
etc.)
Finding the “Right” WebQuest
 Use one that someone else has
developed
 Modify someone else's to your needs
 Make your own WebQuest
 Have students make them!
Use Someone Else’s
WebQuest
 Check for examples at
http://webquest.sdsu.edu or other sites
 Search the Web for “WebQuests”
 Does it fit curriculum goals?
 Does it contain all of the required
elements or information?
 Don’t forget to evaluate: As a WebQuest
and fitting your needs (pilot it!)
Modify Someone Else’s WebQuest
 Modify for your class:
Grade level, interest, ability...
 Modify for your needs:
Goals, resources, alternative
outcomes, scenarios...
 Modify for your location:
Region, history, geography,
weather, famous
people/locations
Modify Someone Else’s WebQuest
 Ask permission to modify
 Let original author use modifications
 Give original author credit for idea
Make Your Own WebQuest
 Yourself or with students
 Do you have equipment/expertise?
 Brainstorm ideas
 Doable tasks
 Decide on resources: Web/others
 Diagram site (Use Inspiration!)
 Get to work!
Have Your Students Make
Them
 Groups work best
 Give examples
 Use templates
 Give detailed directions
 Use a filtered directory or give them
the sites
 Resources can be print or nonprint
Helpful Hints for Future Reference
 Become familiar with resources
online in your content area
 Organize the resources into
categories like data bases, reference
materials, etc.
 Identify topics that fit with the
curriculum and that have materials
online
Two Types of WebQuests
Shorter Term
Designed to be completed in one
to three class periods
Longer Term
Designed to take between one
week and one month
Shorter-term WebQuest
Instructional goal is...
knowledge acquisition and
integration
Learner deals with a significant
amount of new information and
makes sense of it
Longer-term WebQuest
Instructional goal is…
extending and refining
knowledge
Learner deeply analyzes a body
of knowledge, transforms it, and
demonstrates understanding by
presenting it in some way
Anatomy of a WebQuest
 Developed in 1995 by Bernie Dodge
and Tom March
 Excellent site located at San Diego
State University:
http://webquest.sdsu.edu
Six Elements of a WebQuest
1. Introduction
2. Task
3. Process
4. Information resources
5. Evaluation
6. Conclusion
#1: Introduction
Should orient the learner to what
is going to happen
Should grab learners and make
them want to continue
Express a need to continue
“BatQuest” (ele)
Stellaluna became lost from her mother
when she was a baby. She did not get a
chance to learn about who she was.
Stellaluna feels very sad because she is
not like her bird friends. Let's help
Stellaluna learn more about being a bat.
Stellaluna is a very unique mammal with
special gifts. It will be your quest to learn
the facts about bats. You can help teach
Stellaluna and others about the special
qualities of being a bat.
“Basque Country Journey” (mid)
The French and Spanish level one students are
planning a spring break trip to the Basque
country. Discover good surf, great beaches, and
delicious cuisine that contribute to the wellknown reputation of the Basque country on either
side of the Pyrenees. Behind the touristy scene
exists a profound and economically orientated
lifestyle and a culture striving to be stronger. You
and a partner will research a Spanish or French
city in the Basque region. You will gather
information on its geographic location, history,
tourism, and the three languages that are part of
everyday life.
“Prison: Punishment or Party?”
(HS)
Prison reform is a hot issue today and there is a
great deal of conflict over what prisoners' rights
should be. In this project, you will be exploring
the opposing viewpoints on this topic, evaluating
statistics, and reading about life in American
prisons. As a team, you will be working to create
a handbook of "Prisoners' Rights" in a fabled
prison. Team members will take the following
roles: victim, prison warden, politician, taxpayer,
or prisoner. Though you may have strong feelings
based upon the research you do, your team must
reach consensus on the handbook.
#2: Task
Tells what the learner will have
completed at the end of the
quest
May be a product or a
presentation (PowerPoint,
speech, play, artwork, game,
movie, anything assessable...)
