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Educational technology is one of the most talked about and misunderstood topics within the educational community. A question today is how to integrate technology into a classroom to assist students in building their abilities and skills. This will expand their horizons in the present, for the future, and support lifelong goals. Additionally, preparations must be provided to assist students with skills for growth, learning, and solving problems. This will enable them to become life-long learners and productive citizens in an ever-changing environment. Within the realm of educational technology, there are many different methods, strategies, and software programs. Each designed to help teachers tap into the potential that all students possess.
WebQuest is one such method and strategy that incorporates the use of technology, in the classroom, by enhancing critical thinking and problem solving skills. Bernie Dodge is the brainchild behind WebQuest. A professor at San Diego State University, his desire was to use the Internet to build higher-ordered thinking. This requires students to be creative, thoughtful, and critical in solving any posed problem. A key in WebQuest is not to find information and write a simple paper, but to engage students in researching a problem/question. This would require students to think outside the box of traditional educational methods, and find a present solution to a question. Students would then be able to make judgments, analysis, and synthesize material. A close colleague of Dr. Dodge is Tom March, who states that a good WebQuest requires "critical thinking, cooperative learning, authentic assessment, and technology integration."
Any curriculum in a school setting can be enhanced by using WebQuest. An example would be Social Studies. WebQuest would allow students to go beyond the textbook and library for obtaining research material. There is an enormous amount of beneficial information on the internet. Students could use WebQuest to open a world of educational images, primary documents, music, art, and reference material at the click of a mouse.
What is WebQuest?
1 . WebQuest requires a teacher to structure and format a lesson in advance. By doing so, the teacher will be better able to ensure students are on task and working toward a particular objective.
2. WebQuest includes an introduction. The introduction includes necessary background information, and question(s).
3. WebQuest involves...