WebQuests vs Inquiry:

Whose Question is it, Anyway?

Philip Molebash & Bernie DodgeSan Diego State University

Viva Las WebQuest

Adios Las WebQuest

WebQuests: The Beginning

• 1993: $5M grant• 7 Post-doc

fellows• 12 GA’s• Delphi study• Meta-analysis• Prototype

testing n=500

WebQuests: The Beginning

New WebQuest Server

http://webquest.sdsu.edu

Now

• 4500 - 6400 hits/day• 204,000 “WebQuests” in Google

Concept-Making

Memetic Drift

A

Memetic Drift

A A

Memetic Drift

A A

Memetic Drift

A a

Memetic Drift

A a

Memetic Drift

A o

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/matrix.html

http://www.geocities.com/salemwitches_ca

Gridlock

http://imet.csus.edu/imet2/stanfillj/projects/grid/intro.htm

What is Scaffolding?

Scaffolding is a temporary structure which provides help at specific points in the learning process.

It allows learners to complete a challenging task which they would not be able to accomplish without help.

How Do We Scaffold in a WebQuest?

by…• Specifying the Task• Specifying roles and perspectives• Providing links and offline

resources• Providing outlines, guides and

templates• Guiding thinking through visual

and other means

Inquiry Levels of Science Activities

0. CONFIRMATION/VERIFICATION – confirmation of a principle through an activity with the results are known in advance.

1. STRUCTURED INQUIRY – students investigate a teacher-presented question through a prescribed procedure.

Inquiry Levels of Science Activities2. GUIDED INQUIRY – students

investigate a teacher-presented question using student-selected procedures.

3. OPEN INQUIRY – students investigate topic-related questions which are student formulated through student-selected procedures.

Levels of Inquiry

Level Problem? Procedure?

Solution?

Not Inquiry

No problem

Complete worksheet

Locate answers

0

1 –

2 – –

3 – – –

Ways of Thinking & Acting Associated with Inquiry

• Asking questions• Planning and conducting

investigations• Using appropriate tools and

techniques to gather data• Critical thinking about relationships

between evidence and explanation• Constructing and analyzing

alternative explanations• Communicating results/arguments

Ways of Teaching Commonly Associated with Inquiry• Science Experiments• Problem-Based Learning• Socratic Dialogue• Constructivism• WebQuests

WebQuests1. Structured Inquiry

Web Inquiry Projects2. Guided Inquiry3. Open Inquiry?

RemoveScaffolding

Learners’Responsibility

Web Inquiry Projects

Use online uninterpreted data/information– primary sources, weather data,

sports statistics, music lyrics…– used in ways that allow learners to

actively pursue answers to questions that are both interesting and relevant to their required studies.

Web Inquiry Projects

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/wip/Web Inquiry Projects

Balance

WebQuests and Weaning• Q: How does this way of teaching

prepare kids to be independent inquirers?

• A: Gradually!

WebQuests and Weaning• Q: How does this way of teaching

prepare kids to be independent inquirers?

• A: Gradually!

WebQuests and Weaning• Q: How does this way of teaching

prepare kids to be independent inquirers?

• A: Gradually!

WebQuests and Weaning• Q: How does this way of teaching

prepare kids to be independent inquirers?

• A: Gradually!

Stages of Self-Directed Learning

• 1. Dependent• 2. Interested• 3. Involved• 4. Self-Directed

http://www.longleaf.net/ggrow/SSDL/Model.html

Fading the WebQuest Support• TASK: Gradually allow more flexibility in

how and what to produce in the task• PROCESS: Gradually provide fewer URLs

and expect learners to find more• PROCESS: Gradually move scaffolding of

notetaking, information organizing, writing prompts, etc. from required to implicit.

• CONCLUSION: Put more resources here for learners to explore on their own later

Levels of Inquiry

Level Problem? Procedure?

Solution?

Not Inquiry

No problem

Complete worksheet

Locate answers

0

1 –

2 – –

3 – – –