This document summarizes a group's evaluation of several WebQuests according to how well they could be applied in a Philippine classroom setting and how efficiently they make use of classroom time. The group identified the Landfills and Poetry of War WebQuests as the best choices because they are relevant to Philippine issues and can be completed in one class period. They noted the John Wilkes Booth and Ancient Egypt WebQuests as poorer choices because their topics are too narrow or could be completed without using online resources. The document also reflects that while technology is useful, the primary purpose of a WebQuest is educational content, not just technology use.

1. Process:
We formed our group because we have worked well together before. We are seated at the same
row in the MITC. Problems I, Laura, encountered was internet connection lost because of the heavy
rains, so it was a good thing I already loaded the pages and evaluated some of the WebQuests early. I,
Ada, found it hard to assume the roles specified. This problem is related to our lack of groupmates, but
upon asking others, they did not know what role to take, nor did they give updates, so we did not
consider them part of the group. The announcement about WebQuests was made while the class was
distracted with the html work, so it was a good thing the WebQuest instructions were uploaded in the
edu20 site.
Output:
WebQuest Strengths Weaknesses
John Wilkes Booth -clear objective -takes a lot of time to accomplish
-gives all the necessary -the evaluation of the output relies
information heavily on the teacher’s perspective
-credible links, maps, and pictures -the topic is too specific to one historical
-difficult to cheat in this activity character
Landfills -very collaborative -very hypothetical
-raises awareness on -does not maximize the use of the
environmental issues internet
Ancient Egypt -relies heavily on technology (gave -more emphasis on the presentation
links with credible information) rather than on the content
-collaborative -room for “free riders”
-gives instruction on the
technology being used
Creative Encounters -very high-order thinking skills are -the resource sites given were boring
required -the activity may be accomplished
-task designation is clear individually
-gives instruction on the -individual tasks may be too specifically
technology being used stated
Poetry of War -requires the skill of composition -the activity could have stood alone
-difficult to cheat in this activity (even without the links given, the
students could have created a poem
about war)
-does not use the skill of evaluation
Our group evaluated the WebQuests according to how they could be applied in the Philippine
setting. Also, since we are to use WebQuests in the classroom (which is why are studying them), we
tried to see how they could be used in the schools here, and how students could benefit from them. We
also took into consideration the amount of time needed to accomplish the WeQuests since time is a very
important factor when teaching and discussing lessons.
• 2 Best: Landfills (relevant to current issues on waste disposal and pollution), Poetry of War
(can be accomplished in one class meeting, the theme is part of Philippine history)

2. • 2 Worst: John Wilkes Booth (specific to American history, and to one historical character only),
Ancient Egypt (it would have been better if the subject of the brochure were Philippine Heritage
Sites or Landmarks; moreover, the activity can be done even if it is taken out of the WebQuest
format)
Reflection:
• There cannot be a “best WebQuest” because there are different factors for the teacher to
consider when using the WebQuests. There are only WebQuests with different objectives.
• The web is a great tool for easy access to different kinds of resources such as videos, articles,
pictures, lists, graphs, etc.
• WebQuests enable the teacher to control the students’ internet use. He/she can already provide
and specify the resources they are to consult.
• WebQuests, from the name itself, should depend on technology to be accomplished. If the
WebQuest activities can be accomplished without the students' use of the internet, then it
defeats the purpose of a WebQuest.
Attachments:
ROLE: THE EFFICIENCY EXPERT
You value time a great deal. You believe that too much time is wasted in today's
classrooms on unfocused activity and learners not knowing what they should be doing at
a given moment. To you, a good WebQuest is one that delivers the most learning bang
for the buck. If it's a short, unambitious activity that teaches a small thing well, then you
like it. If it's a longterm activity, it had better deliver a deep understanding of the topic it
covers, in your view.
WebQuest Strengths Weaknesses
John Wilkes Booth -all links are there; many links -what is required is very subjective to
because of the amount of material the teacher's perception despite the
that must be studied rubric
-many of the linked pages do not -writing the diary takes a lot of time,
contain text that is too long especially with the many aspects of
-one clear objective that is actually Booth's life to consider
complex: to write a diary that -the language objective with the chosen
reflects John Wilkes' Booth's topic that can be boring; too much time
character and the missing portion to read the resources just to write a diary
of his diary -needs a mastery of language,
-with enough time, the students interpretation, and creativity
read about a lot of historical
events: Civil War, assassination,
biography of Booth
Landfills -did its objective: to assess landfill -process page contains what is in intro
locations (redundant)

