WebQuest A CONSTRUCTIVIST APROACH TO LEARNING ON-LINE

A CONSTRUCTIVIST
APROACH TO
LEARNING ON-LINE
Concetta Scarfone, MBA
Wilby High School, Waterbury, CT
March 14, 2015
9th CCSU Conference for Language Teachers
WEBQUEST

“I HEAR AND I FORGET.
I SEE AND I REMEMBER.
I DO AND I UNDERSTAND.”
CONFUCIUS
-
©2015, Concetta Scarfone, MBA

What is a WEBQUEST?
Inquiry-oriented lesson format
Learners work with information from the web
Stimulates deductive reasoning, analysis, synthesis,
and assessments
Base for
constructivism (learning through experience)
collaborative learning (learning with others)
self-directed learning (autonomous)
(Constructivism, 2015)
(Dodge, 2007a, 2007b)
(“Webquest: spunti storici," 2003)

Rationale of a WEBQUEST
Developed by Bernie Dodge (San Diego Sate
University in 1995) based on:
Difficulty by learners to focus on search
engines
Difficulty in research if objectives are not
clear
Wasting time in researching on-line
(Dodge, 2007a, 2007b)

A stimulating activity for learners to research
information to a specific topic
Using a web page, the teacher describes
the task to be performed
resources
purpose of research
Method based on
cooperative work
problem solving
METHOD OF WEBQUESTS
(Dodge, 2007b)

ACTIVITIES OF WEBQUESTS
A possible structured scenario could be
 an interactive story
 a case study
 a text that illustrates alternative views
Students work in groups, collaborate, and
 Assume specific roles
 Become fictitious characters for e-mail or consulting
experts
 Learning is contextualized
 Necessary so the student can communicate or
stimulate communication
(Dodge, 2002)

TYPES OF WEBQUESTS
Short Term
1-3 lessons
Objective: knowledge acquisition and
integration
Long Term
1-4 weeks
Objective: in-depth analysis of theme or
topic

FUNDAMENTALS OF WEBQUESTS
Simple remarks by teacher
Title of WebQuest
Brief description
Grade level
Curriculum
Author
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
TASK
PROCESS
EVALUATION
CONCLUSION
(Dodge, 2007a)
(Zunal, 2015)

Delineates work
Supplies basic information
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
TASK
PROCESS
EVALUATION
CONCLUSION
(Dodge, 2007a)
(Zunal, 2015)

 Detailed explanation
 Interesting
 Realistic about
 time to be spent
 ability of learners
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
TASK
PROCESS
EVALUATION
CONCLUSION
(Dodge, 2007a)
(Zunal, 2015)

 Accurately describe
 Work phases
 Tools and resources to use
 Documents Experts via e-mail
 Databases Online books
 Podcasts Videos
 Videoconferences
 Final product deliverable
 Conceptual map
 Cause and effect diagram
 Anything of your choosing that
meets your purpose and
objective
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
TASK
PROCESS
EVALUATION
CONCLUSION
(Dodge, 2007a)
(Zunal, 2015)

Evaluation – grading rubric
Conclusion
 invites a reflection on learning
 encourages possible in-depth
interdisciplinary approaches
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
TASK
PROCESS
EVALUATION
CONCLUSION
(Dodge, 2007a)
(Zunal, 2015)

TASKONOMY OF WEBQUESTS
TASK –
Single most important part of a WebQuest
 Provides a goal and focus for student energies
 Makes concrete curricular intentions of the designer
(teacher)
 Must be well designed:
 Doable
 Engaging
 Elicit thinking in learners beyond routine or repetitive
comprehension
(Dodge, 2002)

Dodge’s classification of tasks into 12 categories
RETELLING Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
 Multimedia presentation
Presentazione multimediale
 PPT, Prezi, Video
 Poster
 Short essay
Breve relazione o tesina
Svolgere una relazione
(Dodge, 2002)

Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
COMPILATION
Compilare una ricerca
 Recipe book
Un ricettario
 Virtual display of web resources
Una mostra virtuale di risorse web
(Dodge, 2002)

