WebQuest as New Media...Project Proposal
Vision & Rationale:
For the purposes
of this project I would like to explore the use of a WebQuest as an effective method of instruction and teaching
tool. According to www.teAchnology.com a WebQuest is an interactive tool designed to engage students in
inquiry based learning. It is a
pedagogical/educational scavenger hunt in which students are asked to make a
discovery or complete a task through their exploration of web based resources
provided by their teacher. Although it
may seem one-dimensional in so far as students are simply finding the answer to
one question, a WebQuest can
facilitate the critical analysis of a particular subject or topic. Because this academic adventure is
orchestrated by the teacher, teachers can tailor students’ learning to include
a myriad of innovative discoveries and new information simply based on the
resources/information they choose to present to their student. Student learning does not have to stop at
simply finding the answer to a question.
Teachers can use this inquiry-based activity to make learning continuous. Teachers can artfully present extra
useful/interesting facts and information to their students; they can make
anything a teachable moment, demonstrating that learning can happen at any
time, and really never stops. The
converse of this is that students may also be limited to the information/resources
provided by teachers; however, simply engaging in this activity can provide students
with opportunities to develop technological and academic literacy, as well as research
skills. Students learn how to maneuver the web for
academic/informational purposes.
Moreover, because it is suggested that this activity usually culminates
in a written product which describes students’ discovery process and findings
(i.e., the answer to the question) this activity takes the scientific method to
another level and students are performing amateur research. This type of guided practice activity creates a learning environment which
provides students and teachers with agency/autonomy as they attempt to find
answers or create “new” knowledge.
As a part of this
project I would like to explore the possibility of creating an eye catching
document/presentation (maybe using Prezi or an interactive map) which draws
students in and literally takes them on an academic journey. I want to show how this interactive teaching
tool/instructional method can be used to supplement and facilitate teaching and
learning. What’s more I hope to show
that this one tool does all of this all at the same time.
Questions to Consider:
1.
How much agency/power do teachers and/or students have over their
own teaching/learning as they engage in this type of inquiry-based activity?
2.
How much autonomy is afforded to students or teachers with regard
to teaching/learning as they engage in this activity? What are their constraints/boundaries as they
engage in this inquiry-based activity?
What do you feel is holding them back or propelling them forward?
3.
Does agency/power, and autonomy even exist in a WebQuest (participation, design, etc.)?
4.
Are students/teachers actually able to create any “new” knowledge
or expand/add to what they already know by completing a WebQuest?
5.
Does this type of technologically based activity facilitate
students or enable them? Does something
like this make students (and maybe even teachers) lazy?
6.
Is this a new version of the banking concept as described by Paulo
Freire? How do these types of activities
facilitate or retard literacy skills (functional, technological, dominant vs.
secondary).
7.
What is the effect of such activities, in which information is
provided to us under the guise of discovery, on our academic/cultural
identity/philosophy (how we write ourselves, etc.)?
8.
Consider medium/embodiment, how does this type of activity affect
or change our consciousness/awareness/perceptions about what is being studied?
Theory/Ideas/Concepts (Authors)
Toffoletti, Baudrillard, Derrida, Badmington – Simulated
Knowledge, Copies of the Original, Effects of Consumption/Appropriation of
“original” idea – becoming a part of the mainstream/dominant discourse,
Limitations/Ability to create “new” knowledge or
Hayles, Welch, Bolter: 5
Canons of Rhetoric, Embodiment/Form/Medium à Perceptions,
Consciousness, Awareness, Power, Reproduction
Hayles – Informational Prostheses – Building ourselves through the
appropriation of informational patterns
Identity Development:
Writing ourselves/identities/philosophies
I love Webquests! Many teachers at my high school use them. However, I am unfamiliar with the idea of them not being online. A Prezi is not interactive, is it? I thought it was more like an interconnected, fancy PowerPoint? The Webquests I'm familiar with have been online. For example, students go to a page, and on that page are a number of links that take students through the "Quest." Sometimes this involves offline activities, sometimes it involves exploring other sites, sometimes groupwork, etc. Students typically have a packet or some sort of hard copy to work with, although they also have online activities to complete. Will your webquests be viewed as a group, or will students be individually accessing the quest (i.e. from home, computer lab, etc.) and following it themselves? I think this will change the rhetoric and possibly the design.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a finished copy of the end product--high school kids love webquests that are well done. Unfortunately there are a lot that do not take into account all of the factors that you've listed. I think yours will work well!
I think it would be neat to provide students with a map of sorts and take inquiry based learning activities such as this one to another level of criticality to engage students. My idea centers on making them sort through information and find their way to a desired objective based on what information they discover -- all paths should lead to the same end, but I want them to be able to learn something new and differnt on their "quests". I think this might be a fun group activity if stuctured properly!
ReplyDeleteHi Anala, thanks for the link to TeAchnology. Freakin awesome! I'm going to be spending some time on here. I'm a little confused though, are you going to actually test this out on existing students of yours, or just put it together as a lesson plan? It would be neat if you could test it out on students.
ReplyDeleteHi Amy!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I am not teaching at this time, so this would be a prospective lesson plan or teaching/instructional technique for me or anyone who wants to use it. I just thought it would be neat to take inquiry-based or problem-posing learning/teaching to another level...instead is simply giving students links and questions or objectives spelled out for them for each link...let's really get their wheels turning by having them explore and hunt...who knows what they'll come up with...what's more I'm learning this is usually something done with kids...so why not adults or our older students to stimulate their minds and get their creative juices flowing :)
This sounds pretty cool! Is the picture you provided at the top an example of a WebQuest? I've never heard of it before anad would like to understand it a bit better, but it definitely feels like you are on to something. I normally find that when students feel a sense of connection and organization, they normally feel in control of the information they have just accessed. If this can increase that ability, I think it's an awesome place to start!
ReplyDeleteThe picture at the top is not of a WebQuest...but that might be a neat design to consider for one...that may be the beauty of this type of assignment you can "construct" it anyway you you'd like...the main component of the activity is the inclusion of websites that lead students to learning about a particular concept or topic...you can set it up anyway you want in my opinion :)
ReplyDelete"creating an eye catching document/presentation (maybe using Prezi or an interactive map) "
ReplyDeleteI've only had a little experience with Prezi, but this idea or an interactive map sounds fantastic. It's the sort of thing that will appeal to different learning styles.
"may seem one-dimensional in so far as students are simply finding the answer to one question, a WebQuest can facilitate the critical analysis of a particular subject or topic"
I also think it's fantastic because it facilitates a kind of nonlinear/horizontal/recursive exploration of sources and materials rather than a set, linear, and vertical exploration of materials in order to find a "solution." in other words, even though there might be one specific, predetermined "answer," the project will facilitate discovery rather than simply un-covery. (yes, I just made that up!)
your questions for inquiry are certainly good ones, and appropriate for your project and the goals of this course. I'm particularly interested in number eight:
"Consider medium/embodiment, how does this type of activity affect or change our consciousness/awareness/perceptions about what is being studied"
I'm wondering if the changes awareness about not only what is being studied, but how it's being studied, and if there's any change in perception about the transferability of the skills used to complete the project. In other words, if students see themselves interested in finding not just an answer, but a framework/method for finding answers (in general), will they be more likely to see the skills as once they can transfer to other endeavors?
Very interesting stuff here, Anala! I'm excited to see how it turns out.
BTW, thanks for mentioning teAchnology--I'm not familiar with this resource and it seems very interesting!
ReplyDelete