2. Web-based inquiry learning: Facilitating
thoughtful literacy with WebQuests
Ikpeze, Chinwe H. & Boyd, Fenice B. (2007, April). Web-Based Inquiry
Learning: Facilitating Thoughtful Literacy with WebQuests. The
Reading Teacher, v60, 644-654. Retrieved on May 16, 2009, from
http://web.ebscohost.com.library.usca.edu:2048/ehost/detail?vid=3
&hid=101&sid=3bd0806e-3b6d-4e63-baaa-
4d750ccef819%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2Z
Q%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ759040
3. This article titled Web-based inquiry learning:
Facilitating thoughtful literacy with
WebQuests discusses an action research
study that investigated how multiple tasks
found in WebQuests facilitate fifth-grade
students’ literacy skills and higher order
thinking.
6. This study focused the use of WebQuests to
design and deliver instruction to improve
classroom interaction.
The specific goal was to show how to
incorporate and use multiple tasks with
WebQuests to promote thoughtful literacy.
10. Data collection consisted of:
Observations
Field notes
Written artifacts
Evaluation rubrics
Reflective journals
Audiotapes
11. In addition:
participants were taught for 50 minutes per
lesson, 2 to 3 times in a six day cycle at the
school’s computer lab
audiotapes of structured and semi-structured
interviews of participants, classroom
interactions, and discussions were also used
12. “Findings from this study suggest that
WebQuests can facilitate thoughtful literacy
when tasks are carefully selected, organized,
and delivered. Multiple tasks provided
opportunities for collaboration, thoughtful
connections, and critical reading. Such tasks
increased students’ engagement and
motivation as well as built search, retrieval,
multimedia, and hypertext reading skills”
(Ikpeze & Boyd, 2007).
13. Challenges:
Website navigation-
Some students had problems with navigating
their way to various websites or even with
reading multimedia; however, as the project
progressed participants skills improved and
students were able to navigate more
independently.
14. Challenges:
Information Overload-
Another issue was information overload.
Participants often complained about the
amount of information on some websites.
Participants had to be taught
chunking, skimming, and scanning for
information.
15. Challenges:
Distractibility-
Another issue was distractibility. Participants
often used computer time to visit their
favorite websites, play online games, or check
email. This continued to be a problem
throughout the project.
18. Another key point that researchers made is,
“To ensure that teachers use WebQuests
constructively as a learning tool, teacher
education and professional development
programs should incorporate WebQuests.
This is important because many teachers still
do not feel comfortable using Internet
resources for their teaching” (Ikpeze& Boyd,
2007).
19. Summary of Implications:
Webquest creation
Varying teaching methods
Learner motivation
Adequate planning
Participant proficiency with Internet
Teacher proficiency with technology
Organization
Supervision
Scaffolding of learning in a Web environment
20. I think that this research study provides users
with a lot of good information about WebQuests
and their benefits to students. I think in order to
expand on this information it would be a good
idea to conduct additional action research
studies using larger participant groups that more
closely resembled an actual class size.
In addition, I think it would be good conduct
research into how much teacher training focuses
on WebQuests and the outcomes of those
trainings.
21. This research study is well-organized and
provides a thorough explanation of the action
research. The results were explained in
categories and the implications for teaching
were explained in great detail. As previously
stated action research differs from
experimental study research.
22. Some common complaints of action research
are:
Is the research driven by the researcher’s
agenda?
Is the research motivated by instrumental
goal attainment?
Is the research motivated by the aim of
personal, organizational, or societal
transformation.
23. In my opinion, action research, no matter
how well worded, gives off the appearance
that it was influenced by researchers because
there is no clear cut data that provides a
definite answer. However, I believe that the
researchers did a good job of providing
detailed information. They were quick to
point out how the project changed as it
progressed and they were willing to discuss
implications for using WebQuests in the
future.
24. In the end, the researchers stated that
WebQuests did facilitate literacy skills and
higher order thinking, but they were also
quick to say that adequate planning,
organization, supervision, and teacher
training were needed in order to see the full
benefits of WebQuests in the classroom.
