The primary benefit I gained through preparing my webquest was that it further crystallized my thoughts on the who, what, where, when, why and how of the one hour workshop referenced therein.
The Zumal template is an excellent aid for forcing linear thinking about whatever topic is chosen. The advice offered at each stage describes very well what is to be written within each section of the webquest. Fortunately for me, I had already thought a lot about my chosen topic, and therefore did not feel constrained by the linearity of the template.
The advice did trigger ideas that would not otherwise have come to the foreground when they did (or at all). An example is my decision to include under “Evaluation” the idea of asking the lawyers (i.e. – students) what behaviour they would change as a result of the workshop: In effect, the template acted as a checklist of what I ought to include in such a workshop. Checklists can be a very fruitful way of catching omissions or gaps in one’s thinking.
Please know that I do recognize that the workshop as described is not the ideal webquest environment for my attendees. I included a webquest component into the hour as “Process” step #2, which feels not quite right when compared to choosing, for instance, a RRC course where the curriculum might be very well suited to a learner centred approach. My webquest is therefore a blend of demonstrating understanding and use of the webquest tool and exploiting that tool to further my company’s goal of working successfully with lawyers when the opportunity arises.
quacumquevera 