Guided Discovery Using the World Wide Web
A WebQuest on Webquests for Preservice Teachers
Designed by Mark Bailey
baileym@pacificu.edu
 
Introduction | Task | Process | Assessment | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Pages

Introduction
Jerome Bruner is one of the most important educational theorists of our time. While others such as Dewey had long extolled the virtues of student-centered education, Bruner is credited with popularizing an instructional approach referred to as guided discovery learning. Bruner urged teachers to present students with real and interesting problems, and then to provide guidance as they found solutions. The teacher would circulate and provide scaffolding where it was useful. Students benefit from this approach in that they actively participate in the learning process in a meaningful manner which allows them to process the information more deeply with better retention and transfer. The process also allows them to develop problem-solving skills while they acquire confidence in their own learning abilities.

"To instruct someone in a discipline is not a matter of getting him to commit results to mind, rather it is to teach him to participate in the process that makes possible the establishment of knowledge. We teach a subject not to produce little living libraries on the subject, but rather to get a student to think mathematically for himself, to consider matters as an historian does, to take part in the process of knowledge getting. Knowledge is a process not a product."
Toward a Theory of Instruction, 1966, p. 72

This webquest is designed to provide the materials necessary to assist you in learning the process of designing your own webquest. Links to relevant documents and Web pages that describe the process and give examples of exemplary WebQuests have been provided.



The Task
Your task is to thoughtfully design a Webquest on the Social Studies topic of your choice (grade k-8). This may be a lesson that you would teach for your worksample and/or a lesson that you could submit for the Methods 1 class. This teachable lesson should build on your emerging understanding of lesson design, and be written including all of the elements of a well-designed lesson.


The Process
1. Please explore the concept of a WebQuest and the types of considerations a teacher takes into account when planning this pedagogical approach to learning. The following links will provide important conceptual and practical information.
The WebQuest Page at San Diego State University - http://webquest.org/index.php
Using WebQuests for Constructivist Learning - https://sites.google.com/site/thewebquestmodel/constructivism
Concept to Classroom - http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/webquests/
WebQuest Creation - http://eduscapes.com/sessions/travel/create.htm
Working the Web for Education - http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/oct00/march.htm
WebQuest Design Patterns - http://webquest.org/sdsu/designpatterns/all.htm
The Webquest Design Process - http://webquest.org/sdsu/designsteps/index.html
The Roadmap for Creating WebQuests - http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/intra/professional/METCFColeman.htm
5 Rules for writing a great webquest -
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=4ABFEF2F090A2D826DB9B119C5DA5A2F?doi=10.1.1.135.8397&rep=rep1&type=pdf
When Students Create their Own WebQuest - http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/winterfe/325/downloadfiles/WhenStudentCreateWebquest.pdf
Rubrics for WebLessons - http://webquest.org/sdsu/rubrics/weblessons.htm

2. It is suggested that you select a topic and grade level (pp-8) and begin by developing an organizational web that includes the subtopics that you want your class to explore and some of the important information you would like students to access. As you develop your ideas, ask yourself how and why students will be interested in this topic.
3. After brainstorming the content, clarify what the objectives will be for the lesson and carefully consider the possible methods that students could use to explore the content, construct an understanding and display their learning for assessment.
4. Look for relevant benchmarks and standards including state, national, and discipline-specific. Expand or refine above objectives and assessments to correspond with and support benchmarks, standards.
5. Begin to add a structure to your lesson by carefully designing the flow including:
- pre-lesson preparation (computers, books, other materials…)
- the manner in which you will introduce the lesson and WebQuest
- the time frame students will have and the protocol for classroom activities
- lesson methods that includes differentiations for differently-abled learners
- how you will bring the lesson to a close
- specific assessments and rubrics that will allow you to know if students attained your objectives. Consider the authenticity of your assessments.
6. Go to the webquest template (Student and Teacher) or webgarden and begin to enter the lesson elements you have designed into the respective WebQuest lesson categories for students.
7. Examine your lesson from the perspective of what a teacher would need to know in order to teach this lesson in your absence. Complete the WebQuest Teacher page clarifying this information. In particular be certain to include elements not specifically called for such as the lesson objectives and various appropriate forms of differentiation.

