Elementary School WebQuest-Quest

by

John Beaver, Professor of Education, Buffalo State College

 

Introduction

The Elementary School WebQuest-Quest is a cooperative learning activity that helps elementary teachers evaluate the integration of World Wide Web materials into the elementary school curriculum. The exercise makes use of selected Internet-based activities called WebQuests. WebQuests are structured activities based on a model developed by Dr. Bernie Dodge from San Diego State University. For more information on WebQuests, explore Bernie Dodge's WebQuest Page by clicking on the included hyperlink.

In The Elementary School WebQuest-Quest, participants make curricular decisions impacting elementary school instruction based on their evaluation of Internet resources. Using a role-play scenario, WebQuest-Questers work in teams to develop an enhanced curriculum for their school district, one expecting an increased infusion of technology into the current, more traditional approach.

Each WebQuest-Quest team member represents a different role that reflects a particular bias in the curriculum development process. Participants make selections and evaluate World Wide Web sites based on criteria highlighted for the assumed role. Teams may wish to choose a particular grade(s) level to help focus the age group targeted for their selections.

 

Task

Participants investigate and evaluate 6 WebQuests for possible inclusion in an Elementary School curriculum featuring the infusion of Internet materials.

Individual participants make selections and rank order 4 of the World Wide Web sites, choosing those WebQuests that will be used during the current school year.

Participants work within their four-member teams to reach group consensus on which 4 WebQuests will be adopted in the new technology-enriched curriculum.

 

Resources

Cooking with Your Three Sisters

http://horizon.nmsu.edu/ddl/wq3siscooking_k.html

 

Dolphin-Safe Tuna?

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/as/education/projects/webquests/dolphins

 

Fishfeatures

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/encanto/fishfeatures/fishfeatures.html

 

Sadako and the Paper Cranes

http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/sadako.htm

 

Farmers, Farmers Everywhere

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/hawthorne/farm/

 

Zelda's Zany Zoo

http://www.itdc.sbcss.k12.ca.us/curriculum/zanyzoo.html

 

Individual Evaluative Feedback Form

 

Group Evaluative Feedback Form

 

Process

WebQuest-Quest teams consist of the four members whose characteristics are described in the Roles section below.

Each team member assumes a role representing a particular bias in the curriculum development and evaluation process.

In the character of the assumed role, each individual visits and evaluates the 6 WebQuests listed in the Resources section. After all 6 sites have been evaluated, each participant rank-orders the WebQuests and records the rationale and/or criteria used in reaching that decision.

After making individual selections, team members compare results and work to reach a group consensus, appointing someone to record, and later to report, the rationale and/or criteria used in reaching the group decision.

Participants evaluate the usefulness of the activity and assess their contribution to the group process.

Roles

Constructor.htm

Integrator.htm

Motivator.htm

Thinker.htm

Evaluation

To evaluate the activity, the WebQuest-Quest facilitator may assess the participants on any or all of the following criteria:

Did participants successfully complete the activity?

Did participants work cooperatively within their teams?

Did participants make decisions based on the assumed role?

Do the comments recorded on feedback forms delineate clear criteria and rationales for decisions?

Do the criteria and rationales for decisions recorded on feedback forms reflect the role each participant assumed?