Writing a GlobalNet Web quest

So you want to write a quest!!!!

The quests on www.globalnet.org.nz have been very popular! Many schools and individuals around New Zealand have taken part in the four that have been online since GlobalNet started in 2000.

Writing a quest is a fun, interesting activity. It's a great way to find out interesting information, practise your skills and great to use with your class or friends.

The following is the guide, which we use at GlobalNet, to the writing of a quest. Remember it is a starting point for future developments.

GlobalNet Quests have a pattern where the information leading to the answer is set in the following way:

• an introduction to the theme,
• a postcard followed by four clues for each topic within the theme,
• a resource page given at the end of each topic.

The steps to writing a GlobalNet Quest are-

1. Decide on the Theme
2. How many weeks will the quest be for?
3. What will be the topic (answer) for each week?
4. Write an introduction for your series
5. What plan will the clues follow?
6. Research one of the topics and make notes
7. What will my Postcard contain?
8. Write the clues
9. Edit the postcard and clues
10. Highlight words which could help with the research of the clues
11. Write the resource page
12. Edit the resource page
13. Develop the other topics
14. Send a copy to Astro and/or put up on your school site

1 Decide on the theme
This can fit in with your current class theme/centre of interest or could be something that you are interested in. It is possible to decide on a common theme and then small groups of students research and develop the topics within the theme.

2 Duration of the quest
This can be any length that you want it to be but remember that you need to decide how long you can hold the interest of young people. At GlobalNet we found that 4 weeks was the length that suited our clientele best. Any longer and the interest fell off.

3 What will be the topic for each week?
You need to think of the topics within your theme and choose the answers for each week. The answers need to be quite specific and not open to interpretation.

4 Write an introduction for your series
The introduction will-

• Welcome participants
• Gives any rules for the quest eg age limits
• Gives details of any prizes

5 What plan will the clues follow?
This is a most important step as it focuses the research and sets clear guidelines.
Time spent on this step helps to set the clues easily and provides continuity between each of the sections in the series. An example of this is in the quests dealing with places clue one was about the country, clue two dealt with some aspect of the history of the country and the next two clues were specific to the place or town.

6 Research one of the topics and make notes
This step uses the skills of researching on the web. It requires the use of search engines and the ability to assess the sites as to suitability and reliability. It is important to save the information and the URLs to help write the resource page. If you are giving the URLs it is necessary to check the links of that site. This can take some time.

7 What will my Postcard contain?
The postcard is the introduction to the topic. It sets the scene and wets the appetite of the entrant. It also provides clear instructions as to what exactly the answer is to contain.

8 Write the clues
Using the notes and information from the websites and following the pattern decided on the clues are formulated. Check to see that you have given enough information to enable the participants to discover the answer.

9 Edit the postcard and clues
Using editing skills check for sense, spelling and punctuation as well as relevancy. The skills of critical thinking can be used here. Be sure that the clues give information that will lead to the answer and are not too obscure.

10 Highlight words within the clues
By making some of the key words in the clues help is given to the participants as to what words could be used in a web search. Check that the use of these words will lead to the information that the students need to solve the clues.

11 Write the Resource Page
Using the notes and URLs from the research write a section that gives more information and ideas for using the information for future action.
Ideas for using this in the classroom could be included in this section.

12 Edit the resource page
Again this area uses the skills of editing, presentation and critical thinking.

13 Develop the other topics
Repeat from 5 to 12 for as long as you have decided the quest will be.

14 Send a copy to Astro and/or put up on your school site
We'd love to see your finished work and hopefully if it is suitable we will be able to use some of the quests that we receive.
astro@globalnet.org.nz