As teachers we have to keep up with what is
happening in technology. Students today are increasingly immersed in
technology at a younger age. We have to keep our classroom relevant to
the world our students live in. This means increasing the use of
technology in the classroom. I was first introduced to the WebQuest
online program at a weekend seminar on the topic. I made my own WebQuest to use with Fairy Tales
and character archetypes. The basic idea of a WebQuest is to allow
students the opportunity to do some online research on a specific topic in a
contained way so that young kids are not exposed to the full breadth of the
internet. This tool also allows students to interact with different kinds
of media and technology. It can be used for any age group.
On a WebQuest page there is a place for the teacher
to introduce the activity, give a task which includes links and instructions, a
process page where your students engage in the WebQuest, create a rubric for
evaluating the work done by students as well as a conclusion. There is
also a teacher page which allows you to explain the project to other educators.
Once you finish a WebQuest you can choose to have your WebQuest published
into a publish forum called the QuestGarden. There are hundreds of
WebQuests available online, ready for your classroom!
Here are some of my favorite WebQuests. Click
to explore how they work:
•
My WebQuest- Fairy Tales
There are so many more to explore on almost any
topic you can imagine. This tool can be a great way for students to learn
in a new and exciting way. We are in the midst of a technology boom and
students today are growing up using these high tech inventions. Parents
want their students to have knowledge of technology and how it is used.
This tool allows for that while not sacrificing classroom subject
learning time.
An online WebQuest is also a great option for some
children with disabilities who have limited hearing, oral or written
skills.
Another option is to have older students make their
own WebQuests to showcase what they have learned about a topic.
Drawbacks: the design is a little out of date.
You can create you WebQuest in any color combination you like or choose
from a template. Fonts can be played with a little bit but there aren't
many options. Overall the product does not look like it has had a design
re-boot since its 1995 inception. Little ones will probably not notice
but older kids may be a little unimpressed. This tool also assumes that
students have computers or laptops available which is not always the case.
The best part? Free 30 day trial! Full access to
the site for 30 days. Anything you create will last 1 year. A 2 year
membership is only $20!
All opinions are my own, I was not asked to write this review or paid
for it in any way.
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