BatQuest
After reading the book, work alone or with a partner
to find out more information about bats. You will
investigate:
*The different types of bats
*How bat mothers care for their babies
*Echolocation
*Unique bat characteristics
*Why bats are important to the world
Basque Country Journey
1. Decide on which city (according to the language you are
studying) you would like to visit and describe the
geographic location, history, and language.
2. Depending on your city, find out the unit of currency and its
current exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.
3. Find out typical spring weather conditions.
4. Search for two hotels in the city you would like to stay at.
Include information such as address, phone number, price
range, and services they offer.
5. Find three restaurants for Spanish, French, and Basque
cuisine. Include information such as price range, address,
and several menu items.
6. Find three activities to do while at the city. Include a brief
description of each place and the cost if any.
Prison: Punishment or Party?
Students will research prisoners’ rights today from
a specific perspective as they assume one of the
following roles: victim, prison warden, politician,
taxpayer, or prisoner. Students will write
individual proposals for the handbook and then
debate the issues until consensus is reached.
“Task-onomy” (1)
Re-telling tasks: Most common,
least challenging
Compilation tasks: Familiarizes
student with content, then
enables them to transform the
information acquired
“Task-onomy” (2)
Mystery tasks: Find information
from multiple sources, infer, and
predict
Journalistic tasks: Broaden
understanding by using multiple
accounts/inputs and outputs
“Task-onomy” (3)
Design tasks: Anything goes;
encourages creativity
Creative product tasks: Openended creativity with guidelines;
a product needed by an
individual
“Task-onomy” (4)
Persuasion tasks: Combined
with consensus building;
trying to convince others of a
particular viewpoint
“Task-onomy” (5)
Self-knowledge tasks:
Compel learner to answer
questions about themselves
Analytical tasks: Analysis of
the implications of task
“Task-onomy” (6)
Judgement tasks: Learners
must create own criteria for
evaluation
Scientific tasks: Learners
make and test hypotheses
#3: Process
Clearly described steps
Lets the learner know the
process to go through to
accomplish task
Can also provide help,
comments, advice
BatQuest (1)
1. Stellaluna is one type of bat, a megabat. Bats can be first
classified into two groups, megabats and microbats. Then
there are several different types of bats within these two
groups. Choose who will investigate the megabats and who
will investigate the mircrobats. Click on the paper for your
task sheets and click on the megabat and mircrobat
buttons for more information.
2. Stellaluna had a loving mother. You will work with your
partner and complete the assignment together. Your job is
to find out how bat mothers care for their babies until they
are able to be on their own. Click on the mother bat for
information and the baby bat for the task sheet.
BatQuest (2)
3. Bats can fly at night and not get hurt. Investigate their
special gift called echolocation. Your job is to discover how
echolocation works. Could you use echolocation to see in
the dark like bats do? Click on the bat to find out. Click on
the paper for your task sheet.
4. Bats are unique mammals. Discover all about their special
traits and how they help our world.
*After you become a "Bat Master", investigate why people
are afraid of bats. How could you change the minds of
people who are afraid of bats so they might like bats?
5. Write a letter to Stellaluna and explain to her why she is so
special. This is your opportunity to show that you are a bat
expert!
Basque Country WebQuest
1. Go to the sites above to find the required
information.
2. Design a travel brochure using the target
language that represents the city and the places
you chose to visit. Include pictures and brief
information that would entice the reader to visit
the location. The brochures will be shared with
the rest of the class.
3. Create a detailed plan including all your
information, prices, and web page addresses that
you used to gather your information.
Prison: Punishment or Party? (1)
1. Within your group, either choose a role or draw
for your role.
2. Examine the Web-based and print resources to
discover what the issues are from your unique
point of view. Use the set of Questions for
exploration to help you get started (but don't limit
yourselves!)