3. -too much waste of time with choices of
sites and discussions as a group
-very hypothetical with the issue of
finance
Ancient Egypt -accomplished objective of -not all the students will be able to really
(best for efficiency learning about Egypt research on each special topics of Egypt
expert) -reporting and brochures give -peer evaluation gives more credibility
opportunities for showing to judgment, but presentation style and
creativity and students can learn entertainment could distract from
more about Egypt (like those content and credibility of experts
things they missed) through what
the other groups will discuss
-takes much time to search for
sources, read, note down, assess,
create the presentation, and
practice how to present, but lets
students have a broad and
thorough knowledge of Egypt
Creative Encounters -good that it gives already the -too much time to have individual
needed probe questions when research, then assigning of roles and
studying the different number keeping those roles when reading about
systems the different number systems and
processing the HOTS just to learn about
the base 10 number system
Poetry of War -interesting theme of war to -too many resources to read just so
(worst for efficiency capture attention of students students make a poem
expert) -history and language integration -too much time wasted for the objective
of “poetry for expression”
ROLE: THE TECHNOPHILE
You love this internet thang. To you, the best WebQuest is one that makes the best use of
the technology of the Web. If a WebQuest has attractive colors, animated gifs, and lots
of links to interesting sites, you love it. If it makes minimal use of the Web, you'd rather
use a worksheet.
WebQuest Strengths Weaknesses
John Wilkes Booth -credible maps and pictures -not a very attractive topic
-lots of links that are all there that -the colors chosen for the site aren't very
the student can use engaging
-interesting topic of an -the resources could be taken from
assassination that students can libraries or printed out, the internet just
speculate on makes it easier to access
-use their creativity in writing -diary is not specifically using
technology: pictures are hand-drawn

4. Landfills -nice humorous pictures in the site -blue and white site too bright
(worst for -pictures too small, should be bigger
technophile) -almost no use of technology for
research or output
-can be presented by teacher without any
use of computer, just print-outs
Ancient Egypt -love the pictures -a resource gives sample Ancient Egypt
(best for -with animated gif files PowerPoint slides which can easily be
technophile) -short texts plagiarized y the students
-includes video resources -many aspects of Egypt have to be
-links are interesting looked at and the number of slides is
-uses technology for presentation limiting
(PowerPoint slides)
-tutorial for PowerPoint
presentations included
Creative Encounters -colorful site with nice background -presentation can be in Excel and
and buttons PowerPoint, but can be through poster or
-with animated gif files book
-gives instruction on using word, -the resource sites are boring to look at
the internet's back button, and how because the pictures aren't very colorful
to save the file to navigate or interesting
technology
-many links that have the needed
information
Poetry of War -interesting and haunting pictures -resource links are boring to read
-color scheme of site fits the war because of the lack of pictures
theme -resource materials could just be printed,
use of technology limited
ROLE: THE AFFILIATOR
The Affiliator: To you, the best learning activities are those in which students learn to
work together. WebQuests that force collaboration and create a need for discussion and
consensus are the best in your view. If a WebQuest could be done by a student working
alone, it leaves you cold.
WebQuest Strengths Weaknesses
John Wilkes Booth -the information provided are very - although the WebQuest advices the
insightful and will enable the students to discuss with others their
student to perform the assigned thoughts on John Wilkes Booth and the
task Civil War before proceeding to writing
-helpful tips are given so as to their diary entries, some students can
ensure that the student has the right still do the WebQuest alone, especially if
schema to accomplish the they are the type who prefer to work
WebQuest individually. They can still look at the

5. clues given and come up with the diary
entry even without discussing with
others, although the task may become
harder for them.
Landfills -the approach of the WebQuest is -since the activity will be concluded
the class as a part a Commissioners through an election for the most
Court. This gives much room and appropriate site, some may not work as
need to discuss amongst diligently as the others on the
themselves the appropriate site to WebQuest. They may rely on the other
choose while raising their members of the class to reach a decision.
awareness on problems regarding
landfills.
Ancient Egypt -the number of people in the group -the required contribution for each
and the required task for each member is no less than 2 slides each.
member is specified Since this is the case, some members of
-this activity requires smaller the group may opt to just take the
groups, which in principle, should responsibilities of the others if they do
be easier to manage not cooperate.
Creative Encounters -the task is fairly challenging -students may tend to focus too much on
(best for affiliator) which may compel the students to their own tasks within the group which
really help each other as a group may hinder cooperation and
-roles and tasks of each group collaboration
member are specified
Poetry of War - students may ask each other for - the task entails the students to research
(worst for affiliator) help in understanding the poems poems individually
better -there is little room for collaboration. It
is more of an intrapersonal activity.
ROLE: THE ALTITUDINIST
The Altitudinist: Higher level thinking is everything to you. There's too much emphasis
on factual recall in schools today. The only justification for bringing technology into
schools is if it opens up the possibility that students will have to analyze information,
synthesize multiple perspectives, and take a stance on the merits of something. You also
value sites that allow for some creative expression on the part of the learner.
WebQuest Strengths Weaknesses
John Wilkes Booth -the activity challenges students to -some may just copy and paste the
really research and make sense of information they get from the many
the clues given to them in order to sources given if they do not find the
come up with a realistic diary entry activity motivating
Landfills -students have to really evaluate -some students may not participate in
and discuss which among the 3 the discussion and collaboration. They
could be the most appropriate site might just go with what the majority

6. to be chosen for the landfill. They chooses.
cannot just randomly choose a site.
Ancient Egypt -students are able to learn more -the activity requires students to make a
(worst for about Egypt travel brochure, which doesn’t entail
altitudinist) -students are to make a creative much analysis of the information given
output based on their learnings to them, just synthesis.
Creative Encounters -the students really have to think of -each student has a specific task to
(best for altitudinist) a numerical system based on the fulfill. This may limit their exploration
circumstances given to them of the data and information they are to
-the required output is challenging, analyze.
analytical, and creative
Poetry of War - the WebQuest requires the -the students do not necessarily have to
students to come up with a creative take a stance on the poems they are to
output read. They are just to make a poem out
-they are to make a new poem out of them.
of the poems they are to read