MYSTERY Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
 Multimedia presentation
Spiegazione di un evento misterioso
 Unsolved criminal investigations
Casi investigativi ancora aperti
 Detective story
Un racconto poliziesco
Risolvere un misterio
(Dodge, 2002)

Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale JOURNALISTIC
Investigare A newspaper article
Un articolo giornalistico
 A documentary
Un documentario
 A television show
Una trasmissione televisiva
 A podcast
(Dodge, 2002)

DESIGN
Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
 A travel itinerary
Un itinerario di viaggio
 A map
Una mappa
 A floor plan or layout
Una planimetria
Progettare
(Dodge, 2002)

Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale CREATIVE PRODUCT
Elaborare un prodotto A painting
Un quadro
 A work of art
Un’opera
d’arte
 A poster
 A game
Un gioco
 A diary
Un diario
 A Song
Una canzone
 A story
Un racconto
 A music playlist
Un radio-play
 A script
Una scena da recitare (Dodge, 2002)

CONCENSUS BUILDING
Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
 A report specific to a particular
audience
Un report per un pubblico
specifico.
 A contract (e.g., buy/sell
agreement)
Un contratto di compravendita
Creare consenso
(Dodge, 2002)

Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale PERSUASION
Persuadere Write an editorial letter
Scrivere una lettera editoriale
 Plan an informative, advertising,
or marketing campaign
Progettare una campagna
informative o pubblicitaria
 Participate in a process
Presenziare a un processo
(Dodge, 2002)

SELF KNOWLEDGE
Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
 An analysis of art work
Una critica d’arte
 Self-directed personal
reading of a literary work
Lettura personale di
un’opera letteraria
 A self reflection – diary
Un autoriflessione
Conoscere se stesso
(Dodge, 2002)

Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale ANALYTICAL
Analizzare, riflettere differenze
e somiglianze culturali
 Comparison and contrast
Riflettere differenze /
somiglianze
(Dodge, 2002)

JUDGEMENT
Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale
 An evaluation and
recommendation of products
or services
Un giudizio o
raccomandazione di prodotti
o servizi
Giudicare
(Dodge, 2002)

Sample Deliverables
Prodotto finale SCIENTIFIC
Condurre un esperimento
scientifico Conduct a scientific research
or experiment
Realizzazione di ricerche o
esperimenti
 Write a scientific report
Scrivere un report scientifico
(Dodge, 2002)

BENEFITS OF WEBQUESTS
Contained environment – easier than the vast
research of the never-ending internet
Specific and clear goals can be given by facilitator
Time-saving – learner does not waste time getting
lost with search engines
Situational and contextual learning
Cooperative learning leading to team work
Motivational – students perceive cooperative
learning better than lectures
(Dodge, 2007a, 2007b)

BENEFITS OF WEBQUESTS
Constructionist environment –
Problem solving
Role playing
Peer teaching
Learning by doing
Development of
Critical-thinking skills
Metacognitive abilities
Reading and writing skills
(Constructivisim, 2015)
(Dodge, 2007a, 2007b)

HOW TO CREATE A WEBQUEST
 Search for an already made WebQuest
 Use it
 Modify it – get original author’s permission
 Create it – http://guest.portaportal.com/webquestz
 www.zunal.com
 www.createwebquest.com
 http://webquest.org/index-create.php
 http://teacherweb.com/tweb/WebQuests.aspx
 For more help: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=how%20to%20create%20a%20webquest%20for%20students

REFERENCES
Constructivism | Learning Theories. (2015).
Retrieved from http://www.learning-
theories.com/constructivism.html
Create WebQuest | Create a WebQuest: Simple.
Quick. Free. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www.createwebquest.com
Dodge, B. (2002). WebQuest Taskonomy: A
Taxonomy of Tasks. Retrieved from
webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html

REFERENCES
 Dodge, B. (2007a). Creating WebQuests. Retrieved from
http://webquest.org/index-create.php
 Dodge, B. (2007b). Welcome. Retrieved from
http://webquest.org/index.php
 WebQuest: Discovering the Beautiful Regions of Italy:
created with Zunal WebQuest Maker. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=63428
 Webquest: spunti storici. (2003). Retrieved from
http://www.webquest.it/storia_webquest.php3
 Zunal WebQuest Maker. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www.zunal.com

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