Below you find the program for our workshop:Monday morning (3 – 4 units)

• Introduction to constructivism (see below!)
  (behaviorism, cognitivsm) and problem-oriented learning
• Introduction to the webquest method (see below!)
• Examples
  • “Should smoking be banned …?” and
  • “Tourism in Tirol” (see below!)
• How to find a webquest on the internet (see below!)

afternoon (3 – 4 units)

• Brainstorming session: getting organised in groups
• Finding a suitable – citizenship – topic (discussion, note taking)
• Draft: basic structure of the webquest, various roles
• Group work – creating a webquest
• Publishing a webquest – a short introduction to WordPress

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Links:

Constructivism

• http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n03
• Wikipedia
• Ernst von Glasersfeld

Webquests

• Bernie Dodge:webquest.org
• Tom March: http://tommarch.com/learning/
• etc.

Reinhard Wieser, March 2008

A WebQuest is an activity in which students collect, process and present information, and most of the information comes from the World Wide Web. It was invented by Bernie Dodge (San Diego State University) in 1995.

According to the original paper by Dodge, a WebQuest is “an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing.”

Usually, a webquest is divided in the following sections:

* Introduction
* Task
* Process
* Presentation
* Evaluation

Students typically complete WebQuests in groups. Each student in each group then has a “role,” or specific area to research. WebQuests often take the form of role-playing scenarios, where students take on the personas of professional researchers or historical figures.

The WebQuest is valued as a highly constructivist teaching method, meaning that students are “turned loose” to find, synthesize, and analyze information (cf. Benjamin Bloom) in a hands-on fashion, actively constructing their own understanding of the material. WebQuests’ focus on group work also makes them popular examples of cooperative learning.

Now… Why should we take the time to create a WebQuest? The best reason is that, like any carefully planned lesson, a good webquest makes learning interesting for our students.

Constructivism

• http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n03
• Wikipedia
• Ernst von Glasersfeld

Webquests

• Bernie Dodge:webquest.org
• Tom March: http://tommarch.com/learning/
• etc.

(Source: Wikipedia, adapted by RW)

Powerpoint presentation: Webquests-Intro.ppt

Interview with Ernst von Glasersfeld (videos, 4 minutes, in German), recorded in 2001.

Yes, I have turned on my loudspeakers and want to see it!

• Ernst von Glasersfeld: Über Verstehen und Begreifen [ zzappp]
• Ernst von Glasersfeld: Über geänderte Bedingungen in der Schule [ zzzappp! ]

Links

• Ernst von Glasersfeld
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theory_education
  

In 1956, Benjamin Bloom developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning. He found that over 95% of the test questions students get require them to think only at the lowest possible level…
Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain, from the simple remembering of facts, as the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels, to the highest order which is classified as evaluation. Verb examples that represent intellectual activity on each level are listed here.

1. Knowledge: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce.
2. Comprehension: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate,
3. Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.
4. Analysis: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.
5. Synthesis: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up, write.
6. Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose compare, defend estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate.

For a cool animation click here [ zzzaappp! ]

In this article Linda Starr tells us what webquests are, why they are so popular and how we can use – and create – webquests in our own classrooms.

THE WEBQUEST FORMULA

Webquests, say the teachers who use them, promote high-level thinking, develop problem-solving skills, and provide an avenue for seamlessly integrating technology into the curriculum. And creating one is easier than you might think! Many sites are available to walk you through the process.

One of the most thorough is Bernie Dodge’s WebQuest Page (www.webquest.org). According to Dodge, the six building blocks of a webquest are:

• The Introduction orients students and captures their interest.
• The Task describes the activity’s end product.
• The Process explains strategies how to complete the task.
• The Resources are the Web sites (or other media) students will use.
• The Presentation
• The Evaluation measures the results of the activity.

HELP! WHERE DO I BEGIN?

Before designing a webquest, you’ll want to have an outline handy to guide you through the process. You can find good templates at Dodge’s site http://webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Once you have your outline or template in hand, include these main points:

• The Introduction
  You may have already decided on a topic related to current events or to an area of the curriculum that’s inadequately covered in available texts. If you’re still searching for a topic, however, Tom March, who developed the first webquests with Bernie Dodge, suggests starting “where you’re at.” “If you have an area that’s your specialty, something that thrills you to teach, that you know inside and out, up and down, begin there,” March says. http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_power.php
• The Task
  “The task,” says Dodge, “is the single most important part of a webquest.” His webquest Taskonomy: A Taxonomy of Tasks (http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html) provides eleven different types of tasks, including journalistic, mystery, persuasion, and judgement tasks.
• The Process
  In this section, you’ll include the roles students will assume and the steps they’ll follow to complete the activity.
• The Resources
  Identify the resources (both online and offline resources such as books, videos and magazines) available on your topic by brainstorming a list of related words and using the list to search for relevant sites – or go to the school library. As you search, create a list of current, accurate, and age-appropriate sites that will engage your students’ interest.
• The Presentation
  Information is shared. Students learn about the findings of the other groups.
• The Evaluation
  Individual evaluation rubrics should be developed that follow curriculum objectives and are easy for students to understand.

SHARE IT!

