So last week I wrote a post about linear and non-linear reading in which I said that practice was probably the best way for students to get a handle on how and when to use these two skill sets. I also went on to say that I didn’t have more specific ideas in mind but I would keep you updated if something came to me. Well, it’s not my idea, but it is a great way for students to practice reading and retrieving information from the web while having fun at the same time. It’s called WebQuest but they describe themselves better than I could so I’ll let them take it from here:
“A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. The model was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in February, 1995 with early input from SDSU/Pacific Bell Fellow Tom March, the Educational Technology staff at San Diego Unified School District, and waves of participants each summer at the Teach the Teachers Consortium.
Since those beginning days, tens of thousands of teachers have embraced WebQuests as a way to make good use of the internet while engaging their students in the kinds of thinking that the 21st century requires. The model has spread around the world, with special enthusiasm in Brazil, Spain, China, Australia and Holland (Webquest, 2007).”
WebQuest allows you to create your own quests, use an existing quest and, even search for quests based on subject and/or grade level. It takes the hardest part of the web scavenger hunts I had suggested, the planning and setup, and does it all for you! Anyone have any experience with WebQuest? I haven’t had a chance to embark on any quests and actively try it out myself but it sounds amazing.
To find out more about WebQuest, explore their website at http://webquest.org/index.php.
Librarian On The Loose 