Week 7: Webquest Final

What?
This week, we finished learning about how to create webquests. We had the basic lesson plan and design done, so focused on appropriately putting the webquest into Power Point, creating a Filing Cabinet on our UEN site, and putting a link to our webquest there. With all the finishing touches and links in place, this webquest should be a great opportunity for students to research interesting topics, answer questions, and have a fun assignment that utilizes technology more than most other assignments they are given.

So What?
With the webquest's simple and organized steps and instructions, pictures that enhance understanding, interesting video clips, and links to helpful websites, students can have the scaffolding they need as well as their independence in learning. In my Pod, we attempted to make our webquest diverse enough to fit many different learning styles. There are times for individual research, fact finding, group collaboration, creativity, and performing. Webquests are such a great way to incorporate many styles of learning for our students!

Now What?
With being able to take an extra week on learning about webquests, I feel even more comfortable with how to organize them and make them work. I've never considered myself incredibly technology savvy, but with each new project we do in class, I find that I can learn, they are incredibly useful in the classroom, and that it is worth the time. I know that with more practice and exposure to these things such as webquests, the easier they will get for me, the quicker I will be able to prepare them, and the more I can offer to my students. I am excited to incorporate webquests into my lessons. I think my students will benefit greatly from them, and can have a good time in the process. As a teacher, I want to stay in the technology-loop so that my students can learn with the latest and greatest methods. Attending special technology workshops, working with other knowledgeable teachers, and consistently having the "spirit of discovery" will help me in this goal.

Video: Do You Believe in Me?
I thought this was a neat clip to watch. That boy's confidence, courage, and presence were very impressive. He spoke about believing in our students, as well as in our colleagues and in ourselves. One thing he said that stuck out to me about believing in our students was, "You believe in me. And that rubs off on me." If students can see that we recognize greatness and potential in them, they can start to explore that and believe it too. He also said, "You better not give up on us. Because in some cases, you're all we got." Our students come from such diverse backgrounds and situations, some of them being very difficult. We need to be a positive influence and support for them.
We can also believe in our colleagues and "lean on them when times get rough." We should all be in this together. Lastly, he said that we need to believe in ourselves. We need to believe that we can make a difference in the lives of our students. With this mind set, I believe we are more likely to listen to them, understand them, give them the support and encouragement they need, and give them the tools that will help them be successful in every aspect of their lives.