WebQuest

=**//WebQuest//**=

//Cloning: A Debate//: []

media type="file" key="definition of webquest.mp3" width="240" height="20"

__Project Description__

This WebQuest expands on the students' introduction to cloning by incorporating bioethics and debate. The topic was easy to determine as my students constantly had questions about cloning as soon as the term DNA was introduced. This WebQuest seeks to correct much of the misinformation about cloning, while also helping students draw their own conclusions about the ethical nature of the process.

The culminating activity in the WebQuest is a debate in which students are randomly assigned to a group that is either for or against cloning. Using the information gathered on the WebQuest and the guiding questions, students are expected to debate and defend their position.

__Reflection__
This assignment was helpful in that it forced me to experiment with WebQuests, something that I had always considered to be “old-fashioned” and decidedly not aligned with the vision of Web 2.0. I quickly discovered that many of the WebQuests were simply poorly designed and that a well-designed WebQuest could easily help students become 21st century learners.

The most difficult aspect of designing the WebQuest was undoubtedly narrowing and selecting the resources the students would use to formulate their debate positions and rebuttals. With a topic such as cloning, it quickly became apparent that many resources were riddled with bias and therefore not appropriate for this assignment. When I introduce this WebQuest to my classes, I intend to introduce the concept of bias and have a mini-lesson on bias so the students can begin to learn to “read between the lines” and assess an author’s purpose for writing and publishing a particular work.