25. One of the drawbacks that I found to this
research study was the small size of the
participant group. Realistically, most
classrooms have at least 15-20 students and
the fact that the participant group consisted
of only 6 participants may make it difficult for
teachers to buy into the idea that using
WebQuests will promote learning with a
larger class size.
26. Overall, I think this was good study that provides
valuable information to teachers. I like that the
researchers included information about the
amount of structure and organization required
from teachers in order for others to see similar
results with their students. I also like that the
study brings up the topic of teacher training. I
think that any research that results in
suggestions for additional teacher training in the
of technology is a benefit to all students. I hope
to use the knowledge I learned from this article
to promote teacher usage of technology in
instruction.
27. Ikpeze, Chinwe H. & Boyd, Fenice B. (2007, April). Web-Based Inquiry
Learning: Facilitating Thoughtful Literacy with WebQuests. The
Reading Teacher, v60, 644-654. Retrieved on May 16, 2009, from
http://web.ebscohost.com.library.usca.edu:2048/ehost/detail?vid=3
&hid=101&sid=3bd0806e-3b6d-4e63-baaa-
4d750ccef819%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2Z
Q%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ759040
Wikipedia: Action Research. Retrieved May 19, 2009, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Action_research
Wikipedia: WebQuest. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /WebQuests
Notes de l'éditeur
Web-based inquiry learning: facilitating thoughtful literacy with WebQuestsBy Ikpeze and Boyd
For those of you that don’t know, “A WebQuest is a learning activity used by educators. Webquests were invented by Bernie Dodge and Tom March at San Diego State University in 1995. According to Dodge’s original publication a WebQuest is ‘an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from the resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing’ (Wikipedia, 2009).”“WebQuests can be used not only for content learning but also to conduct research in an authentic, problem-solving environment. WebQuests are designed to make effective use of learners time and to support their thinking and active involvement at the levels of analysis, synthesis, transformation of information, decision making, and evaluation” (Ikpeze & Boyd, 2007).
“Action research is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in a team or as part of a “community of practice” to improve the way they address issues and solve problems” (Wikipedia, 2009).
“The study participants were six fifth grade students – five boys and one girl. They were all middle class European Americans. They were considered average or above average students by their teacher. The setting was an elementary school located in a small middle income suburban neighborhood near a large urban city. Technology use in the school consisted of having students learn some isolated skills, or use some educational software for specific learning tasks. Each classroom had one to two computers and the school had a well-equipped computer lab” (Ikpeze & Boyd, 2007).
Prior to collecting data, a topic for the WebQuest was selected and participants interests and choices were considered. The study lasted 10 weeks and was interdisciplinary (covering social studies, lang arts, and scienceOriginally students were selected to play various roles as a manufacturer, homeowner, teacher, or consumer using the following two guiding questions: 1. What choices can I make to protect the environment? 2. What choices can I make that would be harmful to the environment?
Upon further evaluation these questions were found inadequate and a third question was added – Why is environmental protection important?A website was then set up in collaboration with participants, where researchers posted students’ homework and links to other websites. Data collection and analysis were done using action research paradigm
*participants were taught for 50 minutes per lesson, 2 to 3 times in a six day cycle at the school’s computer lab*data sources included observations, field notes, written artifacts, evaluation rubrics, and reflective journals*audiotapes of structured and semi-structured interviews of participants, classroom interactions, and discussions were also used
Implications for teaching include: *deciding whether to to create the WebQuest from scratch or to adapt an already existing one. *the need to vary teaching methods based on group size to accommodate for various learning types*another important implication is “the need to incorporate learning that is meaningful to the learner” (Ikepeze & Boyd, 2007)
*Adequate planning on the part of the teacher is important to the successful learning of students using WebQuests. This includes organizing and supervising the learning environment.*Students also need to have some proficiency with the use of the internet
In a nutshell, “Implications for teaching include the necessity for adequate planning, organization, supervision, and scaffolding of learning in a Web environment” (Ikpeze & Boyd, 2007).
