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Running head: SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST
1
Shangri-La Poetry WebQuest Project Report
Whitney L. Prather
Kennesaw State University
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 2
Abstract
The explosion of Internet use in education has happily opened many doors for diversification of
student learning, but unfortunately, unearthed many obstacles relating primarily to protecting
children from the negative influences or misinformation provided by harmful or unreliable
websites. The WebQuest has emerged as a functional teaching compromise which allows
students to use Internet resources, but in a structured environment that is often supplemented
with teacher-created resources. Students are still using the Internet for learning, but they are not
pursuing their goals blindly. Instead, they work to learn about a given topic and create a product
or solve a problem that demonstrates mastery of academic standards with technology as the
centerpiece throughout the learning process.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 3
Shangri-La Poetry WebQuest Project Report
WebQuests are becoming increasingly common in classrooms across the world as the use of
various technology devices increases in all areas of education. Dr. Bernie Dodge from the
Department of Educational Technology at San Diego State University defines a WebQuest as
“an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with
comes from the World Wide Web (Dodge, 2008). Dr. Dodge and Tom March, from the San
Diego Unified School District were the first WebQuest authors in 1995. As WebQuests have
been implemented into classrooms over the past seventeen years, educators have discovered
innovative methods for using the guiding steps, which serve as page links in WebQuests,
proposed by Dodge: introduction, task, process, evaluation, conclusion, and credits. WebQuests
serve two vital areas in the 21st Century classroom. The first is teaching students how to
effectively harness the vast resources available on a variety of topics along the Internet
information superhighway beginning with teacher-screened resources and building to student
selection of resources. With appropriate vertical planning and scaffolding at all grade levels in a
school district or cluster, WebQuests can support students learning how to become effective
information searchers and evaluators with consistent teacher support that decreases as students
grow older and gain the critical thinking, reading, and judgment skills required to draw
conclusions and use information from appropriate web resources. As student interest in
traditional school teaching and learning practices continues to wane with the advent of accessible
technology, WebQuests are a key in addressing a second immediate classroom need-
differentiation. The WebQuest learning format provides automatic differentiation for students by
taking a large-scale topic and narrowing the focus for automatic differentiation in product,
process, and content. As students grow and develop personal interests and talents, the WebQuest
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 4
can become even more differentiated as students make their own learning decisions with teacher
guidance and support via the structure of a WebQuest to center their goals and learning
experiences on academic and technology standards. This report details the process of the creation
and implementation of a WebQuest in a classroom using the Analysis, Design, Development,
Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) model.
Analysis
Learners
This poetry WebQuest is designed for learners aged eleven to thirteen, but the majority of the
participants will be twelve year old, age-appropriate sixth grade students. My sixth grade
Language Arts classes consist of all general education students; however, I do teach one student
who receives special education services, fourteen recently exited English Language Learning
(ELL) students, and twelve students who receive gifted services and are enrolled in advanced
classes in other subject areas. Reading levels in my Language Arts classes range from fourth
grade (approximate Lexile 550) to twelfth grade (approximate Lexile 1150) (“Lexile-to-grade
correspondence”). All students in the classroom are capable of understanding what they read on
their own, although ELL student comprehension improves when audio reading options are
available to them as a support for further English language development, particularly with
understanding the context of similarly spelled and sounding words or unfamiliar cultural
concepts. Audio recordings also support the comprehension and further language development of
marginal learners, who tend to read at lower levels. During the 2011-2012 school year, all
students in my classroom have been consistently exposed to digital learning environments, both
on the Internet and using tools within the school network. All students are capable of critically
exploring a website at individual readiness levels, and their effectiveness in this practice
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 5
increases when they have step-by-step directions and a structured online environment as are
provided in this WebQuest. Students have varying levels of familiarity with Microsoft Word,
Windows Movie Maker, VoiceThread, TimeLiner, Photo Story, Microsoft Power Point,
Kidspiration/Inspiration, and Edmodo as we have used all of these tools to complete individual,
paired, and team learning tasks and projects in the classroom. During this WebQuest, students
will learn how to use Wordle, a class wiki, Flickr, and Creative Commons while following
directions within a website to link to other areas of the Internet for critical reading and
evaluation. The greatest challenge my students will face in this WebQuest is applying their
reading skills to understanding poetry in context and interpreting its figurative language, sound
devices, sensory details, and imagery to which they have little exposure beyond general CRCT
preparation at the basic level of Boom’s Taxonomy.
Context
The Poetry WebQuest will be presented four times daily to class sizes of fourteen, eighteen,
and two classes of twenty-four students. There are seventy minutes in one class period with a ten
minute warm-up, fifty minute work session, and ten minute closing. These times are approximate
and can be changed as dictated by student learning during the WebQuest and the process
necessary to complete the WebQuest itself. While students are working on the WebQuest, I plan
to combine the warm-up and class opening after the first day to provide a longer work session
that will keep students more engaged with the technology tools and moving along through the
tasks. Formative assessment of student results will take place daily using a student-produced
product, and I can work with small groups of students to target specific standards as needed
based on this data. It should be noted that third period is interrupted for lunch and a scheduled
restroom break, and fourth period has a scheduled five minute locker break. Ultimately, the
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 6
seventy minutes of class time belongs to me and my students, and we are allowed to use it as we
see fit. All classes have access to a computer lab that is fully equipped with headphones and
microphones upon check-out request, and although students are seated according to assigned
pairs, they will use their own computer during this WebQuest. We have printers available, but I
plan for no printing during this WebQuest. Only Cobb County district-approved websites for
education that I have personally vetted will be used, so no special accommodations are needed.
