My classroom has two internet-linked computers that are very slow. In order to have everyone in the class complete my WebQuest on XXXXXXX, we will need to reserve the computer lab. The computer lab has 23 internet-linked computers. (My class has 32 students, and the WebQuest groups will have four different roles. We'll allow two computers per group, for a total of 16 computers needed.) The computer lab computers use Internet Explorer 6.0. I'm not sure whether the computers have Flash installed (I will have to test that in advance, because one of the sites my WebQuest links to uses Flash.) I will have to reserve the computer lab with the computer teacher, Mrs. T. Most likely, we'll be able to get the lab for 45 minutes on Monday afternoons, so completing the WebQuest might require three weeks.
My third graders probably have very mixed abilities to use the computers and the Internet.Plus, they will have to create a Word document as part of the WebQuest. In advance of doing the WebQuest, we will probably need a Word lesson as well as a refresher lesson on Internet skills before doing the WebQuest. For this reason, I'll reserve the lab for 5 consecutive Mondays. (I will need to develop an activity for refreshing Internet skills; perhaps Mrs. T. can help me with that.)
Because my WebQuest deals with the topic XXXXXX, it will be most relevant in mid- to late-October. I'll try to get the lab from October 6 to November 10 (six weeks because of Columbus day).
If I cannot reserve the computer lab for 6 consecutive weeks, then I will try to get it for at least 3 weeks to do the Word lesson, the Internet refresher, and to start the WebQuest. Then the groups can complete the WebQuest during small-group activity time on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, while the other students are working on their language festival projects. It will take about 8 weeks to cycle all the groups through the computers. I'm sure the classroom computers don't have Flash installed. I'll have to talk to Mrs. T. about getting it installed.
I'm a little worried about some of the sites I've selected for my students to use in the WebQuest. If any of those sites are not working for some reason, the students will have a hard time completing the WebQuest. I'll have to check the sites before we start work on the WebQuest. If necessary, I have some back-up sites that we could use in case those sites are "down."