Finally, your webquest is finished – and you’re pretty proud of it! Why don’t you publish your worksheet online!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Kathy Schrock provides information about webquests and links to additional resources: http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/webquest/webquest.html
• Heinz Moser’s etc. forum: www.webquest-forum.de (80 webquests + info) Kathy Schrock provides information about webquests and links to additional resources: Heinz Moser’s etc. forum: (80 webquests + info)

Article written by Linda Starr, Education World®, Copyright © 2000, 2002 Education World (Adapted by RW, 2007)

Austria is still a country where smoking in public places is widely tolerated. Our government seems to be unwilling to pass a law that forbids smoking in bars and restaurants etc. Therefore even nowadays a topic like this is pretty popular here…

This webquest serves as a very good model that we can use for training purposes. There are many ways of introducing a topic like “smoking”
Introduction 1

1. One good way of introducing this topic is be the movie “Thank You for Smoking” (2005),a satirical comedy that follows the machinations of tobacco company’s spokesman who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his twelve-year-old son.More info at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/
2. Another way of introducing this topic, a short video impulse:

1. Smoking01
2. Smoking02
3. Smoking03

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Introduction 2

There has always been a lot of talk about smoking, the pros and cons. Should we have smoking and non-smoking areas, or should all public places be declared smoke free? What information do we need before we can make a decision on this issue?You are going to look at this issue from the point of view of doctors, smokers, anti-smoking lobbyists, and a journalist.

After collecting the information and discussing the issues from your point of view, you will join together with others to discuss the topic.

The Question

The main question you will be asked to find an answer for is:

Smoking is to be banned in all public areas, both indoor and outdoor. What are the potential effects of this, and what are the benefits to various members of the community?

Background Information

Before you start you need to gather information about smoking – what is tobacco, what is in a cigarette, what are the effects on the body, both good and bad, of having a cigarette? This web site will help you answer these questions, and give you a good background before dividing into your expert groups and gathering information about your point of view.

Info on smoking: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org

Individual Roles

Questions this big and important are better answered when a few people are working on it at one time. Things work even better when a group of you decide to look at the question from different perspectives. This way team members can become experts on different aspects of the question and then come together to pool their learning. This is where team work pays off. So are you ready to divide and conquer this question?

1. Doctors

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

• What are the effects of smoking on the body?

• What does passive smoking do to the body?

• What effect would banning smoking in public areas have on health in general?

Passive smoking information: www.lungusa.org

Cigarette information and statistics: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/

2. Smokers

Use the link below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

• What are the implications of banning smoking in a public place?

• How does discrimination fit into this topic?

• What effect would banning smoking in public places have on your right to choose?

Quit Smoking Information:

http://www.quitsmoking.com/quitinfo.htm

3. Anti smoking lobbyists

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

• What are the main benefits to a non smoking environment?

• What programmes are available to those smokers who choose to quit?

Information on the impact of tobacco smoking: http://www.oxygen.org.au

4. Editor of a newspaper

You are an editor on your local newspaper on a special assignment. Your newspaper is devoting an entire series to banning smoking in public places. The series will examine a variety of aspects and perspectives on this issue. Finally, after you compile your report, you will write an opinion piece for the Editorial page.

Ultimately, you will be defining the debate and present various aspects of smoking today in order to better inform your public. As an editorial staff member, you will also present your opinions on the editorial page. Some questions to think about:

· What is the current debate about “banning smoking” all about?
· What are the impacts and implications of public smoking today? (economic? social? political?)
· What are the actual statistics, facts and figures about the effects of second hand smoke today?
· Do we need to ban smoking in public places?

Resources:

http://www.howthingswork.com
http://www.kidshealth.org
http://www.healthatoz.com
http://www.healthlinks.net

Group Synthesis

Congratulations! Your team is now full of expertise. Each person on your team has become an expert on the topic of smoking. You’ve all learned a lot of information. But guess what: gathering useful information isn’t the same as truly understanding a topic.

What experts in the field of learning suggest is that you now use that information in a new and challenging way. Then you’ll really know about this topic.

In your expert groups discuss the effects of banning smoking in all areas. After listening to these ideas, work out a solution or adaptation to banning smoking in all public places.

Write a proposal for your idea to be presented to your local council. Try to include the best interests of all community groups when designing your proposal. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. you explored to convince your team-mates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team’s answer to the Task / Quest(ion). Your team should write out an answer that everyone on the team can live with.

Some parts of this webquest were created by Yuvonne King, some by Terry Sheeran
Adaptation and new links: Reinhard Wieser

Original addresses:
www.decs.act.gov.au/publicat/druged/Pages/WebQuests/smoking/webquest.htm

http://tli.jefferson.k12.ky.us/EDTD675Projects/sheeran/WebQuest-Template-KDE.html

The tourist industry has long been a major source of income for the province of Tyrol and it affects all inhabitants here – economically, socially, environmentally and culturally. This webquest helps us to look at this issue from various viewpoints.

[ Click on this link to open the Word document:  Tourism in Tirol]

Two forms: one to evualate your students’ work, and one to evaluate a webquest

• Student evaluation form: webquest evaluation (word document, draft)
• Tom March’s webquest evaluation form: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/matrix.asp