Any multimedia components, particularly those pre-screened from outside sources, will be
embedded directly into my WebQuest except for those resources available on Teacher Tube,
which may be accessed by students and is an approved district resource. None of my special
needs students require any adaptive computer assistance, although I am going to use some self-
created mp3 files to make poetry audio adaptations available to all students with ELLs and lower
level readers being the most likely users. Once the WebQuest is actually built and tested several
times using differing computers in various lab locations, I foresee no technical difficulties as I do
not plan to use any technology that I am unfamiliar with. All of the pre-planning and rehearsal
makes me feel more at ease with the technology when the students begin the project; however, in
order to promote student comfort and confidence, step-by-step directions will be provided for
each phase of the WebQuest.
Standards
The following sixth grade Language Arts Georgia Performance Standards will be addressed in
some form during the poetry WebQuest:
ELA6R1 Comprehension/Literary text The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts. For literary texts, the student identifies the characteristics of various genres and produces evidence of reading that: ELA6R1.a Identifies and analyzes sensory details and figurative language.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 7
ELA6R1.b Identifies and analyzes the author's use of dialogue and description. ELA6R1.d Applies knowledge of the concept that theme refers to the message about life and the world that the author wants us to understand whether it is implied or stated, and analyzes theme as it relates to the selection. ELA6R1.g Defines and explains how tone is conveyed in literature through word choice, sentence structure, punctuation, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme. ELA6R1.h Responds to and explains the effects of sound, figurative language, and graphics in order to uncover meaning in literature: i. sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme). ii. figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification). iii. graphics (e.g., capital letters, line length, bold fact print, italics). ELA6RC3 Vocabulary The student acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly; the student: ELA6RC3.b Uses content vocabulary in writing and speaking. ELA6RC4 Context The student establishes a context for information acquired by reading across subject areas; the student: ELA6RC4.a Explores life experiences related to subject area content. ELA6W1 Writing Organization The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and provides a satisfying closure; the student: ELA6W1.a a focus, organizational structure, and a point of view based on purpose, genre expectations, audience, length, and format requirements. ELA6W1b Writes texts of a length appropriate to address the topic or tell the story. ELA6W3 Research/Technology The student uses research and technology to support writing; the student: T.ELA6W3.31 The student selects and uses a variety of technology tools to locate, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and/or apply information to accomplish a content specific task.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 8
Delivery/Response to Presentations The student listens to and views various forms of text and media in order to gather and share information, persuade others, and express and understand ideas. The student will select and critically analyze messages using rubrics as assessment tools. When delivering or responding to presentations, the student: T.ELA6LSV2.18 The student plans, creates, and analyzes simple multimedia products collaboratively combining visual elements, sounds, and words to communicate concepts.
The following National Education Technology Standards will be addressed in some form
during the poetry WebQuest:
NETS-S 1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues 2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning, and contribute to the learning of others. a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project or complete a project d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 9
5. Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity 6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. a. Understand and use technology systems b. Select and use applications effectively and productively d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies Task
This poetry WebQuest is designed to further develop and support student understanding and
interpretation of descriptive literary devices in poetry. Students recently completed an entire unit
on poetry that included several lessons on the types of figurative language, sound devices,
sensory words, and imagery, and many of them enjoyed creating original poetry and examples of
poetic devices with illustrations about various topics from their lives in a Beginner Poet Booklet.
During the unit, a large number of students showed interest in writing their own poetry to
improve their self-expression, and they had little difficulty identifying the forms of descriptive
language in poetry. However, a vast majority of students experienced some amount of frustration
when attempting to make interpretations of descriptive writing or create their own poetry using
complete, thoughtful, reflective, and effective explanations. The poetry WebQuest is designed to
review students on descriptive poetic devices and promote collaborative discussion about their
use in teacher-selected target poems and through a survey of online poetry links. Students will
also work in teams to support one another through the creation and illustration of an original
poem.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 10
Students will meet the following objectives during this WebQuest:
WebQuest Objectives: Students will be able to identify the descriptive characteristics of poetry. Students will be able to identify and interpret the forms of figurative language. Students will be able to identify and interpret purpose for sound device usage. Students will be able to identify and explain a poem’s sensory details and imagery. Students will be able to find and explain poetry descriptions in context of the author’s world or their world. Students will be able to create their own descriptive poetry. Dispositional Objectives: Students will practice cooperative decision-making skills and share creative thinking in pairs. Students will answer the following Essential Questions during this WebQuest: WebQuest Essential Question: How does a “word artist” create their craft? “Link” Essential Questions: What are the characteristics of descriptive poetry?; How does a simile loudly compare?; How does a metaphor softly compare?; What’s the point of making something human?; Why do we exaggerate?; How do sound devices extend description?; How do the five senses make me “feel” as I read?; How does a poet convey their thoughts to readers?; Where do I see poetry in my world?; How do I share my poetic perspective with others?
