Webquest

Webquests By Brian Phillips [|A webquest] is an activity that students access in some sort of technological format. Often a website, Webquests allow students to spend time learning through technology as opposed to being provided it in a traditional classroom setting or searching for the information. Often, students must use resources in the webquest to find the information they are looking for. More advanced webquests even have students use what they’ve learned to benefit themselves, evaluate beyond the norm, and to affect society.

My explaination is attached here.  [|My webquest] is about a common misconception: that Cinco de mayo is Mexico  ’s Independence Day. Students must embark on a journey of perusing through many websites and other webpages to become experts on the differences between these two holidays. Then, students get into groups and discuss the differences between the two dates in history. Finally, they compile the information into a presentation of their choice so that they must actually do something productive with their newfound knowledge.  I chose to make a webquest on this topic because the misconception in America   about Cinco de mayo is frankly, tiring. I know that many people assume, because of American celebrations, that Cinco de mayo is their independence. However, their independence had already been won some 40 years earlier. I think it’s important to know a little something about which we so heavily celebrate. The task was a little more difficult to organize. I didn’t want students to simply know the information. I wanted them to do something with it. Having to incorporate technology, I wanted them to create some sort of presentation. Thus, I let them chose what form they would do that in.   After writing this assignment, I know that there are no regrets. This issue that his Webquest set out to solve still exists. It will definitely be given to each of my Spanish I students so that they can clear up the misconception for themselves. I think that I will run in to some problems with time. I may need to make the actual project shorter overall since it is not part of our curriculum. Giving days to research the information then some time to form the presentation can take too much time. I need to brainstorm this topic in the future on ways to shorten the task yet still accomplish my goal. 