Webquest case study pro forma
Cath Mills – George Spencer school, Nottingham
Subject area:Modern Foreign Languages – French.
Topic: Faire de la Montgolfière – A hot air balloon ride. This topic correlates to the family and personal relationships topics at KS4.
Age range of class: 14 – 16.
Profile of ability range of class: This case study is based upon work with students of a high ability in Year 10. The same webquest has been successfully used by teachers with students of a lower ability.
Why did you choose to offer a webquest instead of an alternative method of delivery?
By recognising the different ways students learn and then providing them with appropriate opportunities, all students can access the curriculum. The WebQuest model allows students to have more control over their learning experience, and it allows the teacher to act as a facilitator. Students tend to work more independently, only asking for help from the teacher when required.
As a teacher, I was constantly looking for new methods to build learning power amongst the students and to encourage them to develop their own learning toolkits with strategies that exploit the way in which they learn. Learners need to be able to think strategically about not just what, but how they are learning. ‘Learning how to learn’ prepares them for a rapidly changing world. They will need to constantly learn new skills in order to adapt to an evolving job market. We have the responsibility as teachers of developing them to become life-long learners and the webquest model encourages this.
Using the WebQuest model allowed me to work with the students in a different way inside the classroom to encourage other elements of performance such as the use of target language communication. It increased student motivation as they sought to solve a problem using everyday resources in the target language. It generated interest in France and increased their cultural knowledge. It brought the language learning experience alive.
Details of the webquest used (inc. web address)
In groups of 4 or 5 as designated by the teacher, students were required to researcha balloon trip for 5 people. Each group appointed a co-ordinator to lead the project andhad to address all the issues raised in the ‘task’ section.This comprised:
- Arranging for them to meet in France – where, when and how?
- Arrange a hot air balloon trip – where? What are the costs?
- Pair up some of the couples on the trip and justify reasons.
- Take on the role of one of the people on the trip.
- Decide who to throw out of the hot air balloon when difficulties arise.
- Research the history of hot air ballooning in France
Students were allocated computers per group and had four lessons of sixty minutes to complete the work. They had to refer to the evaluation sheet to ensure they were completing tasks correctly (see link for more details). I introduced some peer evaluation of individual performance within the group to ensure all group members made an equal contribution to the webquest project. Students also emailed observations and work to me at various stages to allow me to monitor their progress.
Following the end of the project, students presented their findings to the group, justifying all decisions made. This gave an opportunity to students to build transferable skills by giving group presentationsin the target language.
Quotes from students/staff
“I want to be able to read and write real French and not just the French in text books”
(student, KingEdwardVIISchool, Melton Mowbray)
“WebQuests can bring the language learning experience alive, taking students anywhere in the world” (staff, GeorgeSpencerSchool, Nottingham)
“We will be learning using real French instead of reading things that have been made up for schools” (student, KingEdwardVIISchool, Melton Mowbray)
“WebQuests allow for the current shift from teacher towards facilitator and for the focus to change from teaching towards learning” (Catherine Mills, GeorgeSpencerSchool, Nottingham)
“A cross-curricular WebQuest is an ideal CPD opportunity for staff wishing to take on a whole-school focus project.” ( Catherine Mills, GeorgeSpencerSchool, Nottingham)