WebQuests to Web 2.0: More than a Decade of Technology Ideas

Learn to connect the best technology approaches of the past with the potential of new technology to build effective, efficient, and appealing learning environments for today's young people.

Engage learners in motivating, standards-based activities that promote deep thinking and creative communications. When you combine quality Internet resources and effective technology tools with the power of Web 2.0 applications, learning comes alive for students. WebQuests are an inquiry-based approach to addressing standards that place emphasis on motivating assignments, authentic assessments, and developing independent readers and writers. In this workshop, you'll learn to locate, evaluate, adapt, use, create, and co-produce your own WebQuests.

Get Started

Read about Web 2.0 at the ABCs of Web 2.0.

Explore and Evaluate WebQuests

Explore WebQuest.org to see the "home" of WebQuests. Go to the Find WebQuests page and search the database or use the Curriculum x Grade Level Matrix.

Learn more at Internet Expeditions: WebQuest Definition and Foundations and WebQuest Evaluation and Use.

WebQuests and Web 2.0 Tools

WebQuests & Social Networks

• Examples
  • General networks: Myspace, Facebook
  • Social networks for young people: imbee
  • Primary resources: Footnote
• Projects
• Read Mud Soup. Learn about cultural foods. Share your favorite family recipe on All Recipes.
• Read books. Use the forums in LibraryThing for literature circle activities.
  • Annette Lamb's LibraryThing Profile and Catalog
  • Library Thing Groups: Read YA Lit.
• Tools
  • Ning.com
• Learn more at the ABCs of Web 2.0: Virtual Worlds.

WebQuests & Blogs

• Blogs
  • A Different Place
• Projects
  • Student Reflections on Night
• Blog-based WebQuest
  • Go to My Place: What might be my place int he 21st Century? and explore their WebQuest project focusing on "What can we REALLY DO to make the world a better place?" Notice that this WebQuest is presented in a blog format. They use the blog, add graphics, use video, build a wiki, and create a podcast.
• Tools
  • Blogger, Edublogs, Class Blogmeister, Gaggle (subscription), Epals (subscription), Word Press (open source)
• Learn more at the ABCs of Web 2.0: Blogs.

WebQuests & Audio and Video

• Examples
  • Radio Willow
  • Podcast Central from Mabry Middle School
  • StoryTubes - Tell, Tube, Vote for Fun and Prizes
• Projects. Explore the following example. Which do you think is the most effective WebQuest? Which do you think makes the best use of audio technology?
  • A WebQuest About Podcasts
  • Radio Days
  • Do You Like Your Job?
  • Can Books Talk?
  • Celebrate Circles
  • A WebQuest: Latinos and the Civil Rights Era
• Tools and Sharing Sites
  • Audacity
  • YouTube
  • TeacherTube
  • SchoolTube

WebQuests & Wikis

• Examples
  • Wikipedia
• Projects
  • Constructing a Lasting Peace in the Middle East
  • Social Security: A New Challenge for the 21st Century
  • APBioWikiWebQuest
• Wiki-based WebQuests
  • Banned Books.
  • English Biz
  • GGN: Goofy Global Network
  • What in the World Wide Web is Web 2.0? WebQuest
• Tools
  • Wikispace for Teachers (My Favorite)
  • JotSpot (no owned by Google, in transition; great choice)
  • Nexdo (free for 5 users; 10MB server space per team)
  • PBWiki (free for Google ad-based, 10MB)
    • Check out an example created for Teasdale, Utah.
  • SeedWiki (no ads; free users, pages, limited access to page stats)
  • WetPaint (Google ads)
  • ZoHo Wiki
• Learn more at Wiki World.

WebQuest & Virtual Worlds

• Examples
  • The Globe Theatre
  • Go to SLurl Wikispaces for lots of places to explore
• Projects
  • SDSU WebQuest Project
  • Japanese Theatre
• Tools
  • Second Life - by far the most popular with educators
  • Second Life Teens (13-17) - only teens can enter

WebQuests & Web 2.0

Explore Ms. Hogue's Online English Resources including CyberEnglish 9 , AP English, American Literature, Media Literacy and Diversity, Poetry, Journalism. Notice all of the Web 2.0 tools that she uses.

WebQuest Materials

If you'd like to create your own WebQuest, explore some of the following resources:

• Internet Expeditions: Exploring, Using, Adapting, and Creating WebQuests
  • WebQuest Definition and Foundations
  • WebQuest Evaluation and Use
  • WebQuest Adaptation
  • WebQuest Creation
  • WebQuest Co-Production
• Literature Ladders: WebQuests
  • Middle School/Junior High: English
  • High School/Senior High: English
• Get FIT: English and Language Arts

If you'd like to learn more about Web 2.0, check out ABCs of Web 2.0.

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Developed by Annette Lamb, 4/08..