WEEK 5: Webquest and Project based learning

The advent of the techonogy and digital era has revolutionarize the way we perceive reading, writing and the way we search for information. In his article overview of Reading, Writing, and Thinking in an age of Electronic Lietaracy,  William Costanzo  draws on the various research to contend a novel perception about reading and writing through the use of technology. Comparing paper based text to computerized text, he comments as follows on the flexibilty that offers digital text format:

"...By contrast, electronic texts have no set boundaries. Represented in the computer circuitry as moveable bits of data, they can always be expanded, condensed, or ressembled in new configurations. Furthermore, it is as easy to jump between two non-consequitive pages as it is to move in sequence. This is the concept behind hypertext."

 (Selfe and Susan Hilligoss, ed, p 12)

Webquest tap into the very ressources of hypertexting or hyperlinking. Webquest allows teachers to target specific ressources from the web and through the use of weblinks assign different tasks to the learners. Even though there is a typical form for a webquest, many practitioners have adopted the idea more than the form. Therefore some online project may use the hyperlink ressources without incorporating other essential parts such as an evaluation grid,. The question is to what extent can such online webquest-like project be called a webquest?  Furthemore, webquests also make use of the collaborative environment that online platforms offer to link online reseach and Project based Learning.

Issues of design can arise also depending of the learners familiarity with the internet. This is very important specially regarding the method of including link. How much depth should there be in relation to the information to be fetched? Should the new pages open in new windows or not?

value and reliability of website

Here is a webquest I designed  for teachers to learn about webquest. The title is Learning about Webquests The target population is a group of 25 teachers. Most of them have little or no webskills. They context is a English Cell meeting.  I had developped materials related to this but teachers did not do the actual research do to inadequacy of the venue. So I rather used the backup plan which was to present the information with a video projector and distribute the worksheets for groupwork and discussion.

NB:  This webquest is a cell meeting presentation I made after attending the ATES (Association of Teachers of English) convention  in Saint Louis, Senegal, Dec, 2012. I was inspired  by Dr Moussa Coulibaly, researcher at UGB (Gaston Berger University), who presented on "Another way of Making Good Use of the Internet". It's  where I  first watched the video ressources which I am using for my webquest.

Some useful websites where to get free ressources for webquest design:

http://zunal.com: It a website where teachers can have access to templates after registering themselves.

 

http://www.webquest.org/