Advertisement

Journal of Computing in Higher Education

, Volume 21, Issue 3, pp 218–234 | Cite as

Scaffolding preservice teachers’ WebQuest design: a qualitative study

  • Feng Wang
  • Michael J. Hannafin
Article
First Online:

Abstract

This study examined how participating preservice teachers reported their perceptions and use of different scaffolds provided to support their WebQuest design. Sixteen preservice teachers participated in a succession of course activities designed to guide WebQuest design and development. Results indicated that while participants followed, adapted, and combined many scaffolds as they designed their WebQuests, they discounted other design supports as redundant, unnecessary, or too time-consuming. Implications for research and practice are described.

Keywords

Scaffolding WebQuest Teacher education Preservice teachers Technology integration 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Janette Hill, Chandra Orrill, and Thomas Reeves for their review feedback on early drafts of this manuscript.

References

  1. Almeida, C., Viseu, F., & da Ponte, J. P. (2004). Reflections of a student teacher on the construction and implementation of a WebQuest for teaching 7th grade statistics. Paper presented at the society for information technology and teacher education international conference 2004, Atlanta, GA.Google Scholar
  2. Arhar, J., Koontz, T., & Hill, J. (2002). Linking middle childhood teacher candidates to the authentic use of technology in the classroom. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 19(2), 47–53.Google Scholar
  3. Azevedo, R., Cromley, J. G., & Seibert, D. (2004). Does adaptive scaffolding facilitate students’ ability to regulate their learning with hypermedia? Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29(3), 344–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Chuo, T.-W. I. (2004). The effect of the WebQuest writing instruction on EFL learners’ writing performance, writing apprehension, and perception. Unpublished dissertation, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA.Google Scholar
  5. Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused: Computers in the classroom. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
  6. Dobson, M. C. (2003). Preparing teachers to use technology: The WebQuest in the secondary English language arts methods classroom. Unpublished dissertation, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI.Google Scholar
  7. Dodge, B. (1995). Some thoughts about WebQuests. The Distance Educator, 1(3), 12–15.Google Scholar
  8. Dodge, B. (1997). Building blocks of a WebQuest. Retrieved Sept 29, 2006, from http://www.internet4classrooms.com/buildingblocks.htm.
  9. Dodge, B. (2001a). Five rules for writing a great WebQuest. Learning & Leading with Technology, 28(8), 6–9.Google Scholar
  10. Dodge, B. (2001b). A rubric for evaluating WebQuests. Retrieved June 8, 2006, from http://Webquest.sdsu.edu/Webquestrubric.html.
  11. Dodge, B. (2002). WebQuest taskonomy: A taxonomy of tasks. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html.
  12. Dodge, B. (2004). The WebQuest design process. Retrieved Jan. 26, 2006, from http://webquest.sdsu.edu/designsteps/index.html.
  13. Doering, A., Hughes, J., & Huffman, D. (2003). Preservice teachers: Are we thinking with technology? Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(3), 342–361.Google Scholar
  14. Draper, R. J., Smith, L., & Sabey, B. (2004). Supporting change in teacher education: Using technology as a tool to enhance problem-based learning. Computers in the Schools, 21(1/2), 25–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration? Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4), 25–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Frazee, J. P. (2004). WebQuest design strategies: A case study measuring the effect of the jigsaw method on students’ personal agency beliefs, engagement, and learning. Unpublished dissertation, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.Google Scholar
  17. Gillingham, M. G., & Topper, A. (1999). Technology in teacher preparation: Preparing teachers for the future. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 7(4), 303–321.Google Scholar
  18. Greene, B. A., & Land, S. M. (2000). A qualitative analysis of scaffolding use in a resource-based learning environment involving the world-wide Web. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 23(2), 151–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Hannafin, M. J., Land, S. M., & Oliver, K. (1999). Student-centered learning environments. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. II, pp. 115–140). Mahway, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
  20. Jonassen, D. H., Howland, J., Moore, J., & Marra, R. M. (2003). Learning to solve problems with technology: A constructivist perspective (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
  21. King, K. P. (2003). The WebQuest as a means of enhancing computer efficacy. Washington, DC: Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED474439).Google Scholar
  22. Kundu, R., & Bain, C. (2006). WebQuests: Utilizing technology in a constructivist manner to facilitate meaningful preservice learning. Art Education, 59(2), 6–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Lamb, A., & Teclehaimanot, B. (2005). A decade of WebQuests: A retrospective. In M. Orey, J. McClendon, & R. M. Branch (Eds.), Educational media and technology yearbook (Vol. 30). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.Google Scholar
