File

WebQuest 2 – Part 1:
Writing the WebQuest
eMINTS National Center
WebQuest 2 – Part 1:
Writing the WebQuest
eMINTS National Center
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Columbia, MO 65211
Voice: (573) 884-7202
www.emints.org
Fax: (573) 884-7614
Cover Photos
Brian Kratzer
Contributors
eMINTS National Center staff
Written April 2006
Revised July 2012
Questions
Have a question about eMINTS professional-development materials? Send inquiries to
the eMINTS staff at [email protected].
©2012The Curators of the University of Missouri.
Use or distribution of materials is restricted to authorized eMINTS instructors and staff. Do not copy, alter
or redistribute without the express written permission of eMINTS National Center. To request permission,
contact the eMINTS National Center at [email protected] or postal address above.
Titles or names of specific software discussed or described in this document are registered trademarks,
trademarked or copyrighted as property of the companies that produce the software.
Please note that the World Wide Web is volatile and constantly changing. The URLs provided were
accurate as of the date of publication.
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Table of Contents
Purpose of the Module ............................................................................ 4
Expected Outcomes ................................................................................ 4
Essential Question .................................................................................. 4
Designing WebQuests
Step 0: Do the Pre-planning ........................................................... 5
Step 1: Choose a Topic and Goal ..................................................... 5
Step 2: Create the Website ............................................................ 7
Step 3: Develop the Teacher Page ................................................... 8
Step 4: Select and Write a Task and Introduction .............................. 9
Step 5: Develop the Evaluation ....................................................... 10
Step 6: Design the Process ............................................................. 11
Step 7: Write the Conclusion .......................................................... 11
Putting into Practice ............................................................................... 12
Resources ............................................................................................. 13
References ............................................................................................ 15
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Purpose of the Module
WebQuests are guided inquiry-based teaching units that prompt students to ask
questions, to focus on “using information rather than searching for it” and to look
critically at material. Learners focus on an achievable task that uses pre-defined,
varied online and offline resources as a basis for research.
Up to this point in the course of eMINTS training, participants have learned the
elements of a good WebQuest and have selected WebQuests to use in their
classrooms. During this session, participants will create WebQuests that address
classroom curriculum and technology standards, engage students in authentic,
collaborative tasks and assessments, and push students to use higher-level thinking
skills in communicating an answer to an overarching question or the development of a
solution to a problem.
Expected Outcomes
•
Teachers create and use standards-based WebQuests to engage students in
authentic tasks with meaningful investigations that require higher-order
thinking skills and include ongoing and performance-based assessment
supported by technology.
•
Teachers consider WebQuests an effective student-centered, inquiry-based
instructional strategy.
Essential Question
What is quality instruction?
Session Questions
•
How are high-quality WebQuests designed and used to guide learning and meet
the needs of diverse learners?
•
How can a WebQuest connect curriculum standards with an authentic task and
incorporate higher-order thinking?
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Designing WebQuests
WebQuests effectively combine inquiry-based learning and technology. WebQuests
engage students in authentic, realistic tasks grounded in essential questions that
require higher-level thinking skills and meet curriculum standards. During the course
of completing a WebQuest, students work collaboratively to solve problems, make
decisions, create products or produce a wide range of task-related outcomes using
technology as a tool to effectively meet learning and task-performance needs.
Assessments become more authentic in nature and focus on content and processes
related to the task and outcome rather than just fact-based knowledge recall. As a
result, students gain a deeper understanding of curriculum content in a meaningful
context.
In addition to engaging students in an authentic learning experience, educators can
design and use WebQuests to meet the diverse learning needs of students in the
classroom. Meeting those student needs may take the form of varying the resources
listed according to reading ability or cultural and linguistic differences. Meeting
student needs may also include adding scaffolds to support students who need
additional help completing the process steps.
The following sections of this module serve as guidelines for the development of an
original WebQuest.
