Webquest 2.0, Swiffing the Older Version

I was interested in how "cutting edge" the concept of applying newer online tools to older online ideas really was. Not to say that webquests are really that old, but in today's spectrum, 11+ years on the technological shelf may end up collecting some dust.

In 2004, The NECC discussed "blogs" and "wikis", and their possible integration with webquests:

• http://webquest.sdsu.edu/necc2004/blogs-and-wikis.htm

Tools like blogs and wikis seem to have the ability to tie so seamlessly in with webquests. It's a very cool way of communicating, reflecting, and accessing prior knowledge on information gathered and applied through webquests. Not mention the possibility of being directly incorporated as a webquest task.

During the most recent meeting in 2007, the topic was again revisited:

"Whole Group Discussion:

Pedagogical thinking about web 2.0 tools as parts of WebQuests

• Not many examples yet, but more and more
• Dan McDowell – social studies – conflict between Pakistan and India – did their group writing work in a wiki
• Simulated diary of a time or place seems like a blog
• TeacherTube videos embedded in WebQuests
• SecondLife – prototype of a WebQuest about immigration – then went into SecondLife to “sit around the campfire” and discussion immigrant from their avatars’ point of view
• Sloodle – a combination of SecondLife and Moodle – the threaded discussion to keep it all manageable and keep kids from getting lost"

http://www.edtechconnection.net/blog/2007/6/27/necc-2007-webquest-movers-and-shakers-birds-0f-a-feather-ses.html

At first glance, I was sort of disappointed in the idea's progress over three years, considering the first three items of the 2007 meeting had already been discussed in 2004 (Dan McDowell seems to be getting double brownie points for his wiki webquest). Then the whole webquest chronology struck me. This idea has been a work in progress for over a decade. Modifications were still being made to it last Monday. In a world which seems to rotate faster each day, its nice to see that groundbreaking innovations can only occur so fast. As for me, the Rat Race continues...(What the heck is a Sloodle?)