  24. Leahy, M., & Twomey, D. (2005). Using web design with pre-service teachers as a means of creating a collaborative learning environment. Educational Media International, 42(2), 143–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Lim, B.-R. (2001). Guidelines for designing inquiry-based learning on the Web: Online professional development of educators. Unpublished dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.Google Scholar
  26. MacGregor, S. K., & Lou, Y. (2005). Web-based learning: How task scaffolding and web site design support knowledge acquisition. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37(2), 161–175.Google Scholar
  27. March, T. (2004). The learning power of WebQuests. Educational Leadership, 61(4), 42–47.Google Scholar
  28. Menchaca, M., & McVicker, B. (2003). Scaffolding WebQuest creation for experienced teachers. Paper presented at the 2003 society for information technology and teacher education international conference, Albuquerque, NM.Google Scholar
  29. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.Google Scholar
  30. Milson, A. J. (2001). Engaging students in historical inquiry using Internet resources. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the national council for the social studies, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
  31. Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2003). Not “what” but “how”: Becoming design-wise about educational technology. In Y. Zhao (Ed.), What should teachers know about technology? (pp. 99–122). Greenwich, CN: Information Age.Google Scholar
  32. Oliver, K., & Hannafin, M. J. (2000). Student management of Web-based hypermedia resources during open-ended problem solving. Journal of Educational Research, 94(2), 75–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Orme, M. P., & Monroe, E. E. (2005). The nature of discourse as students collaborate on a mathematics WebQuest. Computers in the Schools, 22(1), 135–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
  35. Peterson, C. L., & Koeck, D. C. (2001). When students create their own WebQuests. Learning and Leading with Technology, 29(1), 10–15.Google Scholar
  36. Puntambekar, S., & Hubscher, R. (2005). Tools for scaffolding students in a complex learning environment: What have we gained and what have we missed? Educational Psychologist, 40(1), 1–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Roberts, L. M. (2005). The WebQuest creation process: A case study of preservice teachers working individualistically and collaboratively. Unpublished dissertation, The University of Akron, Akron, OH.Google Scholar
  38. Russell, M., Bebell, D., O’Dwyer, L., & O’Connor, K. (2003). Examining teacher technology use: Implications for preservice and inservice teacher preparation. Journal of Teacher Education, 54(4), 297–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Saye, J. W., & Brush, T. (2002). Scaffolding critical reasoning about history and social issues in multimedia-supported learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 77–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Schrum, L. (1999). Technology professional development for teachers. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 83–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Sharma, P. (2001). The evolution of critical thinking and use of scaffolding in a technology-mediated learning environment: An exploratory study. Unpublished dissertation, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.Google Scholar
  42. Sluijsmans, D., Dochy, F., & Moerkerke, G. (1999). Creating a learning environment by using self-, peer- and co-assessment. Learning Environments Research, 1, 293–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Stohr-Hunt, P., & Joyce, K. (2003). WebQuest design and development: Pedagogy for meeting NETS for preservice teachers. In C. Crawford, D. Willis, R. Carlsen, I. Gibson, K. McFerrin, J. Price, & R. Weber (Eds.), Proceedings of society for information technology and teacher education international conference 2003 (pp. 2794–2797). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.Google Scholar
  44. Summerville, J. (2000). WebQuests. TechTrends, 44(2), 31–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. US Department of Education. (2003). Federal funding for educational technology and how it is used in the classroom: A summary of findings from the integrated studies of educational technology. Washington, DC: Office of the Under Secretary, Policy and Program Studies Service.Google Scholar
  46. Wang, F., & Reeves, T. C. (2003). Why do teachers need to use technology in their classrooms? Issues, problems, and solutions. Computers in the Schools, 20(4), 49–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Watson, K. L. (1999). WebQuests in the middle school curriculum: Promoting technological literacy in the classroom. Meridian: A Middle School Computer Technologies Journal. Retrieved Feb 5, 2006 from http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/jul99/webquest/index.html [Electronic Version].
  48. Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 17(2), 89–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Yoder, M. B. (1999). The student WebQuest: A productive and thought-provoking use of the Internet. Learning & Leading with Technology, 26(7), 6–53.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Mount Saint Mary CollegeNewburghUSA
  2. 2.University of GeorgiaAthensUSA

Personalised recommendations

Cite article

Buy options