Step 0: Do the Pre-planning
A WebQuest pre-planning form was provided to participants during the WebQuest 1
session. This form provides a template for making decisions, such as determining the
curriculum and technology standards a WebQuest will address and the type of task
that will be designed for the WebQuest. When completing the pre-planning form,
include the curriculum standards (state standards, Common Core State Standards and
the ISTE Standards for Students) the WebQuest will address. To find more information
about these standards, visit the following websites:
• Common Core State Standards:
http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards
• Missouri Learning Standards:
http://www.missourilearningstandards.com/common-core-state-standards/
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Students
(formerly known as NETS*S):
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
On the form, also include a tentative topic and a possible task. Consider the cultural
and linguistic differences among students as well as other learner needs when
identifying a topic for the WebQuest. The topic may change as the idea is refined, but
it will serve as a starting point.
Step 1: Choose a Topic and Goal
As a first step in writing a WebQuest, select a useful, appropriate topic and goal.
Review the pre-planning form and assess previously stated ideas. Consider the
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following filters when refining the project idea. A solid idea will pass through each of
the following filters.
A WebQuest Project Should ...
• be based on state curriculum standards.
• take advantage of the type of resources available on the Web.
• improve a current lesson or unit.
• present an overarching question or a problem that captures students’ interest,
is meaningful and resembles work people do in real life.
• encourage students to creatively present or communicate their answers or
solutions.
• address classroom social or collaboration needs.
• require higher-level thinking and processing of information, not just rote
learning.
Bernie Dodge, a professor of educational technology at San Diego State University,
provides detailed information about each filter in the Selecting a WebQuest Project
(http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/project-selection.html) portion of his website. Refer
to this information when selecting a WebQuest project idea.
Consider Using the Following Resources
•
•
Dodge has created a set of design templates, called WebQuest Design Patterns
(http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/designpatterns/index.htm), which provide
structures that can be easily modified to create unique WebQuests. These
templates are resources educators can use to generate ideas for WebQuests. As
another method of refining a WebQuest topic, review the design patterns while
developing a WebQuest project idea.
QuestQuilt (http://webquest.org/questquilt.html) is another resource, also
developed by Dodge, to help WebQuest authors create lessons that utilize
higher-level thinking. In this preview presentation, Dodge describes QuestQuilt
as a new way to plan a WebQuest that involves a two-part process of choosing
an element in the content to serve as an anchor or area of focus (a person,
place, thing, problem or activity) and choosing a higher-level thinking type that
underlies the task (to decide, design, create, analyze or predict). Slide 18
presents an interactive Quilt matrix of the different types of tasks and thinking
levels. Each square of the matrix provides question prompts to assist the
developer in creating a lesson that engages higher-level thinking.
Consult the eMINTS WebQuest Scoring Guide
The eMINTS WebQuest Rubric/Scoring Guide that was reviewed during the
WebQuest 1 session can also serve as a useful planning tool. The scoring guide
identifies important components or elements to include in each section of the
WebQuest.
Locate Resources
Selecting a WebQuest topic for which Internet resources are not available will limit
student access to resources. Spend some time searching for good Web resources on
the desired topic prior to writing the WebQuest.
Use the following search engines, resource lists and tools to identify online resources:
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•
•
•
•
•
•
eThemes (http://ethemes.missouri.edu) for lists of resources related to
curriculum standards.
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Bing (http://www.bing.com/)
Yippy (http://search.yippy.com/)
Specialized Search Engines
(http://edweb.sdsu.edu/Webquest/searching/specialized.html) for specific types
of information such as magazine articles, primary source documents or images.
Seed Sites (http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/seedsites.html) for unique
information and starter ideas.
Step 2: Create the Website
After selecting a topic, create the WebQuest website. Currently, Weebly is the most
commonly used eMINTS website-creation tool; however, participants may select any
of the following options for creating the WebQuest website.
Weebly
Consider creating an original WebQuest using the online authoring tool Weebly
(http://education.weebly.com/ or http://www.weebly.com/). Weebly has a drag-anddrop interface that is easy to use and provides a collection of pre-built templates. To
create a WebQuest using Weebly, follow the same process used to create the
classroom website.
