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| Name: Jodi Bloom | Date: 7-1-01 |
| WebQuest Evaluated: Lynne Bloom's Cougar Page (http://udel.edu/~lynneb/cougar/cougar3.htm) | |
| Score | Explanation | |
| Overall Aesthetics (This refers to the WebQuest page itself, not the external resources linked to it.) | ||
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Overall visual appeal (0-2)
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1+ | The layout is simple to follow however I question some of the colors used, as well as repetitive pictures farther down. Variety is the spice of life! Some could be added to this page. |
| Introduction | ||
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Motivational effectiveness of Introduction (0-2)
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2 | I liked this introduction. The only cause for confusion (if any) would be pronouncing the name "Lefebvre." However, the author gave the pronunciation directly following the name. |
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Cognitive effectiveness of the Introduction
(0-2) |
1 | The language may be a bit difficult for some first and second graders to comprehend. For example, "mass hysteria" would need to be defined and discussed with the teacher. Prior knowledge seems to be a given according to the language in the introduction. |
| Task (The task is the end result of student efforts... not the steps involved in getting there.) | ||
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Cognitive level of the task (0-6)
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4 | The actual idea of having the students develop a persuasive speech rooted in facts and knowledge hits many standards in Delaware (all are listed in the teach page) as well as in my Pennsylvania Standards. However, I question that some of the task may be grade appropriate for 1-3. It seems that with that grade, teacher assistance will be heavily relied upon. I would suggest this site to be more appropriate for 3-5 grade to foster more independent work. |
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Technical sophistication of task (0-2)
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1 | Fairly good, but as I stated above, I believe this to be more age appropriate to 3-5 graders. Also, I would refine the language of the task to be more specific as to what way the students need to "distribute" information. Are they expected to make a speech? Should they develop a pamphlet? Are they giving a presentation? All of these are fine possibilities and should be stated for the students' reference. It will allow them to put the task in perspective of what is expected of them. (Note: This is stated toward the bottom of the page after the students have gathered information. It should come earlier.) |
| Process (The process is the step-by-step description of how students will accomplish the task.) | ||
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Clarity of Process (0-2)
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1 | The students are told that each will have a roll and gives the directions for what each role should link to on the site (ex: cougar habitat, cougar diet...). However it is not stated how to pick who does what. It is also clear that several computers are needed (one per child) if each person in the group is to be actively working on his or her role. If this isn't a possibility, you will have one student working while the remainder of the group either watches or loses concentration. Allowances must be made for this possibility. Perhaps suggesting that all the researchers should use the same computer and work as a group before reconvening with their original group? |
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Richness of process (0-6)
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3+ | Upon exploring the sites that the students use to research each piece of information, I found three links that were broken. Several of the sites were highly comprehensive and easy for the students to read and gather information from. Others required some more digging and searching to discover exactly what we wanted to know. The point with this is, again, that older students wouldn't encounter a problem with navigating through the sites and finding the information needed. I think that the 1-3 graders would need much guidance to move through the information. I would suggest a variety of pages to suit younger students. Maybe compile one page for the lower scaffolding of information to set the student up, then to link the student to more complex pages that require higher level thinking and processing skills. This will take the students gradually through the scaffolding. I would also HIGHLY suggest a vocabulary page that includes all the words that students may encounter within the web quest site or out of it. Highlight the words (several were underlined and bold faced, but included no link) and link these to a central location that the student may refer to at any point in his or her exploration. This will help the comprehension process, as well as aiding in the independent research of the student. |
| Resources (Note: you should evaluate all resources linked to the page, even if they are in sections other than the Resources block. Also note that books, video and other off-line resources can and should be used where appropriate.) | ||
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Quantity of resources (0-2)
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1 | This is not a bad list of resources, and several are excellent for the age level and task. However, I found more broken links as well as a few repeat pages from earlier in the quest. I'm sure that with a little more research, many more sites could have been found. The games are a nice touch of fun. |
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Quality of resources (0-4)
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4 | I did like the stretch in resources found on this page. The games are an interactive way for the students to test their new-found knowledge. The other sites are informative and range in variety of comprehension. |
| Evaluation | ||
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Clarity of Evaluation Criteria (0-2)
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1+ | This was good, but I think it could have been better. For example, the point total headings should have been directly over the rubric box for that point total. I would suggest a rubric that can be printed and utilized by classroom teachers. As far as evaluating the students' performance, the rubric leaves just enough room in areas for the individual teacher to refine the grading process to suit his or her needs. The standards that should be hit are clearly stated. The teacher has only to use this as a general guide to evaluate the student work. |
| Total Score
(0-30) |
19+ | This is not a bad Web Quest, however it clearly has been out of use for a while! The links greatly need to be updated and maintained. New pictures should be found and added to reduce the repetitive layout. Additional pages such as a vocabulary page and a 3-5 rubric would be suggestions for the author to address. It has potential...but desperately needs some TLC and refinement to become a popular and frequently used site. |