Urban Planning Course Design WebQuest
An Internet WebQuest on Course Design

created by Dafne Gonzalez
Universidad Simon Bolivar

Introduction | The Task | The Process & Resources | Evaluation | HyperText Dictionary

Introduction

 When we study complex topics,  there's usually a lot more to a topic that we don't learn about after only a quick exploration.

This is particularly true when we use the Internet for our research because many people post their personal opinions or only know a sliver of the whole story. In the following WebQuest, you will use the power of teamwork and the abundant resources on the Internet to learn all about designing an Urban Planning course. Each person on your team will learn one piece of the puzzle and then you will come together to get a better understanding of the topic.

 

The Quest

The University of "Cyberland" is going to incorporate Urban Planning in its Undergraduate Program.  Your group has been hired by this new university, to design a 4-week introductory course, to be offered to students finishing their high-school. The university officers want to motivate these students into the UP field. Your group will be competing with other groups, so, you will have to present a complete and motivating design. 



The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will present a program. As a member of the group, you will explore Webpages related to your field.  Because these are real Webpages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the vocabulary used might challenge you. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom.

You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic.

During the f2f class you will meet with your group to discuss ideas. In the online classes you will be using the chat to keep the discussion going, and will post your conclusions from the f2f class in Moodle. Each group will have a Wiki for collaborative work, and each person will create a blog for individual work. 

You will have the whole trimester to work on this project. The project has been divided into steps, but you are welcome to modify the proposed timetable. By the end of the trimester you will present your project to the rest of the group.

Phase 1 - Background: The Program (syllabus) -

Weeks 1- 3

  1. Decide who you will be working with (3-4 people)
  2. Brainstorm on a title for your Course (you can do this on your group wiki)
  3. Write an introduction to justify the importance of the course
  4. Surf the Web to find as many Web pages as possible related to Urban Planning. If everybody in the group finds 3-4 pages you will have from 9 to 16 pages in total.
  5. Each person will write a short description about the contents of the pages (to be posted on individual blogs)
  6. Discuss these contents with the whole group and decide which pages should be used. The URL's of Web pages of your interest should be added to your wiki, so everybody has access to them. During the process you might need the pages you discarded and you might need more (always keep the URL's handy).
  7. Classify your pages according to topic or purpose (Journals, Dictionaries, History, etc)
  8. Make a list of unknown vocabulary and post it to the Glossary available in Moodle. Follow the instructions given (you should keep adding to this Glossary until your project is finished).
  9. As a group, write:
    • The course main  objectives
    • Target audience

Two Web pages to get started: 

 

Weeks 4-6

  1. Once you have studied the material found, and using your own experience and knowledge, you are ready to:
        •  discuss the content of your course 
        •  write the specific objectives
        • describe the methodology of the course
        • write guidelines for students' performance and course evaluation
        • write the references (resources)
  2. Once all this is done, write the whole  program, and post it to the corresponding forum in Moodle (to be informed). You can make a Web page, or use any other electronic means to present your program (even a Power Point presentation).

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives- Designing units

Weeks 7-9
  1.  Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will design one of the units in the content. In this way, your program will have 2 or 3 sample units to show to the University of Cyberland, together with your Program.
  2. Your unit will be made up of the following sections:
        • Introduction
        • Objectives
        • Content
        • Activities
        • Resources
        • Evaluation
        • References
  3. You will be working on your blog if you work individually, if you work in pairs, you will open a wiki, in the Webcollaborator (the same wiki application you used for the group work, by now you should be able to start your own).
  4. Remeber to be creative in designing your activities.

 

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

Week 10 -11

  1. Once your unit is ready, you have to get together with your group to discuss your unit with the other members.
  2. Make changes if the group decided so, and then...
  3. The whole group will decide on how to present the program to the rest of the class. Be creative!!!!
  4. Be ready to defend your program when presenting to the other groups.

 

Phase 4 -  Feedback

Week 12

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles, I am sure. To reflect on the whole process:

  1. Complete the group work evaluation available on the course Web page, or in Moodle.
  2. W rite a reflective comment on your blog about the group work process and the content of the task (what you learned, liked or dislike of the task).
  3. G o the Glossary in Moodle and write at least 5 words that you have learned during these project.

Your Contact is: English for Architecture and Urban Planning


Evaluation

Your project will be evaluated in the following way: 

Note: details of each evaluation will be added soon