Blog #2: Webquest Project

1. What do you need to complete the project?
TIME! :) Honestly, I think I need to be realistic in my expectations of myself for my first webquest. I’m a creative person, but anything new is a grounds for exploration and growth. When I look at my first scrapbook and my final one (gave that up due to time and other interests) there is no comparision. What I first created, I was proud of, but as I learned more of the tools connected to scrapbooking, the final product was much more advanced. I have a hard time not being too hard on myself when I know what I want something to be in terms of content and appearance. At the end of this all, I will need to rest in the knowledge that I did my best for my first attempt. I can always improve it too as I use it with my students next year.

2. What do I hope to learn by doing the project?
I hope to learn the tools necessary to set up a webquest. I know how to put links into a document but only by listing the not so attractive URL. I’m excited to clean this up. I’m also hoping to sharpen my search skills. It is both amazing and sad how long I can spend looking for just the right thing on the internet. I also hope to set something up that’s exciting for the kids to do, age appropriate in terms of the reading required and ability appropriate (Is this user friendly?) It seems like many of the webquests I have looked at either leave out higher level thinking skills (You could easily do it as a worksheet.) or have such grandiose expectations that given the time you have to teach each concept, you probably couldn’t really do what is being laid out. I want to create something I can use!

3. How can you connect what you learn and do on this class project to your teaching practices?
I love bringing my kids into the computer lab and taking them to different sites to extend what I’m teaching. I like this format of a webquest because it’s very indepth and set up in an easy to use format for the students. The only disadvantage at this point is the time and effort required to do something of this nature as the components are new to me. I think by including the standards it makes me more aware of making sure I’m not just teaching something that is of interest to me. Although I do think there is merit in teaching things not necessarily connected to a GLCE (perhaps an issue to debate…)

I am excited to use this webquest towards the end of year in math as a way to review concepts previously taught and to utilize the things they’ve learned to do during computer time throughout the year. This class has inspired me to get more involved in what they are doing in computer as a way to use different skills within the context of different lessons. Since I won’t have a split this year I can actually go to computers and help guide some of the things he’s having them do. He’s very open to that and I’m excited to have more of a vision about what is out there for them to learn.

I also think this webquest helps show the kids that there are specific ways you can learn on the internet. 3rd grade is a turning point in many ways. School seems to begin in 3rd grade with the focus now being on reading to learn and having textbooks, grades, tests, etc. Up until now they have relied on the internet more for games, but this webquest will help show them they can visit different sites to gain information to problem solve specifically in the area of math. I also think they’ll be geeked to ride some of the rollercoasters via the internet. I know that was one of my favorite parts as I was doing the webquest to see if it actually worked. :)