Design
Premise
All WebQuests should create a simulation for students where they have a goal of applying
their learning to create a product or solve a problem versus just simply reflecting via discussion
or completing a worksheet summarizing their findings. The simulation I have selected uses
current student interests in mythology and fantasy as the basis for my WebQuest environment.
The mythical village of Shangri-La in Tibet, home of all poetry on Earth, has been attacked by
vicious “Word Snatchers,” who have stolen and destroyed all of the world’s poetry, and students
must work in teams to replace the world’s poetry. However, the mythical villagers of Shangri-La
just mange to save enough poetry for students to explore and use as examples for composing
their own poems.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 11
Product
The end product will be an interactive computer-based and student-created poetry anthology
using applications such as Power Point, Windows Movie Maker, Wordle, Flickr, and Audacity.
Student writing and multimedia creations that use at least two poetic descriptive devices will be
submitted for the approval of the Shangri-La emperor and his high court (instructor and
classmates) and housed on a class wiki page. Teacher and student evaluation rubrics are
embedded into the WebQuest. In addition, students will have the option of sharing and
discussing their work with peers via Edmodo throughout the entire WebQuest and even after its
conclusion.
A hyperlink to the class wiki page is HERE.
A hyperlink to the Edmodo sign in page is HERE.
Process
During the WebQuest, each half of a student pair follows their own personal guide that
remains on the left or right side of the webpage. The Tibetan Sherpa guide helps them link to
teacher-selected poetry examples, audio components, multimedia, and webpages outside the
WebQuest for exploration of poetry. Students will use a guide map to answer essential questions
on descriptive poetry topics as they take their tour of Shangri-La to learn about the following
descriptive poetry components: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia,
alliteration, rhyme, and rhyme scheme, sensory details, and imagery. The guide map is submitted
for a daily classwork grade when the each part of the student pair has completed it. Students will
also complete Magic Cloud Exit Tickets for each poetic element where they must discuss and
reflect on what they have learned with their partner. These are collected by the instructor for
formative assessment to determine which students may receive an invitation to participate in a
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 12
supply stop small group where learners will receive extra support and additional explanation on
individual poetic elements. On the task page, students will have the opportunity to explore areas
of interest that might inspire their creativity further such as a music poetry page on the class wiki
and a link to Wordle for creation of descriptive word collages. Throughout the entire WebQuest,
a link to our class Edmodo discussion board will be available, so students may earn extra credit
by posting and responding to peers on Edmodo about the poetry being read during the
WebQuest, the poetry writing process, or poetry topic ideas.
Differentiation
Differentiation will be addressed in several ways during this WebQuest. Individual students
are strategically placed by the instructor in pairs, and will be guided to different poetry samples
according to readiness level for the content being presented to address content differentiation.
The sample model poems in each lesson will also be differentiated according to reading level,
but every model poem will contain an audio component to support student understanding at their
reading level, whether it is higher or lower. Student teams will continue using the leveled poetry
selections to address the same poetry element essential questions on their guide maps while the
results of Magic Cloud collaborative discussions will also vary according to the leveled poetry
examples and student poetry element individual explorations. Student teams will work together
to compose a poem that uses two or more descriptive elements of poetry, and they may choose
their topic, which allows for student choice and differentiates the product. In addition, students
will create a multimedia product with their poem using the software combination of their choice
from the following list: Power Point, Audacity, Windows Movie Maker, Photo Story, or Pod-o-
Matic. Much of the differentiation in this WebQuest is designed to begin scaffolding middle
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 13
grades students to make their own learning choices and pursue personal interests when choosing
writing topics and creating products.
Universal Design
This WebQuest is assembled using several basic principles of Universal Design, but it is
adapted to the page limitations of my free web-hosting service, Wix. There are two sets of pages
in my WebQuest-one for students and one for teachers. A link button supports movement
between the two areas of the website. All of my page links within the WebQuest are located on
the left side of every page in their section, and there are no forward or backward buttons as
students may move about the WebQuest as they deem necessary to immediately look at the
product rubric or review directions. When students are on any page of the WebQuest, its link in
the master list is bright green. There is even a direct student link to Edmodo on the links menu.
Any further links within pages are located using graphic hyperlinks that feature the faces of the
Sherpa Guides, are clearly defined with a specified link button, or are underlined within the text
for immediate access after students complete their reading of the guiding directions. All videos,
audio, and graphics will be directly embedded into the WebQuest in order to prevent students
from running into inappropriate information elsewhere except for one direct Video Link to
Teacher Tube. Chalky pastel backgrounds and with textured parchment overlay containing dark,
blue-violet printing has been used consistently on every page of the WebQuest. Furthermore, all
“headlining” text uses Sans Serif font, and all “reading” text uses Serif Arial font that is left-
justified. Most of the graphics and video links are in the center top or bottom or each page;
however, I did keep the Sherpa Guide links to the left and right so that students could clearly see
and separate their individual routes using the poetic element list links in the center of the page.
When students are doing the same activities, these, like the poetic element list links are placed in
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 14
the center of the page. To further help students navigate the WebQuest, I named the guides Loki
for the left side of the screen and Riyan for the right side of the screen.
