WebQuest

Today in class we completed a WebQuest activity. I remember doing this type of activity in high school; we would be given a sheet with instructions, go to several websites, and answer questions based on each site. I also remember thinking these activities had no purpose and were simply busy work. However, after the experience today learning about WebQuest, I understand that these activities can actually be educational. A teacher can use a site such as QuestGarden to design a page with a specific task, instructions, and evaluation. The students go to the site, group themselves accordingly, and follow the instructions. I particularly liked the example activity where students design their own ice cream flavor and market the product. Also, QuestGarden contains sample WebQuests that are shared for teachers to use as activities in their own classroom. For example, I found one for high school Mathematics where students plan a vacation for two using an allotted budget.

I feel that I could use an activity like the ice cream project or vacation planning in my future math classroom. For example, students could pick a product that is already sold, figure out how to advertise it better, and calculate the statistics on its optimal production/distribution. If students wanted, they could even send their ideas to the relative companies to see if the marketing departments might respond. While students are learning Mathematics, they would also be cooperating in groups and understanding how to use the internet wisely. Also, students might see how Mathematics can be applied to real world problems instead of just learning the material for no purpose. I could also find other example WebQuests online to diversify my activity or tweak my plan. The internet is a tool every student and teacher should know how to use by following safe guidelines such as website evaluation; therefore, a well-written WebQuest activity is useful for any classroom.