WebQuest

WebQuest Photo from website

                     
  When it was first introduced that we would be completing WebQuests in my Technology class, I immediately thought I would have trouble. I was extremely worried because I knew nothing about technology and figured it would be hard for me to master the skills. What I had to remember when completing my WebQuest, however, was to take it one step at a time. When I got overwhelmed by the amount of information I needed on each page, I just did one page a day. I learned that a WebQuest helps students complete a lesson online, and this lesson is inquiry-based. The student completes a set of tasks in order to understand a new topic. For example in my WebQuest, students were expected to create a list of Elizabethan words that they didn't know, figure out these definitions, and take what they learned to create a dialogue video to be presented in class. Students learn what is to be expected of them in the form of a rubric and can then complete the task at hand in the WebQuest.   
   I learned how to set up my WebQuest, what information to include, where to find resources, and I was able to create my own online lesson plan. I had never created a lesson plan before and didn't know how to make one, but now that I have created my WebQuest, I now know how to make a lesson for the classroom. I was able to learn all of this information by reading through my Going Google textbook, talking with my instructor, and asking my peers for help when I needed it. Sometimes it was hard for me to come up with ideas, and discussing my project with others helped me understand what I needed to work on.    
      Since I was able to make a WebQuest in this class, I now know I am capable of creating some for my own English class in the future. I look forward to creating different WebQuests to go with each piece of literature I teach. It will give my students the opportunity to develop technology skills while working on a project. These online lessons are very beneficial to students, and I look forward to incorporating them into my classroom in the future because they are fun for the students. My ninth graders can easily keep up with the task and have fun doing so because they are working toward a specific goal and learning at the same time.   
       The WebQuest lesson is linked to ISTE-NETS T standards. Teachers are able to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity by creating a WebQuest and design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (NETS T 1 and 2). I personally feel like I would be able to inspire student learning and creativity by promoting students' inventiveness and thinking skills. By creating a WebQuest, I would also be able to make sure my students were working and developing a conceptual understanding of the knowledge on a digital level. My students would be able to use collaborative tools to fully understand a new topic. As a teacher, I would also be able to design and develop authentic learning experiences by incorporating digital tools and resources into the task at hand. Students would be able to actively pursue their individual learning styles and create their own learning goals by completing this WebQuest. 
      Here is the link to my individual WebQuest. I had a great time completing it and learning how to incorporate these types of lessons into my own future class.

Steps to Complete a WebQuest from website