Organizing+Your+Webquest

=Organizing Your WebQuest=

Things to consider: Resources and Materials Learning Environment Grouping Strategy Level of your students Student Autonomy

=Authentic tasks contribute to learning= Students learn in different ways, and webquests are a great way to let students follow their interests or play to their strengths. Small group projects allow students to do the portion of the task that address their abilities and interests.

The most effective webquests have a “real world” task that students try to accomplish: a presentation to a group of travelers and try to "sell" people on a visit to a country, a design for a building, invent a car of the future, etc. These tasks require the students to take the new knowledge they have gained and synthesize it into a “product” of some kind. The exact product will depend on the skill of your students, the skill you are trying to teach, the time you have to complete the work, and the resources you have available. Use Technology =What to do IF=
 * written projects, such as reports, newspapers, comic strips, booklets, scripts, letters, editorials - typed in a Word processing application
 * visual/artistic displays or posters (with an oral explanation, if necessary)
 * performances or role-play
 * mathematical spreadsheets or charts
 * models
 * projects such as comic strips, Voice Thread, online newspapers, online magazines, websites, brochures, flyers, scripts, letters, editorials, reports typed using a word processor
 * multimedia presentations such as Photo Stories, Power Point, Video documentaries, Commercials, Online book creators
 * computer generated art and visuals
 * computer generated spreadsheets or charts
 * audio presentations


 * If students complete the work and want more - Give them more! Find some additional sites, go after higher level content, or expand on the information in class. Find experts on the topic and allow students to conduct online interview via email or Skype.
 * If they don’t get it – re-exam your approach to the topic. Think about your grouping strategy, introduction, room arrangement, management.
 * If they can’t follow the directions – provide direct instruction, break things into smaller steps, or slow down the pace.
 * If they don’t remember anything once the computer is turned off – try more authentic tasks
 * If the computers don’t wor k – have a back-up lesson, or set up your quest so that it can easily be swapped with another element of your unit.
 * If a site is down – Check your sites before the class to be sure everything is working.