Taryn's+Page

__ Components __
 * //__ Introduction- __//** The introduction should be something stimulating to grab the learner’s attention.
 * //__ Task- __//** The task should be a cut and dry set of objectives that lead to a final project or report.
 * //__ Process/Resources- __//** The process gives the students the materials that they will need and the logical steps they should follow to be successful
 * //__ Evaluation- __//** A simple explanation of how students will be graded should appear on the quest, as well as a detailed rubric work well to ensure success.
 * //__ Conclusion- __//** The conclusion should be just as stimulating as the introduction in order to encourage participation, motivation and investment in the quest.
 * //__ Teacher Page- __//** This is the go-to guide for teachers. It serves as a guide for the teacher that created the lesson as well as a guide for teachers that may use it in the future. It should have any resources, learning standards, questions and answers that have been discovered or uncovered along the way and possible student examples.

__ Cohesive Interaction __ I believe that all of the elements of a webquest, with the exception of the teacher page, need to work together in order to be effective. The introduction and conclusion serve as a way to grab the learner’s attention and invest in the outcome. Tasking the learners is essential but it needs to be concise and play in to the introduction and conclusion. In other words, keep everything related so they don’t lose the excitement. The process or resource page helps the learners to not become overwhelmed or frustrated. If set up correctly the process should be a set of steps that follow a logical order and continue to steer the learner in the direction of success. They have now become invested in the quest and been given a map to complete it. The evaluation step is essential. However, it needs to make sense when compared to the 4 elements just discussed. If you make an evaluation piece that strays away from the excitement of the learner then it is not worth doing. The final element, or teacher page, should serve an equally important role. However, it is not for the students directly. The students will benefit indirectly from a well-done teacher page. Sharing is something that is and should continue to be done and I believe that it is the responsibility of the teacher or webquest designer to look out for any educator or students that may benefit from a well-done teacher page.

__ Example Webquest __

[|http://www.barrow.k12.ga.us/hes/classrooms/html/civil_war_webquest.html#cwevaluation]


 * //__ Introduction- __//** Time travel excites the learner and hopefully ensures investment in to the project. The task is given (to collect information so the Civil War is not forgotten) but in a story format. An informational or background piece is plugged in, but in a non-intrusive way.
 * //__ Task- __//** Uses a bulleted list of tasks that will be accomplished by the end of the unit but clearly matches the introduction.
 * //__ Process/Resources- __//** The processes and resources are clearly laid out in the same way the task was. The group members have roles and the evaluation is starting to be introduced. Any resources they may need are linked to just below in an appealing easy-to-read manner.
 * //__ Evaluation- __//** A simple explanation of how students will be graded should appears on the man quest page. Also included is a link to the rubric. The rubric is student friendly and nicely categorizes the different items that will be graded. It also includes a grading scale at the bottom.
 * //__ Conclusion- __//** The conclusion wraps up the story that the students began reading at the beginning of the page. This serves as a reminder that they are doing this quest for a reason and hopefully will invest them more in the outcome.
 * //__ Teacher Page- __//** The teacher page in brief but gives important additional information. It includes a teacher rubric for the roles the students will have. Although, I think that would be a great link off of the evaluation page for the students. There are resource suggestions for further reading or for a read aloud which is always a bonus.

__ Pros and Cons __ ||  ||  __ Webquests Today __ I believe that this model does still work in today’s on-line environment. As a 5th grade teacher I would use the webquest that I posted and referred to. I believe that when designed correctly a webquest can be a great tool to guide learning and get away from direct instruction. The research and reading in to Understanding by Design and ADDIE have made me think differently about what makes something a great lesson. I believe that if the creator of a webquest knows exactly what knowledge they want their students to walk away with and creates it accordingly, it can be a great success. If I were creating a webquest today I would make sure to include as much detail on the teacher page as possible. Any teacher that chooses to use a webquest should have all the desired outcomes laid out in front of them. Just because it is student driven does not mean that there won’t be questions that arise as the students are working. I also would like to se a list of big idea questions, as well as motivating questions that the teacher can use as a guide while they are circulating and encouraging the students.
 * Pros  ||   Cons   ||
 * Great collaboration or cooperative learning opportunities || Not drawing their own conclusions
 * Opportunity to scaffold instruction || Quantity and speed of information vs. quality
 * Awesome way to front load information for English language learners or learners with disabilities || Lack of basic computer skills can slow a student or group down ||
 * Opportunity to enhance computer knowledge ||  ||