Adaptive Technology
While I do not presently have to make technological adaptations for students with disabilities,
our computer labs are wheelchair accessible, and we have adaptive computer equipment in our
building. Headphones could be provided to those hard of hearing, while those who are
completely deaf could have additional graphics and close captioned videos added. Our vision
impairment lab is adapted to provide computer access and assistance to blind students with a
screen magnifier or a screen reader.
Development
Timeline
The following Poetry WebQuest timeline documents the development of the entire WebQuest
from beginning to end.
Analysis
1) 1/27/12-1/28/12-Reviewed upcoming unit topics on Cobb County’s Picasso website and selected mythology as WebQuest topic. Selected the learning standards for the WebQuest
using the sixth grade Georgia Performance Standards and National Education Technology Standards for Students. Reviewed previous lesson plans from current school year to determine what types of technology could be incorporated into the WebQuest and its product. Selected student use of Inspiration/Kidspiration for brainstorming, Word for word processing, and a choice of Power Point, Windows Movie Maker, or Photo Story for multimedia component of product.
2) 1/29/12-1/31/12-Created the big brown grid sheet with moveable post-it notes listing topics and ideas as suggested in our course text, The Non-Designer’s Web Book (Williams & Tollett, 2006). Continued to view this one to two times weekly to make changes, consider ideas, or add new information until WebQuest moved into the development
stage with pages actually being created.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 15
Design
3) 2/1/12-2/28/12-Began selecting information on the Greek myths, gods, goddess, and other mythical beings that I planned to cover in my WebQuest. Reviewed multimedia resources available in You Tube, Teacher Tube, and United Streaming. All items were placed onto my computer into a WebQuest Grab Bag Folder. Began to get bored and discouraged with mythology topic as all found items were directed toward high school students.
4) 2/10/12-2/11/12-Created class wiki for 7430 with additions for resources and product submissions for the WebQuest in mind. Used Wikispaces to build the class wiki, and this proved to be beneficial practice for creating my own webpage. 5) 2/28/12-Officially decided to change my WebQuest to descriptive poetry devices instead of
mythology. Deleted all mythology information from my grab bag folder, but maintained large-scale diagram with new post-it notes for the updated WebQuest ideas.
Searched for any other supplemental print resources for students. Investigated web host pros and cons.
6) 2/29/12-Selected the learning standards for the poetry WebQuest using the sixth grade Georgia Performance Standards, but maintained the previously selected National
Education Technology Standards for Students. Chose to maintain the previous selected final multimedia project that would apply learning poetry standards in student writing. Drafted the entire Shangri-La simulation concept for the WebQuest in Microsoft Word. The draft covered the introduction, task, and conclusion for students.
7) 3/1/12/-3/5/12-Reviewed materials that I have already created for class and those that are available via our text, and moved those that are necessary into the WebQuest folder. Investigated Museum Box and determined that it was not going to be the most effective hosting site for student poetry multimedia products, so I made the decision to use the class wiki created in Wikispaces. Drafted the WebQuest information for teachers in Word. It includes the Introduction, Learner Analysis, Standards and Process. Reviewed poetry WebQuests on WebQuest.org to gain further ideas for my own work.
8) 3/6/12-3/11/12-Reviewed many online poetry writing resources and selected the following links for my WebQuest: Sturgeon County, Missouri School District figurative language resource page, Story Institute and Poem Hunter for poetry topic bucket lists, Public Broadcasting poem examples and explanation pages, Karla Kuskin’s Scholastic poetry writing website, Word Wizard, Amazing Middle School Poetry Quest, Giggle Poetry, and Poems4Kids for poem examples, Read Write Think and Poetry Splatter for differentiated interactive writing support, and Rhyming Dictionary for rhyme support. During the review of online sites, I narrowed my focus to nine descriptive poetic devices as all the information I was finding was overwhelming and would be difficult for students to navigate in any form.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 16
9) 3/12/12-3/18-12-Investigated several free web-hosting sites for my WebQuest. The two finalists were Wix and Google pages. After creating dummy practice pages in each product, I had some concerns with open advertising in the free version of Wix, so I decided that I would use Google Pages to create my WebQuest. Created a teacher and student multimedia rubric for the WebQuest product using my personal template. 10) 3/19/12-3/25/12-Began searching the Creative Commons section of Flickr for WebQuest graphics and found a user who had posted photos from a trip to Tibet that included an
expedition through the Himalayas where I photos of my two Sherpa Guides. Contacted a fellow Jem and the Holograms fan to request permission to use screen cap graphics from the Journey to Shangri-La episode, and permission was granted along with improved versions of the screen caps via e-mail. Found other graphic from a Tibet exhibit online where photos could be used as long as credit was given to the website.