Google Sites
A WebQuest website can also be created using Google tools
(http://sites.google.com/). Google Sites is a free and easy way to create and share a
webpage, allowing a creator to use and integrate multiple Google tools in one place. It
also allows for multiple options for viewing and editing webpages and offers a
collection of pre-built templates and more.
Wix
Wix (http://www.wix.com/) is another free website creator that allows for
customization using a drag-and-drop interface. It also provides several pre-made
templates, making customization of a webpage quick and easy. Note that this
resource is Flash-based and requires Adobe Flash Player
(http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/) to be installed on the machine in order for it to
function properly.
LiveBinders
LiveBinders (http://livebinders.com/) is another possibility for creating a WebQuest.
LiveBinders allows for the collection of text, directions, images and websites that are
stored within an electronic binder. The resources are divided by “tabs.” A tab could be
created for each step of a WebQuest, with student directions, handouts and websites
located in the appropriate tabs.
QuestGarden
QuestGarden (http://questgarden.com/) is an online authoring tool developed by
Dodge that allows members to use an online editing tool to create WebQuest
webpages. QuestGarden requires a minimal subscription fee; however, participants
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may opt to use the 30-day trial and download a .zip copy of their WebQuest at the
end of the 30 days or pay the subscription fee. Currently, all WebQuests created with
QuestGarden are hosted on the QuestGarden server for subscribing members. When a
user publishes a WebQuest, QuestGarden creates a unique URL for it. Users who
create WebQuests using the 30-day trial period must download their WebQuest files,
then upload them to another server to maintain access to the WebQuest online
beyond the 30-day trial.
WebQuests stored on the QuestGarden server can still be accessed by nonmembers.
An educator can place a link on a classroom website directing students to the URL
generated by QuestGarden.
Members of QuestGarden become part of a WebQuest community. When a WebQuest
is created and published in QuestGarden, members can send comments and
suggestions to the author of the WebQuest.
Meaningful Graphics
As noted in previous sessions that discussed visual literacy, images are a form of
communication. The addition of graphics to a WebQuest should be as important in
communicating a message as text. Select graphics that enhance the meaning of the
text as opposed to pictures that decorate the page. Consider design elements such as
balance and proportion between text and images. To comply with Copyright and Fair
Use guidelines, image origination should be included in the credits section of the
Teacher Page. Refer to the eMINTS WebQuest Rubric/Scoring Guide handout for
additional design and layout information about graphics.
Copyright-Free Images
Find copyright-free images for educators at the following website:
http://pics4learning.com.
Graphics Editors
•
•
•
•
GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/downloads/)
IPiccy (http://ipiccy.com/)
PicMonkey (http://www.picmonkey.com/)
Note for Windows users: Use Paint or Windows Picture Manager to edit images
following the same process demonstrated in previous sessions.
Additional Graphics Elements
Create title banners using an image-editing program such as Macromedia Fireworks or
an online graphics generator such as Cool Text (http://www.cooltext.com/) or
FlamingText (http://www.flamingtext.com/).
Step 3: Develop the Teacher Page
This page serves as an important resource for the teacher authoring the WebQuest
and provides other teachers with valuable information and insight into the WebQuest
so they may easily make modifications they need for their own classes. Consider all of
the non-Internet materials a teacher will need to provide for students. In addition,
identify any background knowledge or skills students must have to successfully
complete the WebQuest.
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Include information about curriculum standards. Rather than listing standards only as
numbers, include the text for each standard so teachers in other states can align the
WebQuest to their district and state standards.
Helpful information might include:
• An overview of the lesson and subject matter.
• Suggested grade level(s).
• Curriculum standards (state standards, performance indicators, Common Core
State Standards and the ISTE NET-S) addressed in the WebQuest, in written
form.
• Guidelines and directions for successful implementation, including preparations
and grouping suggestions for students.
• Links to any handouts or scaffolding documents for the lesson.
