WebQuest

"A WebQuest is an inquiry oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. These can be created using various programs, including a simple word processing document that includes links to websites."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebQuest

WebQuest is a problem solving learning that is one of the inquiries based learning example. It is based on searching on different source on the Net certain information that helps in solving certain problem.

I do a project in an interesting topic to show to the students. That contains five basic steps of the WebQuest. I started it with an introduction contained a problems. Then when I show the project to student I asked them to solve the problem by working in groups and I asked each group certain task to do. After that I give each person in group a task like search the information, collected them and organized them to do the process step. Then in the evaluation step I evaluate the task they are doing. At the end I do the conclusion step by give each group some smile faces for their work.

I was chosen WebQuest because that has some advantages like:

v Internet sites are pre-selected so students don’t waste time searching.

v Students can have higher level thinking to process information.

v Ease of use net.

v Students can learn in pairs or group.

v Scaffolding provided within the lesson can help lower learners catch up.

http://sd71.bc.ca/sd71/edulinks/workshop/webquest.pdf

Inquiry based learning

"Inquiry-based learning is an instructional style based on the idea that learning may be facilitated by giving students the opportunity to explore an idea or question on their own. To arrive at an answer or to better understand the concept, students often collect and analyze data."

http://www.education.com/definition/inquirybased-learning/

Student centered learning is related with modern teaching strategies like, Authentic learning, Active learning, problem based learning, Project based learning and Inquiry based learning. And I will discuss in this section Inquiry based learning (IBL).

From the definition of  IBL as I understood I can say this IBL is an information processing model. Student can used this model when they have questions or problems so they will search and collect for answers, reflect and analysis on what they find, integrate the information they find with their knowledge then conclusion the information.

There are many benefit of  IBL for the student like:

•   Reach to high thinking.
•  Learn how to analyze problems.
•  Learn how to solve problems.
•   Build new knowledge from previous knowledge.
•  Build self directed learning skills.

There is some example of IBL that can help teacher when he teaches students in different level. They are Super3, Big6 and Web Quest. Super3 and Big6 they are similar in analyze problem and solve it by follow series steps but Super3 can used for children to solve problem in 3 steps. Also student can use Web Quest when they want to know specific topic by using World Wide Web.

At the end we need to know more about example of IBL. To used it in teaching and learn it to student to use them when they want to solve any problem.