Blog Post 6- WebQuests

This week's blog assignment included something I had never done before: create a WebQuest. According to the article, "How to Plan a WebQuest" by Tammy Andrew, a WebQuest is "an assignment or short project that engages students in searching for information via the world wide web."  Honestly, before this assignment, I was unfamiliar with WebQuests, and had never actually seen one. Now, I not only know what a WebQuest is, but I have actually had the opportunity to create one of my own. I did not realize how little I actually knew about the various educational technology tools out there until I took this class. I am definitely learning something new every week.
My WebQuest is about the book Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I chose to do my WebQuest on a literary topic since that is what I am most familiar with. I geared my assignment toward middle school age students, specifically seventh graders, since I have worked with this age group as a case manager for a mentoring program and also because I hope to teach at this grade level eventually. I chose the diary of Anne Frank because it is a personal favorite of mine and also because it is on several middle school classic literature lists that I researched. Deciding on a topic for the WebQuest was probably the most challenging aspect for me. It took me awhile to come to a final decision. Once I decided on Anne Frank, I had to design the assignments that the students would have to complete. Since Anne Frank is a historical figure and her diary was written during the Holocaust, I chose to have the students research both World War II and the Holocaust to get a better understanding of the book. To further incorporate technology into the assignment, I had the students create a Powerpoint presentation on their findings. As an additional assignment, I asked the students to create a series of diary entries to be written from the point-of-view of a teenager living during the same time in history as Anne Frank.  My WebQuest can be found at http://questgarden.com/130/01/2/110806203147/


I really liked the Quest Garden website. I liked how it takes you step by step through the entire process of creating a WebQuest. This was especially beneficial to those like me who are new to WebQuests. When I first saw this assignment and what we would have to do, I was a little intimidated and also worried that it would be difficult to complete. I found, however, that once I got started, the rest fell into place. Like I said before, choosing my topic and figuring out the specific assignments was probably the most challenging aspect of creating my WebQuest. 


Creating a WebQuest for students addresses several of the NETS-T standards. It addresses Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity: Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. It also addresses Standard 2: Design and Develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments. This assignment also addresses the NETS for students standards such as: Standard 3: Research and Information fluency and Standard 4: Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.


Overall, I feel that creating this WebQuest was a good learning experience for me. I have been exposed to a new technological tool that I can utilize in my own classroom. I am glad that I now know how to create a WebQuest for my students to use.