"Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand" (John Gay). This quote is a good indicator of why Webquests are effective. This week in TPTE class was exciting because I learned about something completely new to me and I found it intriguing! Webquests are inquiry-based tools created with the intent that learners gain their information from the internet. The word inquiry simplified means seeking information or knowledge. So, these lessons work by teachers creating lessons online through a Webquest, and students gain access to complete them by receiving their information through the web. Four specific things to ensure on your own Webquest as a teaching professional are the following: promotion of teamwork, accurate uses of technology, promotion of high-order thinking, and lesson efficiency.
Upon viewing all kinds of Webquests, I was excited to gain a new tool for my classroom. It seems as simple to make as a powerpoint, yet is able to specifically provide directions. One thing that stood out to me was the focus on group work. I highly value group work and believe it creates moments where character education can turn in teachable moments such as teaching the responsibility each student has as a member of a group. I also like that as a teacher, I have the option to be creative or really simple and instructive when creating my own Webquests. Because I am a History major, I really enjoy social studies content so I looked through various lessons provided and was intrigued by the array of different ideas. I only worry about using these inquiry-based lessons if I am placed at a Title 1 school with kids who might not necessarily have easy access to the web. Overall, I really like Webquests and think they could be a creative and nontraditional new way to teach a lesson.
Title 1 schools have very high access to technology.
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