11) 3/26/12/-3/29/12-Reviewed multimedia possibilities for WebQuest using You Tube, Teacher Tube, and United Streaming. Found one example of a similar student-created product on Teacher Tube and two poetry videos that run for a total of fifteen minutes on You Tube. The first video is on figurative language, and it was created by a graduate student at Kent State University, who I contacted through her webpage for permission to use her work. The second video came from a private school in Liverpool, Great Britian. I found the author’s name on the school website, and again obtained permission to use the video via e-mail. Development 12) 3/31/12-Began designing the WebQuest student home page in Google Pages with one additional page link for practice. 13) 4/1/12-Finalized WebQuest design with a peachy-pink background and a parchment page overlay with blue-violet Arial font as originally conceived. Completed Student Introduction Page using revised information created in Word with Teacher Tube student example video link. A list that contains title links to other pages is placed in the upper left corner of every page. 14) 4/2/12-Created Teacher Introduction, Learner Analysis, Standards, and Process pages by revising and pasting in my drafts from Word. 15) 4/3/12-Created Student Task page with Shangri-La graphics using my revised information in Word. 16) 4/4/12-Created Student Evaluation page with more Tibet museum graphics using my previously drafted information in Word, and used them to create hyperlink to the teacher and student rubrics in Word for easy access and printing.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 17
17) 4/5/12-Created the Student Conclusion page with the link to the wiki page where students will submit their multimedia products using the Jem Shangri-La gatekeeper graphic and previous written information in Word. 18) 4/6/12-Began creating a Student Process page, but it was getting too full with just the Process directions, so I added a Student directions page to the WebQuest where the entire Shangri-La journey is explained to users and they meet their guides. 19) 4/7/12-4/8/12-Selected and created the eighteen differentiated student poetry reading examples as Word documents that will be saved and linked into the WebQuest. Called legal departments of textbook companies to confirm validity of classroom use. Used many graphics from the Creative Commons section of Flickr and Google images noted as public domain or permission for use from their websites. I was successfully able to make adjustments to most graphics in Word or in Paint and save my results. 20) 4/9/12-Embedded figurative language YouTube video into Student Process Page. Created simile section and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. 21) 4/10/12-Created metaphor section and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. 22) 4/11/12-Created personification section and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. 23) 4/12/12-Created hyperbole section and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. 24) 4/13/12-Created onomatopoeia section and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. 25) 4/14/12-Created alliteration and rhyme sections and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. Also embedded rhyme YouTube video into Student Process Page. 26) 4/15/12-Created sensory and imagery sections and added all links to examples and webpages. Recorded poetry audio using Audacity. 27) 4/16/12-4/18/12-Added directions for the WebQuest product to the process page in steps, created hyperlinks to each area, including those in the class wiki. Added Edmodo link button to the Master List 28) 4/19/12-4/21/12-Created the Shangri-La graphic tour maps and magic cloud reflective pages in Word. 29) 4/22/12-4/23/12-Linked all credits and Teacher Resources page links to WebQuest.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 18
Implementation 1 30) 4/26/12-Piloted WebQuest with twelve students who all filled out brief questionnaires and provided verbal feedback during the process. Students did not fully complete product, but did go through all steps of the WebQuest. Evaluation 1 31) 4/27/12-Reviewed student feedback from WebQuest pilot and planned their suggested changes. 32) 4/28/12-Unable to access WebQuest in Google Pages all day, and finally see that it is no longer showing there. I resort to recreating the entire WebQuest in Wix based upon ease of for me and from student feedback. 33) 4/29/12-Redesigned entire WebQuest in Wix and got all pages set up. There is a menu link bar on the left of every page that corresponds to the student or teacher areas. 34) 4/30/12-Recreated all pages in the Teacher section of the WebQuest in Wix. 35) 5/1/12-5/2/12-Recreated all pages in the Student section of the WebQuest in Wix. During this process, it was easier to use Wix by breaking down the Process into three separate numbered section pages. I also created a Product page for the multimedia instructions to to make them and their resources more prominent as encouraged by student feedback. I used Windows Movie Maker and Audacity to create a sensory and imagery video that I uploaded through YouTube to give that area a multimedia component. Implementation 2 36) 5/3/12-Repiloted WebQuest with same twelve students who gave much more positive feedback regarding ease of use. Evaluation 2 37) 5/4/12-5/5/12-Re-checked all page links and made some movement of objects on pages to finalize project. Tools
There were a variety of print and web tools in the development of my poetry WebQuest as
well resources that I had on hand or developed myself during the process. The print tools used
include: The Non-Designer’s Web Book, Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, Reader’s Journey, Grades
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 19
6-8 from Pearson/Prentice Hall, Literature, Grades 4-8 from Prentice Hall, and Literature,
Grades 6-8 from McDougal-Littell. Computer software tools that support my WebQuest are:
Microsoft Word, Audacity, Inspiration, Timeliner, Paint, and Windows Movie Maker. Web-
based tools that were part of the process include: Google (search, pages, and images), Flickr,
Creative Commons, Wix, Teacher Tube, YouTube, Zamzar, United Streaming, Wordle, and
Wikispaces. Website links are: the Sturgeon Missouri School District, Story Institute, Poem
Hunter, National Public Broadcasting, Karla Kuskin and Scholastic poetry, Word Wizard,
Amazing Middle School Poetry Quest, Giggle Poetry, Poems4Kids, Read Write Think, Poetry
Splatter, Rhyming Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster online. Personal resources are: Dr. Bryan
Gillis, Ryn Lewis, Cathy Halpern, and Ron Milton. All resources, including those not listed here
under the auspices of Creative Commons, are recognized on the Credits pages of the WebQuest.
