WebQuest

=WebQuest = Shakespeare's Histories: Fact or Fabrication?

Before the development of a WebQuest was attempted, I needed to become more familiar with this instructional concept. I read articles related to WebQuests as well as Bloom's Taxonomy. I spent quite a bit of time at the WebQuest site and reviewed the Useful Resources section. I also perused many different WebQuests on this site as well as other sites like QuestGarden to become familiar with the structure and procedures involved in developing and building this tool.

I recorded the description of a WebQuest in MP3 format: media type="file" key="Dawn Follin podcast intro.mp3" width="240" height="20"

After researching WebQuests, I decided to focus my project on literature and history. Because I do not currently teach in a K-12 environment, I explored what I would ideally like to teach if given the opportunity. I chose something on which I could speak intelligently and that was Shakespeare and British Medieval/Renaissance history. The title of my WebQuest is "Shakespeare's Histories: Fact or Fabrication?".

This WebQuest asks the students to perform in depth research into the content of five of Shakespeare's historical plays. The project asks students to determine what of Shakespeare's histories is accurate and what is merely an artistic fabrication by the playwright. It is not asking students to make a judgment, but simply a determination (based on their research) as to whether or not he was close to the truth or totally off the mark. To add some fun to this project, I ask that the students report their findings in the format of an evening news program using various multimedia tools.

When writing the WebQuest, I assumed that this would work best with high-school seniors and up into higher education. I also made the assumption that this would be a class with approximately twenty students. The students are asked to break up into five groups of four or five. Each student will take on a particular role within the group: Play Scholar (play researcher), Political Historian, Social Historian, and Reporter. I give a detailed description of each role as well as multiple web resources to aid in his/her research. The reporter should be someone who has a more artistic / technology bent since this person is responsible for putting together the format for the news program.

When all research is completed, it is compiled and the historical facts are compared to major plot and character elements from the play. This will most likely take more time than the research itself, but this is the part of the project where critical thinking and analysis are essential. The group will then decide how it wants to relay its findings using the news program format. Students should be encouraged to have fun with this portion and use attention-grabbing elements such as movies, animation, photo/picture transitions, etc. I have added links within the WebQuest explaining how to put together a news program for television. The key is taking what can be a dry subject and make it exciting and interesting to the audience.

At the end of the WebQuest, I have added under the Teacher Page tab the appropriate ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NET-S) and Performance Indicators for Students. This was done to assist teachers who wish to use this WebQuest in determining where these standards come in when using this WebQuest. This same WebQuest could be modified and used with any other play or novel that is based on fact. It would be an effective research tool for journalism, english and history majors.

Click here to view this WebQuest: Shakespeare's Histories: Fact or Fabrication?

This project was challenging, enlightening, and fun. It seems strange that I would use the word "fun" because when presented with this project, I felt that I was staring up at a large mountain that seemed nearly impossible to climb. The term WebQuest is something that was very foreign to me in the beginning of this class. When I read the description of a WebQuest, I thought that only tenured scholars could put together something so elaborate.

It took quite a bit of research on my part to even begin to come up with an idea for my WebQuest. When I began dissecting other WebQuests, I began to see how this did not have to be such a daunting project. I took it one piece at a time and by doing that, I could see how it would all come together. To make it easy on my brain, I decided to delve into something that was of interest to me and something I could easily explain if need be. I have always loved the theater and Shakespeare in particular. I have also been studying Medieval and Renaissance history since I was a teenager. I simply combined the two and my WebQuest was born. From the point of conception, the WebQuest fell into place. It required a tweak here and there, but I am very satisfied with the outcome. I would be delighted to see it in action. It would be the icing on the cake to see the various presentations students could develop from this project.

I am already thinking about other WebQuests I would like to develop. I am also planning professional development workshops at Delaware Tech (where I am currently employed) to teach our faculty about the wonders of WebQuests and what an effective tool they can be in the classroom.