Teacher Process
Project Implementation and Results
The class that completed this WebQuest spent about 30 minutes in the computer lab. However, this was after they finished learning about most of the parts of speech in depth in the classroom. In the computer lab, the students completed the first two steps, and some began the third - creating their MadLib story. All the students were then given more time in the classroom to finish writing their own stories. After they finished writing their MadLib stories, the teacher took them back to the computer lab at a later date for them to type up the stories, so they could all be compiled into a book.
The main problem I encountered was that many of the students did not want to actually read the information in each section, especially the Task section. Even after the importance of this was stressed to them, many just scrolled down to the very bottom, expecting instructions and asking what they should do next without doing any of the supporting activities in between. Finally, the main teacher and I set up certain checkpoints for them (the online game, online MadLib, and then creating their own MadLib), and made sure they completed each one, while reading all the information in between.
It was evident that participating in the WebQuest did help the students learn the different parts of speech. Many of them used the parts of speech correctly in their own MadLibs, and when completing each others' as a class and in small groups were able to correctly name words of the different parts of speech. Furthermore, most students' stories fulfilled the length requirement and made as much sense as possible, since it contained missing words.
This WebQuest can be modified to better suit the needs of different teachers. For example, games about each part of speech can be played, and the guidelines for the students' MadLibs can be changed to better suit students with different learning styles.