• Prior knowledge and skills students will need in order to complete the
WebQuest.
• A variety of online and text-based resources, as well as videos, simulations and
animations related to the lesson (organized by category or type, such as topic,
expert roles and so forth).
• Contact information for the author of the WebQuest.
Step 4: Select and Write a Task and Introduction
Choose a WebQuest task and write an introduction that piques students’ interest and
hooks them into the learning experience.
Task
The task not only provides a summary of what students will do during the WebQuest
and the expected outcome or product to be completed, but it also frames performance
in authentic and realistic problems or situations that engage students in higher levels
of thinking. Think about the topic and the types of tasks that would be appropriate
and engaging for the topic. Avoid simple retelling tasks. Remember, the task is the
most important part of the WebQuest.
Good tasks ...
• force students to look at information from multiple perspectives or in multiple
formats.
• require students to synthesize information, pull ideas from multiple sources and
remake it in new forms.
• mirror the work adults do, as opposed to the kinds of activities that take place
only in schools.
Review the thinking levels of Bloom's taxonomy to ensure the WebQuest task pushes
for higher-level thinking skills. Use The WebQuest Task: Pushing for the Upper
Levels of Bloom's Taxonomy handout as an overview of the various levels of
Bloom's taxonomy, along with appropriate verbs and related student activities. Find
additional information related to selecting and writing a task, and examples of task
taxonomies, in the Resources section of this module.
Refer to Bernie Dodge’s WebQuest Design Patterns
(http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/designpatterns/index.htm) and the different
category types (design tasks, decision tasks, analysis tasks, prediction tasks and
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creative tasks) to select the task(s) to include in the WebQuest. Since the product or
outcome of a WebQuest is part of the task, consider student outcomes that fit the
overall goals of the task. For example, creating a factual PowerPoint to present to the
class as on outcome for a mock trial would not be an example of an authentic task;
however, developing a line of questioning for a trial would be an authentic outcome.
It may be helpful to work with a partner and summarize the expectations of the lesson
before writing the task. Keep in mind that the purpose of the written task is to
summarize the WebQuest outcome, not to list step-by-step procedures for students.
Check the level of thinking students will engage in to complete the task.
Questions to consider include:
• Could a student complete the task just by repeating or summarizing information
from a resource?
• What level of thinking will students reach when they complete the task?
• How will students use resource information to complete the task?
• Do students need to make decisions or choices, solve a problem, draw
conclusions or create products?
Introduction
After selecting the type and writing the task for students, it is time to write the
introduction. Think of the introduction as a summary of the situation or problem to be
explored. It should present an authentic, realistic situation or problem that sparks the
learners’ interests and grabs their attention, making them want to continue on to
participate in the activities. This can be accomplished by writing a creative story,
scenario or problem, and then posing a question or problem for the students to
answer or solve that will be revealed at the completion of the study. A one- to twoparagraph introduction should be sufficient.
Step 5: Develop the Evaluation
Though it may seem odd, now is the time to construct the evaluation portion of the
WebQuest. Education consultants Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe are firm believers in
the idea of “backward design.” In their book Understanding by Design, they write that
developing assessments prior to instructional activities or outlining a process “calls for
us to operationalize our goals or standards in terms of assessment evidence as we
begin to plan a unit or course.” The authors go on to note that “ ‘thinking like an
assessor’ about evidence of learning not only helps to clarify goals but also results in a
more sharply defined teaching and learning target” (1998). Writing the rubric for the
culminating product at this stage in the process requires thinking clearly about which
elements are most important.
Complex tasks like those activities in good WebQuests require multidimensional
measurement, which means the evaluation will probably take the form of a scoring
guide. A traditional multiple-choice test does not sufficiently evaluate complex tasks.
When creating an evaluation tool such as a rubric, begin with identifying the standards
addressed in the culminating product. The standards selected could be a combination
of content standards such as the Common Core State Standards and process
standards such as the habits of learning from the five models of thinking as noted in
previous sessions that discussed standards-based instruction and thinking models.