3. Create an outline of rights prisoners should have
in the newly created prison. Write a statement
summarizing your point of view. Use
HyperStudio. Be sure to include a bibliography
of the resources used. These should be in a
variety of formats: websites, magazines,
newspaper articles, books, etc.
Prison: Punishment or Party? (2)
4. Present your "demands" to your group using
HyperStudio. Take notes while the other members
of your group present their outlines.
5. Debate the issues within your group.
6. After reaching consensus, create a presentation
of the group's Prisoners Rights Handbook to the
class at-large using PowerPoint, HyperStudio,
Posters, or another format approved by the
teacher.
7. Use the rubric to grade your individual work and
the group's performance.
#4: Information Resources
List of teacher-selected websites
for learner
May use external or internal links
May include non-Web resources:
books, worksheet, video, etc.
Basque Country WebQuest
Go to the Pays Basque page (in French) to find out
more information on the Region.
Click here for language information.
Links to different activities in Basque Country.
Go to TourAdour.com to find information on history,
hotels, and leisure activities.
Go to City.net to find information in Spanish about
the Pais Vasco.
Go to Buber's Basque page for lots of information in
French and Spanish.
Prison: Punishment or Party?
1. Use Inspire to find newspaper or magazine
articles on prisons in the United States.
2. On-line articles
(six sites listed)
3. Print resources - Please consult at least one print
resource.
(three books listed)
#5: Evaluation
Needed to measure results
Must fit goals and objectives
Evaluation rubrics often best for
authentic assessment
Is it the Quest, the question, or
the student?
All Sites
All had detailed rubrics for group and
individual assessment
#6: Conclusion
Brings closure to the Quest
Reviews learning
Reflection, review, rethinking
Ideas for future study
BatQuest
Now that you have become a bat expert, visit these
fun and exciting sites. You can learn even more
about bats or play bat games and make bat art.
Maybe you would like to build a bat house in your
backyard!
*Crossword
*Stellaluna Online
*Bat Quiz
*Build a Bat House
*Bat Games
Basque Country WebQuest
By researching the city of your choice you will
come in contact with the Basque culture before
our spring break trip. This project will sharpen
your Internet research skills and will help you
learn different cultures.
Prison: Punishment or Party?
As the number of prisoners increases yearly and the number of new
prisons does not increase to meet the overflow of prisoners in the
United States criminal justice system, more and more individuals
are placed into potentially explosive places. Prisoners' rights are
sometimes abused in this fragile system. At the same time,
prisoners are known to abuse the system themselves by filing
ludicrous lawsuits and demanding unreasonable accommodations
for someone who has committed a crime. Some people believe
that prison life is too easy and thus not a deterrent to
crime. Others point to the recent case in Jasper, Texas, where a
man who did not grow up to hold racist beliefs learned racial
hatred in prison and ended up brutally murdering a black man,
causing an outraged nation to wonder, "How bad is prison life that
prisoners leave more violent and prone to crime than when they
entered the system?" These are all valid, powerful viewpoints that
deserve to be explored and evaluated. Ultimately, some
consensus must be reached in for change to be made.
Noncritical Attributes
May be group or individual
activities
May include role-playing
Single subject or
interdisciplinary
Evaluating WebQuests
 Is the information accurate?
 Does the page look inviting and
appealing?
 Is it easy to use?
 Is it a good use of class/student/your
time?
 Is it a good use of Web/technology?
Examples
 San Diego State WebQuest Page:
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html
 WebQuest World:
http://www.ci.swt.edu/faculty/
peterson/webquestworld2/WebQuestWorld
Home.html
 WebQuest Workshop Resources:
http://mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us/~spjvweb/w
ebquests.html
Sites
 BatQuest: http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/
chavez/batquest/navigator.html
 Basque Country WebQuest:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/
Olympus/6360/basque.html
 Prison: Punishment or Party?:
http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hschool/
webq/webq63/
Questions?
PowerPoint available at:
descy.net