Implementation
The poetry WebQuest was implemented with a pilot group of twelve present students. This
group was specially selected to include a true sampling of my students. Students completed a
brief usability discussion survey upon finishing the WebQuest to provide me with feedback for
changes. I used the same resources for the pilot group as I would with a regular class. Those
resources are pre-booked consecutive days in the computer lab, and any adaptations for disabled
students that might arise. Each student pair needs access to two computers that are next to one
another. A class set of headphones must be checked out from the Media Center and placed in the
computer lab at each work station ahead of time. Classroom procedures are already in place for
working in the computer lab, and we will follow those; however the WebQuest pilot
environment will be more relaxed since it takes place after school hours. My classroom routines
also include group work practices that we will follow using less stringent expectations for the
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 20
pilot group. Classroom management should not be an issue as this WebQuest will provide plenty
of work to keep students busy, engaged, and on task. Typically, in the computer lab, I walk the
lab and have discussion conferences with students to check and assess progress and
understanding. Usually, I carry a clipboard to take notes. Since I am so active with the students
in the role of facilitator, they are also actively working. During student work time, small groups
of students will be invited to participate in focus groups that will review certain poetic elements
where formative assessment and daily observation dictate various individual students need
additional explanation and examples to promote true understanding of the concept. After
reviewing feedback and discussion from the pilot students, this WebQuest is now designed to
take place in a ten day period. Most of the learning time will be in the computer lab, but students
can access the WebQuest and work its resources at home, if they choose. USB drives and student
e-mail can transport items as needed, and students can use print resources for example poems if
they are uncomfortable reading them from the computer screen. Equitable internet access will be
provided upon request with lab study hours before and after school during the WebQuest. A list
of local library hours will also be posted for students and sent to parents. This WebQuest will not
involve collaboration with another colleague from my school outside of making small changes to
suit classroom needs if this is used as a learning activity for an entire grade level.
Evaluation
Student Learning
For their summative WebQuest task, student pairs will submit at least one multimedia poem
to the Shangri-La Anthology via a WebQuest link to a wiki page on the student conclusion page.
Students will review the anthology online and submit commentary via the wiki or Edmodo.
Selected final products will be invited to post to Edmodo for sharing with other students outside
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 21
their class period. A mini-lesson on appropriate and helpful commentary using the language of
the standards will be provided to students. Student multi-media poems will be evaluated upon
their submission by the course instructor and peers in an online viewing similar to a classroom
gallery walk with each student moving through the wiki page at their own pace. Each evaluating
party will use their own rubric, and both rubrics are posted in the evaluation portion of the
WebQuest. Teacher and student rubrics consider the same criteria using the language of the
standard with the instructor rubric going into more depth. Some of the goals for students in their
multimedia poem are to include the use of descriptive techniques to convey the poem’s meaning,
compose at least three stanzas, use multimedia elements such as graphics that relate to the
writing, and apply basic design techniques. For formative learning tasks, students will be
submitting graphic organizers in the form of magic clouds for each poetic element. The magic
cloud requires students to evaluate the descriptive poetic technique used in their example poem
and discuss their thoughts with their partner. Discussion conference notes with students will also
support assessment of their progress and offer them commentary on their thoughts and work.
Students who need additional support in particular poetic elements as demonstrated through
formative assessment techniques will receive invitations to participate in small mini-lesson
groups where the instructor reinforces the instruction provided by the WebQuest. Although
students already have familiarity with descriptive poetic elements, a brief pre-test will be given
where students must define the poetry tool and attempt to use it in context since that is their
ultimate goal at the conclusion of the WebQuest. In addition, if students demonstrate an
appropriate readiness level, they can complete the WebQuest using even more challenging
poetry examples to stimulate critical thinking as directed by the instructor.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 22
Product Design
A group of twelve current students, who were selected to be a truly normed sample,
participated in a pilot of the poetry WebQuest for two hours after school in a computer lab. In
addition, two colleagues who have experience with WebQuests served as observers, and they
offered me verbal feedback based upon their observations as the students worked. Following the
WebQuest procedures, I pre-selected student WebQuest partners. The pairs went through an
abbreviated version of the WebQuest by completing its entire process learning about each
descriptive poetic element but not completing the final product because of time constraints.
However, students did review both evaluation rubrics and the WebQuest conclusion. After
completing the WebQuest, participating students filled out a brief survey that asked the
following questions and encouraged elaboration:
1) Describe what was or would be your favorite part of completing the poetry WebQuest. 2) Was your pair able to stay focused during the WebQuest? Why or why not? 3) Were the directions clear and easy to understand? 4) Do you feel that the performance task related to the standards? 5) Did the WebQuest links relate to topic and effectively help you learn? 6) Was the WebQuest easy to navigate? Could you get where you wanted to go? Describe.
The data for each question is listed below in the form of one chart and five pie graphs:
1) Describe what was or would be your favorite part of completing the poetry WebQuest.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 23
2) Was your pair able to stay focused during the WebQuest? Why or why not?
3) Were the directions clear and easy to understand?
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 24
4) Do you feel that the performance task related to the standards? 100%
5) Did the WebQuest links relate to the topic and effectively help you learn?
6) Was the WebQuest easy to navigate? Could you get where you wanted to go? Describe.