Additional standards might include local/district-level standards and educational
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technology standards (NETS-S). It is recommended to include between four and eight
standards to assess on a single rubric. Once the standards are selected, begin writing
the descriptions to distinguish between the scoring levels. It may be beneficial to write
the descriptions for the perfect example and the worst example, and then fill in the
rest of the columns.
Keep the audience in mind. Write the rubric or scoring guide in student-friendly
language. It is also good practice to review the rubric with students at the beginning
of the WebQuest to encourage student feedback and allow them to ask clarifying
questions. The feedback can then be used to modify the rubric prior to student use.
When students have a scoring guide they clearly understand, they will have fewer
questions about the creation of the final product and be more self-directed in their
learning.
Other Useful Sites
• iRubric (http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm)
• Recipes4Success (http://recipes.tech4learning.com/)
• RubiStar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/)
• Project Based Learning (http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/)
If necessary, consider revising the task after thinking about the evaluation.
Step 6: Design the Process
Next, develop the process. Use the Designing the WebQuest Process handout to
think about the students and the topic.
Constructivist theorists argue that learning is social. Social interaction introduces
multiple perspectives of understanding and enables reflection, collaboration,
negotiation and shared meaning. Meaningful collaboration implies that students work
cooperatively through interdependent roles and responsibilities. Just stating that
students will work in teams of two to gather information from resources does not
create interdependence. Students must have assigned roles and responsibilities that
depend on each person completing a specific part of the task.
Once collaboration has been embedded, figure out how to organize the steps and
materials in a manner that is easy for students to follow. The steps might be broken
into daily procedures, assigned student roles, or other organizing formats. Teachers
and students often find it beneficial (and time-saving) when the appropriate links,
materials and resources are embedded within the steps of the procedures, making it
easy to access the materials as needed. It might be beneficial to add links to
scaffolding tools for students who need additional support to aid in the completion of
different processes, such as organizing or sorting information.
Step 7: Write the Conclusion
The WebQuest conclusion page contains the closing lesson message to students and
provides extension activities for students who complete the WebQuest activities early.
The conclusion page acts much like a final chapter in a book, presenting final thoughts
for the lesson. Be sure the closing message aligns closely with the introductory
message used at the beginning of the WebQuest.
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A good conclusion page contains three things that are contained in two or three brief
paragraphs. Include a paragraph that summarizes what students have accomplished
during the WebQuest. Then, include a second paragraph that contains questions to
ponder or activities that extend the thinking past the WebQuest’s completion.
Finally, include two to three supporting websites that the students might like to visit
upon completion of the WebQuest that appeal to their newly acquired knowledge.
Putting into Practice
Continue development of the WebQuest and plan to use the WebQuest lesson with
students. Using the WebQuest with students will reveal items that need revision. The
WebQuest may also be visited with a critical friend to identify areas that may need
revision. Make WebQuest revisions an ongoing process, and keep the resource links
current to best meet student needs.
After implementing the WebQuest in the classroom and making the necessary
revisions, consider submitting the WebQuest to eMINTS for review. eMINTS is building
a repository of high-quality WebQuests to address all grade levels and subject areas.
Contact the eMINTS National Center office for information related to the submission
process and requirements.
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Resources
Do the Pre-planning
International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). ISTE Standards for
Students.
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
Website featuring the National Educational Technology Standards for Students.
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Missouri Learning
Standards.
http://www.missourilearningstandards.com/common-core-state-standards/
Website about the Common Core State Standards with links to the national
standards and resources showing their alignment with Missouri’s current gradelevel and course-level expectations.
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School
Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards. Washington, D.C.
http://www.corestandards.org/
Links to Common Core State Standards and supporting documents.
Choose a Topic and Goal
Dodge, B. QuestQuilt: A New Way to Pick a WebQuest Design.
http://webquest.org/questquilt.html
Developed to assist WebQuest authors in creating lessons that engage higherlevel thinking.
