Real Blog # 8

Hi Class! I just realized that I have been misnumbering this whole time! I haven't been able to have a moment of resting time as my life is extremely busy right now! But anyways, the theme of this weeks blog is regarding what is a Webquest! I read about four articles on this subject and was still a little confused. Here's my best thoughts on a webquest. I think a webquest is a lesson plan on computers. I related it a little bit to the filamentality worksheet that we need to submit by next week. From what I gathered webquest is a site on the internet where students go, they are introduced to a subject, given an introduction and then asked to solve a problem by searching through relevant subjects. This is not a simple fact finding assignment. It's assignment a little bit like a research project, students are to use the resources (websites) to come to a solution to the problem. They should be able to support their solution using facts from the sites that they were given to look at. It's an assignment that gives each student in the class a task. It's not independent work. It utilizes time well and gets every student and every computer to work. This assignment is good for students to develop critical thinking. It goes way beyond simply search and finding facts. One of the articles broke it down into steps: Introduction, Task, Process, Resources, Evaluation, and Conclusion. It seems to me that webquest is like a lesson plan only it is more useful since it incorporates gathering data, using technology, critical thinking, creativity and team work. The best part about it is that teachers can use it to organize information on one subject into one lesson. The webquest seemed to me to be a way to make sure that students utilized the websites gathering information, and not getting distracted by the non educational websites. It makes sure that all students are focused and involved. I noticed that even Cal State San Marcos Library has a web quest. Hmmmm!! I wonder why I had never noticed this before reading about this webquest business? Perhaps because just like so many other subjects in this education 422 class, there's all this helpful information out there and it's not being advertised, you have really have connections and the education to find it all. Technology is so powerful! I'm impressed.