Results of the student survey and a wrap-up discussion mandated some changes to the
WebQuest. Students enjoyed all the aspects of poetry exploration available to them, but wanted
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 25
me to find additional musical resources to be added to the class wiki. An additional suggestion
involved changing the musical resources even two weeks, even after the WebQuest, to maintain
student interest and promote thinking while listening to music as well as music appreciation. A
majority of students were able to maintain their focus throughout the process, and those that did
not stated that it related to having difficulty with directions. Students suggested that I give three
separate sets of directions that introduce the simulation, explain the process, and explain the
product. All students felt that the activities in the WebQuest related to the learning standards, but
some had difficulty understanding how to use the various resources. Everyone, even those
students with the difficulties, stated they should have asked more questions of me or their
partners. The students understood the concept after I and others demonstrated the websites for
them during the debriefing. I was advised to simply watch for students using those web links to
be available for support quickly, if needed. The biggest complaint among students was the actual
design of the WebQuest, but most of them attributed the issues to Google pages. Students
complained that the WebQuest was slow to load and that they had difficulty getting around to
different areas. The feedback I received included removal of the front and back navigation
buttons, better highlighting of the Edmodo link, increased use of brighter green to help students
see what page they are on, breaking down the process pages into three distinct categories to
make them easier to read, and making sure that all links, whether words or pictures were clearly
defined in the directions. I thought all the changes were well-advised and agreed to all of them.
Coincidentally, Google pages somehow deleted my WebQuest in the days immediately
following the pilot, so I recreated the entire WebQuest using Wix as my host. My student pilot
group agreed to test the WebQuest again in the Wix format, and they concurred that all aspects
of design and navigation were improved. Students were particularly pleased with having the
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 26
three separate process pages to categorize the poetic elements and additional online resources on
the product page. Finally, students agreed that the design elements in Wix allowed the webpages
to show their features more prominently and in more vibrant colors making the whole activity
more stimulating to the mind. According to their assessments, the advertisement for Wix services
did not interfere with their learning. Making the suggested changes, including my web host,
improved student satisfaction and accessibility to the WebQuest and its information.
Reflection
Project Development
Even after reviewing example WebQuests, I was still unsure about getting various technology
tools to work together to lead students to a common goal; however, once I began the analysis,
design, and development of my WebQuest, I learned that planning a block of instructional days
centering on technology use is actually quite similar to planning for traditional classroom
learning. One still considers the same components of what he or she wants students to know and
be able to do for learning objectives, aspects of differentiation in product, process, content, and
environment, and what activities will actually pique student interest to keep them engaged in the
learning process. A complete survey of to evaluate and narrow the countless learning resources
available is also a vital part of planning for a WebQuest or the classroom. Ample time needs to
be allowed for the entire process, particularly if anyone is completing a WebQuest for the first
time as it definitely takes longer than planning for regular classroom activities. It seems that the
best WebQuests, like the best classroom lessons, give students the knowledge to complete a
relevant product that relates to learning standards by their conclusion versus the many I
reviewed that solely relied on immeasurable web exploration and what is likely limited
collaboration to determine whether students learned. Technically, it is vital for an instructor
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 27
building and implementing or even simply using a WebQuest to be familiar with the technology
involved with it, particularly with how students could use the given tools and their possible
pitfalls. It is also beneficial for students to have some practical experience with technology tools
either through consistent classroom use or prerequisite mini-lessons prior to using them as part of
a WebQuest. I considered what technology tools my students were interested in learning more
about and how I could build upon prior technical knowledge during the WebQuest so students
could learning how to effectively use technology as well as write a descriptive poem. While my
students will gain improved knowledge in multimedia tools and website evaluation through this
WebQuest, I gained at least intermediate level knowledge of building webpages in this
experience. The most important thing I learned as I developed the poetry WebQuest was how to
design my own website. Despite being extremely inconvenient, having Google pages
inadvertently deleted my WebQuest, which still has not turned up, was not the obstacle I thought
would be. Reworking my WebQuest in Wix really made all aspects of this project come together
for me. I was able to understand and apply the concept of design layers and basic design
principles as Wix is very visual with color coding to keep me aware of exactly which page layer
I am working with. Near the end of rebuilding my WebQuest, the process finally began to be fun,
and I was able to move at increasingly quicker speeds through tasks that had literally taken hours
when using Google pages for the first time. I even practiced further by adding some new
elements! It was surprising to me how much planning and web design took place on my large
piece of brown paper where I was constantly moving post-it notes from area to area. Although
that visual aspect made the webpage design process seem rather daunting, it was an
accomplished feeling each and every time I crossed something off that paper as being completed
or even elected to discard items to maintain my WebQuest’s focus. Working on one thing at a
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 28
time over a lengthy period provided plenty of time to consider my options and make informed
decisions and changes to the WebQuest throughout the entire design process, even a change in
the subject matter. In addition, I was also surprised at how I incorporated all of my learning from
this course’s Skills Assignments into my WebQuest. By the end of this project, I had designed
Word documents, made Windows movies, embedded video, and incorporated Audacity audio
recordings throughout my WebQuest. The poetry WebQuest is definitely more than just the
Internet! In fact, I would refer to it more accurately as a technology quest. Other than the fiasco
with Google pages near the conclusion of the WebQuest project, I would not change any step of
my process. If I were ever to build another WebQuest or website, I would follow my initial
instincts about added additional pages as I felt they were needed despite example templates, and
I would use Wix to host from the start!
