Video Seven: The use of WebQuest within Educational Settings

After watching the assigned video the objective of this blog was to answer the following questions:

1. Identify some advantages of using WebQuests in education.

2. Discuss what problems students may encounter if a WebQuest (that has pre-selected Web sites) are not used in learning.

3. Address how such “structured” learning through a technology medium can help improve learning. If you were to design a WebQuest, what would you do?

Advantages of Using WebQuest in Education:

One of the first advantages I found in this video in regards to utilizing WebQuest was the ability for students to not only learn the subject content but also to learn about the computer. The teacher was very surprised to see how quickly the students were able to pick up on computer skills that they normally are not able to utilize. Another incentive was that students are learning how to use the Internet as a knowledge search tool. From my experience I know that in high school as well as undergraduate education students lack the understanding of acceptable Internet resources. The second grade students in this video are learning at an early age how to search for information and will get feedback based off of what and how they report their information. What a great way for students to start learning how to cite materials, navigate the Internet and understand the computer!

Another advantage of utilizing WebQuest was that it provided the students in the video the ability to work in groups where each student was given a specific task that would allow them to come together at the end of the assignment with the needed information to complete their project. This teaches students how to work in a team, assign duties to individuals, and help one another learn as they go. While this can also be completed in traditional group work I believe WebQuest allowed students the ability to engage in the project in ways in alternative ways. Most second grade students would be able to go out on an archaeological dig however WebQuest provided them the ability to “dig” in multiple areas to find their dinosaur and discover more information on its age, name, era, etc.

Third WebQuest sounds as though it is easy to utilize. I have never utilized this type of technology however the student teacher featured in the video stated the first time she utilized WebQuest it took her three days but after that she can have a site up for students in just a few minutes. If normal preparation for a class takes a day or two and WebQuest allows the ability to capture all learning objectives within a couple of minutes it allows teachers the ability to manage their time more effectively and focus more on student learning then lesson preparation.

Challenges WebQuest might create:

One challenge that might be seen in utilizing WebQuest would be the lack of available resources. The student teacher in the assigned video said normally there is only one computer in the classroom she teaches in. This could be problematic if a teacher is expecting to teach a lesson to students and does not have the needed resources to do so. Another challenge could be technology itself. What if the students were not able to pick up the needed computer skills to navigate through WebQuest? Or what is the network at the school is down so students are not able to access the Internet? These are challenges that teachers should be aware of in preparing their lessons so that they have a backup plan in case a similar challenge were to present itself.

Improved Learning through the Implementation of WebQuest:

When I first watched this video I could not believe how well behaved the students were. While the class might generally act this way I believe by incorporating technology and keeping the instructions of the assignment short and easy to follow the teacher was able to capture the attention of her students. Student engagement was also a consideration during the creation of this WebQuest activity where students actually were given a dinosaur and specific tasks and had to seek the knowledge needed on their particular dinosaur. I think this is a great way to improve learning because it engages students. By utilizing technology and giving each group a different dinosaur to identify each group had a different task creating excitement and increased learning for the entire class. The teacher was also able to incorporate so many learning skills within this assignment such as computer skills, teamwork skills, and communication skills. For example by incorporating student presentations the teacher is able to also increase the students’ communication skills. This is a difficult skill for many yet an important one for the students to master.

I have never utilized WebQuest so it is hard for me to answer what I would do if utilizing it. I know that in one of my Instructional Technology courses this summer I will be building a WebQuest so I believe I will be able to better answer this question in the future. I like the way the teacher incorporated WebQuest into her classroom and believe I would utilize much like her but also try to incorporate some individual work within the lesson as well.