Contemplating a WebQuest from Urgent Care

As I blog this evening sitting in urgent care with my son, I can't help but think how the web is an invaluable tool. I promptly went on Web MD eager to learn about a broken foot and growth plates, I can't help but think how the motivation I have right now for knowledge is the same motivation experienced by my students. That's where the idea of a WebQuest comes in. A well designed WebQuest supports the constructivist belief of student driven inquiry based learning. Needless to say, this student(parent) was very inquiry driven this evening. The key attributes of a WebQuest emphasises authentic tasks with resources found on the Internet to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills to further metacognition. " WebQuests help students construct a deeper understanding and move through a crucial transition phase toward a more autonomous learning centered educational process(Educational Leadership, 2004,p. 46).

This form of educational technology allows for differentiated learning through scaffolding, thematic instruction, situated learning and authentic assessment(Educational Leadership, 2004). WebQuests provide a way to integrate learning strategies with the effective use of the web. This form of educational technology poses open ended questions that activate prior knowledge, sparks curiosity, motivates students, and stimulates investigation.

Clearly, students come to the Internet with different levels of individual expertise and ability to access the Internet. These issues help to create the digital divide that places some students at a disadvantage. In addition, this divide is furthered by inconsistent exposure to the best WebQuests that inspire students to experience rich thematic relationships that contribute to real world learning.

The effective use of a WebQuest relies heavily on the sophistication and expertise of teacher knowledge and ability to integrate curriculum objectives and the web. Students are motivated to choose topics based on interest and learning objectives. This form of educational technology inspires active learning by creating an authentic learning task where students can receive world wide feedback. These learning experiences elicit confidence and a sense of accomplishment while supporting a more robust understanding of material. This is the essence of 21st century learning through informational technology.