Instructional Design
WebQuests provide appropriate scaffolding to support students in using the World Wide Web
as a valuable educational resource. As with classroom procedures, if students practice using the
WebQuest ahead of time, they are familiar with its structure, typically dictated by the page link
buttons that function the same as a classroom active lesson plan. My students and I found that the
more extensive the WebQuest, the more directions and pages are needed to keep students from
getting lost in the process. This also supported easier site navigation. It also seems that learning
in a WebQuest does not rely on computer use alone. Students should be chronicling their
learning in some form whether it is data collection in a spreadsheet, a wiki, Edmodo discussion,
or traditional pencil and paper activities. In addition, a WebQuest that works well should have
students creating a product at its conclusion versus just basic collaboration during the process or
completing a summary practice page. Although I kept scaling down my WebQuest throughout
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 29
the ADDIE process to sharpen its focus, there were certain aspects of it that still could have been
improved. The most difficult hurdle in creating a WebQuest for me was not to make it too
comprehensive as this could cause confusion (and in fact, did) for students. I could have scaled
this WebQuest even further back and focused only on figurative language or sound effects, and it
likely would have been more successful and supported deeper student immersion in the selected
topic. Better use of the backward design process would improve the instructional design of my
WebQuest, but in retrospect, I think I was a little more intimidated by the actual web design
process causing me to focus more on that area of the project versus the instructional planning. I
selected my multimedia elements based upon whether or not they directly supplemented student
learning within the WebQuest. All of the videos I selected provided additional instruction and
visual elements centered on the concepts being covered on a particular process page. Perhaps my
multimedia selections would have been improved by being shorter as one of them was nine
minutes long, and I would consider added multimedia elements of the selected example poems
on a supplementary link to support ELL’s and marginal learners through the class wiki. Finally,
I would want to provide more challenging elements within the WebQuest for more advanced
students in my next attempt.
Personal Growth
Despite the difficulty of this project, it truly supported my personal and professional growth. I
learned that even a true web design novice can use once of the free WYSIWYG web hosting
sites to build a better-than-basic webpage. Some of the more practice knowledge I gained was in
basic design principles, which has provided me with a more informed and critical view of the
World Wide Web. While I did not think my planning skills would ever improve, this project
managed it since it was so comprehensive and took place over such as long time period. While I
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 30
would get a little frustrated when I thought that I had certain aspects of the project completely
finished, I managed to allow myself enough time to simply move on and get the job done. The
WebQuest project reiterated the importance of planning ahead and staying on task. As a teacher,
I found new and innovative ways to incorporate technology into student learning and make it the
primary instead of the secondary ingredient. I also learned about many new ways to use student
interest in technology to get them more involved and responsible in their own learning. As a
technology facilitator, the WebQuest project forced me to troubleshoot a horde of technical
issues, both great and small, throughout the entire process. In every instance, the obstacle turned
out to be a personal learning experience that allowed me to expand my technological knowledge.
Often, I would quickly apply my newfound learning in my daily professional or personal life.
Ultimately, the project was challenging for me because I truly had to teach myself how to do it as
I went. There was minimal instruction given throughout the course in how to complete the
WebQuest outside of WebQuest reviews and the helpful Skills Assignments that focused on
specific technology applications for the product. Until recently, I was afraid that I had picked up
very little knowledge, but being able to recreate my WebQuest so easily in Wix while
simultaneously understanding and explaining what I was doing has been the most accomplished
learning I have experienced in some time.
Consideration of Others
If any colleagues were going to create their own WebQuest from scratch with no experience
and no fill-in-the-blank template, I would advise them to spend some time reviewing the
WebQuests of others online using WebQuest.org and maintaining a pros and cons list that details
all the aspects you like and all those that you find less than appealing. Having that knowledge
was one of the best ways for me to get started on this project. I would encourage others to take
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 31
time to research several web-hosting sites and practice setting up dummy pages in them to
determine which one is the easiest to use and can be adapted to your needs. New WebQuest
authors should be more concerned about ease of use versus how much audio or video a free web-
hosting site will accommodate. To keep your frustration level down, you want to be able to work
with your web host not let it work you over. In that vein, I would highly recommend Wix for
beginners. Unlike Google pages, they have a visual working environment that actually supports
users in their web design. There are subject-area linked videos that provide visuals and complete
explanations in steps on how to design and implement your webpage. Customer service is easily
accessible, even to free users, and if Wix is unable to do something, the site actually explains
why or states when they hope to have the feature available. Finally, use backward design
principles to keep your WebQuest focused on the student objectives and learning process from
the beginning. Use it with the large piece of butcher paper divided into sections with post-it notes
as suggested by Williams and Tollet. The giant page sounds like a gigantic waste of time, but it
will help you to see what you are doing, what you need to do, how your pages relate, and most
importantly, what you need to leave out. Remember to stay focused on your ultimate goal and
approach the WebQuest in baby steps, use available professional and personal resources, and
most importantly, realize that learning how to build a WebQuest can be as much fun as it a
challenge that will make you feel as though you have achieved mightily by its completion.
SHANGRI-LA POETRY WEBQUEST 32
References
Dodge, B. (2008, October 28). Webquest.org: Home. Retrieved from http://www.webquest.org/
Lexile-to-grade correspondence. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/grade-equivalent/grade-equivalent-chart/
Williams, R., & Tollett, J. (2006). The non-designer\'s web book. California: Peachpit Press.