Restaurant WebQuest
http://createwebquest.com/mhtetovoyahoocom/restaurant-opening
Describe: This artifact is a WebQuest that I designed for one of the classes in the TESOL Principals and Practices of Online Teaching Certificate program. This WebQuest is designed to give second year EFL university students with an intermediate to advanced intermediate level of English studying global economics a creative way to practice their English in a real-world application. It allows them the opportunity to work collaboratively and to speak, read, write and listen in English. Two focus areas for second year EFL students are visiting a restaurant and healthy living. I implemented the project with this class in the spring semester. I have only used it once, but I would use it again if the opportunity arises. I posted the link on the class blog and asked the students to review prior to class. Over several class periods, we looked at each aspect of the WebQuest, and they were given time to work on some of the different tasks with their team members. Additionally, we watched a TED Talk about a sustainable restaurant, they used real menus to answer and ask comprehension questions and they worked in groups to participate in a restaurant role play.
Analyze: A WebQuest is an ideal way for students to work collaboratively either face-to-face or at a distance. As this project is designed, students assume a role and then research and complete the assigned tasks. Once everyone is finished, they can put everything together in a presentation which could be done in a classroom setting or videoed and downloaded for all classmates to watch. Since the project has specific requirements, students are able to think critically, to develop academic vocabulary, to apply their business and economics knowledge and to choose a restaurant cuisine that is culturally interesting and relevant to them. This aspect of the project meets the requirements of Collier’s Prism Model.
Appraise: On the exit slips for this project, the students overwhelmingly stated that they enjoyed this project. They liked being able to work with their classmates to create a restaurant of their choice, to present their ideas to the class and to see what the other groups had done. This assignment proved to be successful because the students had specific guidelines, but it allowed them lots of choices in completing the project.
Transform: Overall I was pleased with my first attempt at creating a WebQuest. This was an activity that I had wanted to do for many years, but I never knew how to go about it. I had used other WebQuests that I found on line, so this was an exciting achievement for me. I will definitely create more WebQuests in the future. In regards to the students, even though I had stressed explicitly about taking things from the Internet without citing sources, I still had some groups using things they found without giving credit. Additionally, I was a little disappointed that they weren’t as creative and original as I had anticipated. To improve this WebQuest, I would include a menu template for them to use which would discourage downloading menus available and using them for their own purposes. The project included a broadcast type advertisement (radio or television), and I specifically stated that I wanted the recorded version. One group wrote a radio commercial but didn’t record it. The other three groups only created a print advertisement. On several occasions, I asked if they needed help recording their work, but they said no. For the future use of this WebQuest, I would provide training on Audacity and allow them time in class to create their recordings.