A bank of inquiry based lessons posted on the World Wide Web in which all or part of the information comes from the Internet.
One of the proudest accomplishments I have ever done was a webquest for social studies, which I implemented during last year's practicum (last March, actually). Though it may have been a while back, I feel it deserves a piece in my art portfolio because it did take a long time to plan and produce it using a webpage design program I needed to re-learn, and at the same time it is a great example of how to: 1) effectively use the visual medium (the internet) to implement meaningful lessons; and 2) get students to do an art project that is research-based.
I am extremely proud of it, and if only we had the chance to be able to do webquests for our practicums this year, I would. Unfortunately, computers are not readily available and students only have one period a week for it. Not all students have computers with internet connections in their homes, either.
The webquest is self-explanatory. The job for the students is to "research the many symbols that have come to represent [Canada]." This particular project is very visual, indeed. It takes a look at pictures and images as important historical symbols.
In the course of Canada's history, the country has moved from the British Union Jack to the Maple Leaf. A lot of history and events influenced this transition, and students, in their groups, have to research this as well.
Finally, their final task, after gathering as much knowledge as they can, is to use the design process to create a new design for the Canadian flag.
The WebQuest is available by clicking on this link:
http://www.geocities.com/ramon_toralba/WebQuest/index.htm
The students I taught last practicum enjoyed this webquest tremendously. It took two weeks for the project to be completed, and, while I had to make revisions to the requirements of the assignment (a lot of the useful websites were unfortunately blocked by the Winnipeg School Division webfilter), the resulting art projects -- the flags -- were very unique and showed that the students did learn something from the lesson.
"Mr. Speaker, it is for this generation, for this Parliament, to give them and to give us all a common flag; a flag which, while bringing together but rising above the landmarks and milestones of the past, will say proudly to the world and to the future: 'I stand for Canada.'"
- Lester B. Pearson
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