Assessment

Strong

5

Proficient

3

Emergent

1

 

Quality of Lesson Designed for Teachers

 

Lesson plan contains excellent implementation of the Pacific lesson design elements. Lesson contains thoughtful objectives and well-designed assessments as well as clearly delineated differentiations.
Lesson plan contains evidence of implementation of the Pacific lesson design elements. Lesson describes objectives and assessments and contains some differentiations.
Lesson plan contains evidence of inadequate implementation of the Pacific lesson design elements. Lesson either omits objectives, assessments or reference to differentiations.

 

Quality of Lesson Designed for Students

Lesson is developmentally appropriate and thoughtfully designed to engage and motivate students. Quest contains some high-level objectives where appropriate. Activities and assessments are authentic and help students build an integrated understanding of this social studies issue.
Lesson is developmentally appropriate and designed to engage students. Quest contains a range of objectives. Activities and assessments focus on a social studies issue.
Lesson does not accurately consider students' developmental level or appear to be designed to engage or motivate students. Quest is limited to lower-level objectives where others are possible. Activities or assessments are inauthentic or detached from other learning.
Introduction Introduction builds on learner's previous knowledge to provide a thoughtful and engaging invitation to the quest. Introduction nicely sets up the quest. Introduction is too academic or unclear and does not seem designed to engage learners.
Task Task is well designed, connected to appropriate standards and structured to foster a synthesis of material. Task is clear, and connected to relevant standards. Task is unclear, disconnected from standards and/or focuses on lower-level objectives.
Process Process is clearly spelled out with appropriate checks for understanding. Activities flow logically and build on each other. Process is adequately described but minimal strategies and checks are provided. Activities are described. Process is disjointed and not well conceived or described. Activities appear disconnected .
Assessment Rubric is provided that communicates criteria to students. Assessments incorporate authentic elements. Rubric is provided but it is not well designed to assess authentic representations of learning. Rubric is disconnected from learning activities. Activities are not authentic representations of understanding.

 

Guided Resource Links

 

Links provide excellent resources that will allow young students access to materials useful in completing the webquest. Links are clearly annotated in a developmentally appropriate manner. Links provide resources that will allow young students access to materials useful in completing the webquest. Links are annotated. A limited number of resources are provided and/or some are of questionable quality. Links are not well annotated. Completion of the webquest my be difficult using these links. Some links may be broken.

 

Clarity of Presentation

 

Writing is accurate and clearly communicates all elements of the quest. All elements appear to be connected so that a coherent and pellucid picture of task, process and assessments are provided. Writing is adequate to describe the elements of the quest. Writing and structure are problematic in that they obfuscate elements of the quest. Elements appear to be disconnected and the process lacks coherent focus.

 

Quality of Presentation

Visual elements are included that add to the aesthetic feel or informational content of the quest. Pages are well designed and implemented in a manner that elucidates the quest and excites the learner. Pages have been careful edited for grammar, links and updated content.

Adequate visual elements are included. Pages adequately communicate the quest and navigation is not problematic. Pages appear to have been edited. Visual elements are either not included or appear to detract from the quest. Pages are not well designed and implemented, navigation may be confusing. Pages include grammatical or spelling errors, links are either broken or outdated.
Also see Bernie Dodge's Rubric.



Conclusion
The purpose of this assignment is fourfold. It is designed to acquaint you with the pedagogical approach known as a WebQuest. Second it will provide you with experience in developing a guided discovery lesson. Third it is a scaffolded experience designing a technology-enhanced lesson plan. Fourth it is structured to allow you to experience a webquest from the standpoint of the learner. Hopefully in exploring this approach and designing your own WebQuest you will be empowered to join the growing community of teachers using this approach in their classrooms.



Credits & References

Bernie Dodge's Web Quest Materials - http://webquest.org/
History of WebQuests at San Diego State University - http://eet.sdsu.edu/eetwiki/index.php/WebQuests
The Webquest Site - http://webquest.org/
The Quest Garden Site - http://questgarden.com
This Webquest on Webgarden - http://questgarden.com/36/78/7/061002123834/

Mark Bailey, Pacific University College of Education
Last updated on Sept 23, 2015
. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page