--. Selecting a WebQuest Project.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/project-selection.html
Information for selecting WebQuest authors in creating lessons that engage
higher-level thinking
---. WebQuest Design Patterns.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/designpatterns/index.htm
A list of patterns from existing WebQuests that are tried-and-true and based on
higher-level thinking tasks.
Create the Website
AT&T. (2012). Filamentality: Helping You Add Your Filament to the Web of Learning.
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/
Online tool for selecting a topic, searching the Internet, gathering links and
creating online learning activities.
Google. (2011). Google Sites.
http://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en/overview.html
Free Web-based service and tools for creating and sharing webpages.
LiveBinders. (2006-2012). LiveBinders – Your 3-Ring Binder for the Web.
http://www.livebinders.com/
Free tool for collecting and organizing online resources.
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QuestGarden. (2011). QuestGarden: Where Great WebQuests Grow.
http://questgarden.com/
Online authoring tool and hosting service for high-quality WebQuests.
Weebly. (2012). Weebly for Educators.
http://education.weebly.com/
Online website-authoring tool.
Wix.com. (2006-2012). Wix: Create Your Free Stunning Website.
http://www.wix.com/
Free website-authoring tool.
Zunal.com. (2001-2012). Zunal WebQuest Maker.
http://zunal.com/index.php
Free online WebQuest-creation tool.
Tools for Selecting Meaningful Graphics
Cool Text Graphics Generator
http://www.cooltext.com/
FlamingText: Free Logos
http://www.flamingtext.com/
Gimp: GNU Image Manipulation Program
http://www.gimp.org/downloads/
iPiccy: Innovative Online Photo Editor
http://ipiccy.com/
PicMonkey: Fearless Photo Embetterment
http://www.picmonkey.com/
Pics4Learning.com: Free, Copyright-friendly Images for Education
http://pics4learning.com
Select and Write a Task and Introduction
Dalton, J., & Smith, D. (1986). Extending Children’s Special Abilities – Strategies for
Primary Classrooms.
https://www.icc.edu/innovation/PDFS/assessmentEvaluation/RevisedBloomsCh
art_bloomsverbsmatrix.pdf
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy in a matrix that includes verbs, materials and
situations, and potential activities and products.
Dodge, B. (2002). WebQuest Taxonomy: A Taxonomy of Tasks.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/taskonomy.html
List of types of tasks and tips to write an engaging WebQuest task.
Tangient LLC. (2012). Educational Origami – Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy.
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy
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Bloom’s Taxonomy for the use of Web 2.0 tools to support levels of learning.
Develop the Evaluation
ALTEC at University of Kansas. (2000-2008). RubiStar: Create Rubrics for Your
Project-based Learning Activities.
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/
Online rubric generator that provides suggested leveled descriptors.
---. (2000-2009). Project Based Learning: Checklists to Support Project Based
Learning and Evaluation.
http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/
Age-appropriate, customizable checklists for project-based activities.
Reazon Systems, Inc. (2012). Rcampus iRubric.
http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm
Online rubric generator and database of pre-made rubrics that can be modified
for personal use.
Tech4Learning. (2012). Recipes4Success.
http://recipes.tech4learning.com/
Online rubric generator and checklist creator.
Design the Process
Dodge, B. (1999). Process Checklist.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/processchecker.html
Checklist to aid in developing the process section of a WebQuest.
General WebQuest Resources
Dodge, B. A Road Map for Designing WebQuests.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/roadmap/
Bernie Dodge presentation on creating a WebQuest using the seven-step
process.
---. (1999). WebQuest Taskonomy: A Taxonomy of Tasks.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/taskonomy.html
A taxonomy of tasks for WebQuest development and design.
March, T. Working the Web for Education: WebQuests.
http://ozline.com/strategies/webquests/
Tom March's website on WebQuests and learning activities.
Thirteen Ed Online at Educational Broadcasting Corp. (2004). Concept to Classroom –
WebQuests.
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/webquests/index_sub3.html
Description of essential parts of a WebQuest, including tips for writing.
References
McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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