WHAT’S WEBQUEST?

A WebQuest is an Inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing.
 
 

WHY WEBQUEST?

WebQuests are designed to make the best use of a learner’s time on the computer. There is questionable educational benefit in having learners surfing the Internet without a clear task in mind. WebQuest gives learner’s the direction needed and limits the availability of unwanted sites. The teacher retains most of the control.
 
 

WHERE WEBQUEST?

WebQuests can be used anywhere Internet access is available. To build the WebQuest with Microsoft Word the user must have access to Office 97. Computer labs have been the means of transportation, today’s educators are realizing that classroom pods of 3 to 5 computers can be used very efficiently.
 
 

WHO USES WEBQUESTS?

In today’s classroom helping the learners develop individual expertise is pretty good teaching. As a teacher fighting the day-to-day battles of ignorance, expertise would be a welcome outcome. WebQuests are for those teachers that want to prompt higher-order thinking not just memorization. They want to prepare the students for tomorrow’s learning, not for yesteryears.

WebQuest Templates

WebQuest Template II

Pre-WebQuests

• Use the WebQuest template to build your own WebQuest.
• WebQuests are usually a group activity, although solo quests are a possibility. Assignments can be group or individual.
• Wrapping a motivational element around the basic structure by giving the learner a role-play might enhance the WebQuest.

Role-play Suggestions

Travel Agent, Detective, Airplane Pilot, I’m just a Bill, Reporter, Accountant, Zoologist, Roller Coaster Tester, Time Machine, Banker, Fireman, Mad Scientist, Contractor, Architect, Pirate, Bull Fighter, Archeologist, Politician, Bingo, Doctor (cure), President, King, Race car driver, Field Trip, Treasure Hunter, Super Hero, Sports Figure, Army General,Where on earth are you? Leap into someone’s body, who am I? Where on earth is Freddie Frog hiding?

• WebQuests can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary. First time WebQuesters should probably start with the latter until they are comfortable with the format.
• Including comparisons, classifying, inducing, deducing, analyzing, constructing support and open-ended questions in your WebQuest can develop higher-order thinking skills.

Assignment Suggestions (WebWork)

Brochure, Poster, Write a Story, Acrostic, Play, Project, Newspaper Article, Map, Cook Write a Letter, Draw a Picture, Song, Origami, Board Game, Puppet Show, Box Puzzle, Puzzle, Report, Make a Graph, Word Search, Poem, Collage, Video Diary, TV, and News Anchor
 
 Differentiated Learning

WebQuest are an excellent way to challenge each learner. In the evaluation or conclusion section instruct the learner to pick up his/her WebWork page, an assignment sheet with individual learners instructions. Each student or group of students could have a different assignment based on the learner’s needs.

Time Management
 
What do I do with the rest of the class while the students use the computer? A teacher’s attention is always needed somewhere other than where he/she is at the time. Here are some hints and possibilities to use your time efficiently while leading your class through a WebQuest or technology experience.

• Use the computers as one of your learning centers.
• Before starting the WebQuest give the directions that might be confusing to the whole class at once. Use the chalkboard.
• Start the class with a familiar task. Rotate students from the class task to the computer task and vise versa. Once learners settle in, help the one’s on the computer.
• Use task cards. Students can read a carefully written task card for instructions. With younger students have the better readers read the cards to the rest of the group.
• Use tape-recorded directions. Tape-recorded directions work well with learners who have difficulty reading.
• WebQuests will eliminate questions if the directions are written well.
• Be creative.

Getting started

Open Microsoft Word

Center and Name your WebQuest

Click File and Save As Html…

Make sure you have a floppy disk in the drive.

In the Save As Html dialog box choose
 

Type in the File name: i.e. World (Keep the name 8 characters or less)

Click Save

Click Yes

Find Internet Sites
 
Do not close Word (Minimize it)

Open Netscape (Internet)

Go to Campbell County Schools Web site @
 
http://www.campbell.k12.ky.us/

Click Suggested Web Sites

Click Sites for Teachers

Choose Subject

Browse

Bookmark desired web site

Click Bookmarks

Click Add Bookmarks

Insert Links

Go to Netscape (Internet)

Click on Bookmarks

Click desired web sites

Click in the Location bar

Location bar should now be highlighted in dark blue.

Click Edit--Copy or (Ctrl+C)

Go back to WebQuest (Word)

Align left and put the cursor where you want the link

Click Edit--Paste or (Ctrl+V)

Press Enter key

Link should be underlined and blue.

