Step Six: Internet Scavenger Hunt/WebQuest

Sometimes I don’t want to teach through a lecture; at these times, it’s a good idea to give students an internet scavenger hunt or webquest. These tools require the student to take full responsibility for his learning experience; he must find the information, absorb it, paraphrase it, and demonstrate his comprehension of it.

To introduce O. Henry to my English I class, I created this internet scavenger hunt. It requires students to collect information, then share what they have learned in a group. The group must then categorize the information and present it in a graphic organizer.

For my own part, I had to use all of the technological skills I had gained during the semester. I also stretched myself by incorporating other resources that I hadn’t used in class before: rubrics and graphic organizers. Finding a way to put all of these elements together proved to be somewhat challenging, but I am very proud of the end product.

In creating the scavenger hunt, I first had to do the research myself. I found this useful because it showed me how my students might search for answers, and I was able to choose appropriate websites with a discerning eye. I selected six websites and asked questions that would require the learner to go through all of the websites in order to complete the task. I made sure that each question could be sorted into one of four categories. I divided the questions into three separate lists, which I would use later to divide students into groups.

Once the students answer, share, and sort the information, they need to find a way to present it. Because my purpose was to avoid a lecture, I decided that a graphic organizer would be the perfect method to display the information the students had gathered. I had to find some that would be appropriate for the project, and I included links so that students would have some guidance in creating their presentations.

I used this lesson in my English class yesterday, and here are the things I would do if I decided to use another web-based lesson:

1. Set aside at least thirty minutes to explain to students how to use the internet. Teach difficult terminology such as keyword search, sidebar, and double-click.
2. Remind students every three minutes that they will have to search the websites; the answers will not be written word-for-word or in the order in which I asked the questions.
3. Remind students that a question that cannot be answered on website might be answered on another.
4. Explain—in detail—the concept of categories.
5. Explain—in detail—the concept of sharing answers within a group.
6. Define graphic organizer.

In short, a complete lesson that takes students through the process step-by-step would be very useful.

Here are the things I liked about the lesson:

1. It does force students take an active role in the learning process; they are too eager to absorb and regurgitate the information I give them. Having them do the research themselves gives them practice in critical thinking, and having them sort and present the information exercises their higher-order thinking skills.
2. The lesson can be adapted to almost any unit. It can definitely be used to introduce authors (I want to re-use it—-with some revisions—-when students study Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet).
3. Frankly, the assignment itself is awesome. I am so proud of it, from the conception of the idea to its completion. I not only used skills I already had, but I had to acquire new ones that will be useful in the future.