WebQuests

Welcome back fellow Seymour educators. I hope that you enjoyed the last post covering Google's useful classroom applications and have since found a way to include some of their features in your classroom. This month I will be talking about WebQuests and more importantly how you can jump right in and get started using them in your classroom.

As defined by WebQuest inventor Bernie Dodge, 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."  For those of you who are looking to incorporate the World Wide Web in your lessons this is also an excellent way to foster H.O.T.S. (Higher Order Thinking Skills).  As you might imagine, there are millions of resources available on the web for teachers looking to have their students complete a WebQuest.  Instead of searching around aimlessly, why not just head over to where it all began back in 1995.  Bernie Dodge's website, WebQuest.org, allows you to search thousands of WebQuests which have already been created and are ready to use.  Co-inventor, Tom March, also has a website where you can easily search through thousands of WebQuests by subject and grade level.  For those of you who want to learn more about WebQuests before you assign on to your students, there is even a WebQuest about WebQuests, which is geared toward grades 6-8.  For those of you who have some prior experience with WebQuests, head over to this template page where you can download a file and simply change the information for each of the parts (introduction, task, process, resources, evaluation, and conclusion).  So there you have it.  Now that you are equipped with all of the necessary resources and information you are ready to spread your wings and fly.  Remember to leave a comment for your colleagues when you find something you think will be helpful or if you just want to share your successes and/or obstacles.  Until next time, see you on the World Wide Web!!!