To Save again

Go to Word (WebQuest)

Click File—Save or (Click the Disk in the toolbar)

Make sure the light comes on next to the floppy drive

Save your work often

Locate an Image (picture) on the Internet

Do not close Word (WebQuest) Minimize it

Go to Campbell County Schools Web site on the Internet

Click Suggested Web Sites

Click Sites for Teachers

Scroll to bottom and find Technology for Teachers

Choose and Click

Open in a new frame

Locate Image

Save an Image

Right click on the image

Click Save Image As…

Click Save

Insert Image (picture)

Go to Word (WebQuest)

Put the Cursor where you want the image by Clicking

Click Insert-Picture

Click on From File…

In the Insert Picture dialog box choose

Double Click desired image to insert or Click once and Click Insert

If image is not in view after you Look in 3 ½ Floppy, Choose

Insert Animated Image (picture)
 

Follow the Insert Image (picture) instructions

In the Insert Picture dialog box

Check Link to File before you Insert

Use an Inserted Image as a Link

Go to Netscape (Internet)

Find the desired web site

Click in the Location bar and it will turn blue

Click Edit--Copy or (Ctrl+C)

Go to Word (WebQuest)

Click on the Image you want to link

Click Insert--Hyperlink

Click (Ctrl+V) which is Paste

Click OK

Edit

From the Desktop

Double Click My Computer.

Double Click 3 ½ Floppy (A:)

Right Click on desired WebQuest

Click Open with Word

Test the WebQuest

From the Desktop

Double Click My Computer

Double Click 3 ½ Floppy (A:)

Double Click the WebQuest Icon

Place in Local Application

Double click My Computer

Double Click 3 ½ Floppy (A:)

Click the restore Button

Drag and Drop the WebQuest Icon into Local Applications

Sample WebQuest
 

Australia WebQuest

By Brian K. Mercer

INTRODUCTION

Are the Kentucky winters getting to you? Is the cold bitter wind nipping at your nose? Would you like to go on vacation where it's hot? A place where the sun keeps you warm and the ocean water-cools you off. The land down under may be just what you're looking for in a vacation. Today you will complete a WebQuest that will introduce you to some of the facts and places you could visit if you vacationed in Australia.

TASK
 
The continent of Australia is an interesting and exciting place to vacation. Today you will perform a WebQuest to learn more about what Australia has to offer the vacationer. Try to look at the pictures and read the captions.

PROCESS
 
  Read and follow all of the directions and you will learn more about our friends from down under. Use the back button to return to this page after you have visited a link. If you click and hold down the back button you can return to a page that is not the most recent visited site.

Resources
 
How about this for ocean front property. The Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea, and the Coral Sea all surround Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is a mountain of coral that helps cover many of the animals from their predators. A shark is a predator of the animals off Australian coasts. Before you get in the waters of Australia earn about sharks by clicking on the link. To get back to this page click on the back button.

 http://www.divxprt.com/see&sea/animals/gws.html

Australia has other animals for the vacationer to fear and enjoy. Click the link below the BIG crocodile and view other interesting animals. Hint: To see another animal scroll to the bottom of the page and choose another letter. When you have chosen 10 letters worth of animals return back to this page.
 
http://aaa.com.au/A_Z/D.shtml
 
The Great Barrier Reef protects part of the coast from sharks. We are able to swim without fear of shark attacks because the water is not deep enough for the sharks to swim over the reef. To learn about the reef click on the link.
 
  http://www.ozemail.com.au/~ldowse/nautgall.html
 
 Lets see what a vacation would look like through the eyes of someone who has been there. Martin Nelson, a college student, toured Australia and took lots of cool pictures. Click on the link and navigate though his web site by clicking on the maps x.
 
 http://www.fys.ku.dk/~mdn/

AYE MATE!

CONCLUSION
 
Well you have finished the WebQuest. Did you learn anything about Australia? Would you like to vacation there? Return to your seat and make a travel brochure that shows others why they should visit the home of Crocodile Dundee. Thanks, Mate.
 
  Evaluation

The amount and quality of information you put into the brochure will be used in your evaluation. All information will come from the WebQuest. Use your creativity to attract others to Australia. Option: WebWork

Help

• • You can only edit from Word
  • Test it in Netscape or Explorer
  • Save your work often
  • Left Click on your choice
  • Right Click gives you a menu

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