DiveDive Into WebQuests: Reading, Writing, and Web 2.0

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.

Explore the conference presentation or the hands-on workshop.

Many of the WebQuests that have been developed recently lack the foundational elements that make the WebQuest an inquiry-based environment. It's time to revisit the origins of the WebQuest and enhance our projects with the best of Web 2.0 technology.

Conference Presentation

Web 2.0

Read about Web 2.0 at the ABCs of Web 2.0.

The Meet The Candidates WebQuest includes a number of Web 2.0 applications. Can you find them?

Explore and Evaluate WebQuests

diveExplore 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.

Do a Google search for your topic and add the word WebQuest.

WebQuest Examples

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

WebQuests and Web 2.0 Tools

Dive

WebQuests & Collaborative Tools

Explore online tools for organizing creating and collaborating. Try My Webspiration.

WebQuest and Creation Tools

WebQuests & Blogs

WebQuests & Podcasts - Audio and Video

WebQuests & Wikis

WebQuests & Social Networks

WebQuests & Virtual Worlds

Web 2.0 and the WebQuest Process

dive

Engaging Introduction

Look for shared experiences that will bring young people together.

Meaningful Task

Identify an interesting and doable mission.

Powerful Pathfinder

Provide young people will a pathfinder that will guide them through resources and help them become independent explorers.

Systematic Processes

Product

Evaluation

Sharing and Conclusion

Adapt WebQuests & Web 2.0

Why reinvent the wheel? Adapt WebQuests:

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

Add Web 2.0 technology to existing WebQuests such as Radio Days.

Great Topics + Web 2.0 = Engaging WebQuests

diveWhen designing WebQuests, focus on timely topics and issues that will bring standards and learning alive for children and young adults.

 

climate changewho was first?Evolution RevolutionGeorge vs George

Be A Model for Inquiry

Share the books that you're reading. Connect them to resources that might be of interest to young people.

American Revolution

Benedict ArnoldBenedict ArnoldValley Forge

 

 

Hands-on Workshop

Activity 1: Complete the "Making the Most of Technology" worksheet. What are other English and Language Arts teachers doing with technology? Explore the following pages. Pick three things you think are cool ideas.

Activity 2: Complete the "Explore Thematic Resources" worksheet. Explore examples of materials gathered for an Utopian Society unit. Use the following websites to locate quality, online resources.

Go to ReadWriteThink Interactives. Use an interactive. Use ALT-PRINT SCREEN to take a screen shot. Paste it into a Moodle posting, word processing, or presenation document. Add bubbles.

Activity 3: Complete the "Ladders of Your Own" worksheet. Wikipedia can often lead you to quality external links. Check out the List of writers.

Explore and Evaluate WebQuests

Activity 4: 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.

Activity 5: Complete the WebQuest about WebQuests.

Activity 6: Complete the "Explore WebQuests" worksheet. Evaluate literature-based and communication skills WebQuests.

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

Adapt WebQuests

Activity 7: Complete the "Adapt WebQuests" worksheet. Use the "Adapt Activities" handout for ideas to transform the assignments to a higher level. Choose one of the following topics. Explore multiple WebQuests on the same topic. Which elements do you think are most effective?

Learn more at Internet Expeditions: WebQuest Adaptation.

Create WebQuests

Activity 8: Examine the "WebQuest Template" and "Literature-based WebQuest" worksheet at the back of your handout packet. Complete the "WebQuest Starters" worksheet. Create an engaging introduction for your WebQuest.

Use the BOOK option in Moodle to create a Moodle-based WebQuest. Add the following topics: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion.

Create a Wiki for your WebQuest and ask students to create wiki pages as part of their final project. Check out a couple works-in-progress: English Biz and Banned Books.

Activity 9: Complete the "WebQuest Topic" worksheet. Look at your topic with "new eyes."

Activity 10: Complete the "WebQuest Tasks" worksheet. Identify an interesting, doable task.

Activity 11: Complete the "WebQuest Resources" worksheet.

Activity 12: Complete the "WebQuest Processes" worksheet.

Activity 13: Complete the "Co-produce WebQuests " worksheet. Brainstorm opportunities for collaboration.

Activity 14: Examine the "Facets of Understanding" handouts. Examine your product. How can you increase understandings?

Learn more at Internet Expeditions: WebQuest Creation and WebQuest Co-Production

WebQuest Materials

If you want to go through the workshop materials systematically, use the following links:

Developed by Annette Lamb, 10/07. Updated 2/09.