My contributions to the WebQuest wiki

My 3 Contributions include:

• I added an example called The Oprah Show Webquest to the Television shows page. The WebQuest is based on Oprah wanting to start a new series of shows called "America's Role in the World Community", in which students have to research six world events and present the information to Oprah for her to prepare for the new shows.
• I added an audience example to the Television shows page. I said students may act as executive producers of a television network and they can fill out evaluations for each presentation.
• On the Reality TV page I added another WebQuest example called Student Restaurant Rules. Students work in groups to complete a variety of tasks, which will be evaluated by the judges of a reality TV show.
  

Chapter 10: Going Beyond the Classroom

I think the idea of focusing on one extended learning experience outside the school is a great idea. This will break up the regular school-day routine, and may also provide some hands-on experiences and activities.

Students deserve a little time away from the regular school schedule. During my junior year of high school, we had a career week where we signed up to job shadow someone in a field we may be interested in going into. It was a great opportunity that many of us benefited from. My senior year we also had a volunteer week where we got to help out at local organization. I think these types of experiences, as well as subject specific activities, are great opportunities for students to participate in.

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

In chapter nine, I enjoyed reading the suggestions the co-authors provided for when teachers feel discouraged. I think the best advice a teacher can get comes straight from their students.

This “jumped out” at me because the co-authors truly had some great advice for new teachers, such as Vance’s comment: “A kid can tell when a teacher knows what he’s doing, and believes in what he’s doing” (168). Teachers just need to be confident and can’t let students walk all over them. It is also good to know that students will probably test their teachers until they are no longer scared.

Chapter 8: Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English

I was surprised to see the many different actions students who are still learning English take when they do not understand something in class. Many of these are negative actions including: putting their heads down and sleeping, cutting class, feeling angry, fighting with other students, and running away.

I do not have much experience with students who are still learning English, but I could imagine it would be difficult for them to do well if they do not understand the language. I thought this list revealed how those students really feel when they don’t understand what is said in class. I thought this entire chapter was helpful and informative because I have not read very much on teaching to those who are still learning English.

Chapter 7: Teaching Difficult Academic Material

One point that “jumped out” at me in chapter seven was for teachers not to stick to textbooks, which I was very relieved to see the author mention. Finding other ways to teach the material can get students more involved and motivated.
Books are obviously a great resource, but in my opinion, sticking to the textbook will only bore students even more. I would much rather enjoy listening to teachers talk about their experiences relating to a certain subject than reading about it in a boring textbook. I think Vance said it best: “That’s when a person’s love for teaching comes out, when they get to talk about something they know” (127).

Chapter 6: Motivation and Boredom

I thought one great part of this chapter was under the “What Motivates Kids?” section. Some teachers lose sight of what motivates their students and they wonder why the students are not doing well in school.
Students are motivated by passionate teachers, issues they care about, connections to the real world, and choices on things that matter. It seems as though students today lack motivation, but maybe it is the teachers who are not providing the right motivation. It is great to know that teachers who are still passionate about the material and their students can actually be a form of motivation for students. Connections to the real world can increase student interest, and allowing students to have a choice on things that matter will get students more involved.

Chapter 5: Teaching the Individual, Working with the Group

The one topic I found interesting in chapter five was the idea of more open-ended questions. These types of questions may be a bit harder for students to answer, but it allows different opinions to be brought to the table.
The idea of open-ended questions “jumped out” at me because I can completely relate to the feeling of not wanting to answer a question that asks for only one right answer. I think students would be more likely to contribute in class if the questions were open-ended. Teachers should recognize why students chose to participate or not in answering questions. By sharing opinions, the teacher can go on to lead discussions and debates that could take the class in an entirely new direction.