Web Quest Gadgets Around Us Designers: Yana Gareyeva

Web Quest Gadgets Around Us Designers: Yana Gareyeva Irina Shvaiko

INTRODUCTION Dear Students, This WebQuest challenges you to investigate a number of man-made gadgets of different times with the help of on-line resources. As is known there are lots of useful inventions making our life easier and more interesting, helping us effectively 24 hours a day. And we even stopped to pay attention to… This motivational, fun, and enlightening WebQuest provides you a hands-on opportunity to explore different gadgets and make your own evaluation while combining and practicing language and social studies skills. Sincerely Yours, Yana Gareyeva, Irina Lyovkina EFL Instructors

TASK Your first steps are: 1. Register at www.yahoo.com or www.yandex.ru and create your own e-mail box. 2. Install Skype at www.skype.com and Microsoft Office PowerPoint at www.microsoft.com. 3. Register at www.blogger.com and create your own personal blog. 4. Follow the provided links to carry out your tasks. 5. Feel free to contact your EFL Instructor via e-mail or Skype. ([email protected], [email protected])

ATTENTION!!! Dear students, Our Web Quest provides you with different helpful links for each task, but feel free to find your own internet resources for additional information if you need any, i.e. you can surf the net by yourselves. Sincerely Yours, Yana Gareyeva, Irina Lyovkina EFL Instructors

Week 1 Step 1 What is your understanding of the words “gadget” and “gadgeteer”? Write your own definitions in 2-3 sentences and post them into your personal blog.

Week 1 Step 2 Surf the net resources below or any you like and find at least 2-3 definitions of the term. Compare with your own definition and choose the best one. Post it into your blog. http://www.onelook.com/?w=gadget&ls=a http://uk.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861700756/gadgeteer.html http://www.onelook.com/?w=gadgeteer&ls=a www.merriam-webster.com/ www.dictionary.cambridge.org/ www.ldoceonline.com/

Week 2 Gadgets of the Past Step 1 Surf the net, gather the information on gadgets of the past which are still in use today (for instance, a pencil, a wheel, etc.). Choose one you are interested in and find out the answers to the following questions: 1. When and where was it invented? 2. Who was the inventor of the gadget? 3. What did it look like? 4. What was it used for? Put the answers into your blog. http://www.essortment.com/all/pencilwhatish_nor.htm http://www.experiencefestival.com/pencil_-_history http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpen.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel http://www.helium.com/items/426699-the-history-of-the-wheel

Week 2 Gadgets of the Past Step 2 Make up a list of the gadgets we know from the past and that are still popular today (3-5 or more). Try the following search engines: Google, Alta Vista, Brainboost, Lycos, MetaCrawler, Ask.com, Dogpile, Clusty Choose the most prominent gadget of the past (only one from your list). Carry out your own survey among the students of your group (you should question at least 10 interviewers). Use the sample of a questionnaire given below.

Questionnaire 1. How often do you use it? a) Always b) Sometimes c) Rarely d) Never 2. Do you find it useful? a) Yes b) No c) Sometimes d) I don’t know 3. Should it be improved or renewed? a) Sure b) No use c) Probably d) No, it’s perfect! 4. Would you take it with you if you were on a desert island? a) Certainly b) Only if I had nothing else c) No way d) I’d need it to make friends with aborigines 5. Are there any chances that people will continue to use it in future? a) 0-25% b) 26-50% c) 51-75% d) 76-100%

Week 2 Gadgets of the Past Step 3 Summarize the results of your survey in a short essay (100-120 words). Don’t forget to post them into your blog.

Week 3 Gadgets of the Present Step 1 It’s Verter. It’s a good hi-tech machine but it’s got some memory failures. You can help Verter to restore the lost information. Do your best to guess what it is.

A XXXXXXX is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal. Hmmm… What is it??? I can’t remember…

A XXXXXXX is a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities, often with PC-like functionality. ?????????????

An XXXXXX is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. What’s that???

The XXXXXX is a global system of interconnected computer networks to serve billions of users worldwide. ??????????? Help me, please!!!

A XXXXXX is a device designed to connect a personal computer, video game console, mobile phone, MP3 player or personal digital assistant to the Internet without any wires. Oh, no! I’m going crazy!!!!! My poor brains… ???????????????

Week 3 Gadgets of the Present “Thank you, guys!!! You were very helpful!!! Now I can tell my girlfriend Suzie everything I know because now I’m the cleverest robot in the world!” P.S. Don’t forget to present (in the blog) a list of the above mentioned gadgets you managed to guess. Yours, Verter

Week 3 Gadgets of the Present Step 2 Oh, dear! Suzie asks too many questions!!! She is young and curious :)))) I can’t stand it any more!!! Help me!!! :-0

Can you tell what a microwave oven means???

What is a lap top???

What is a dishwasher, I wonder???

Could you explain to me what fridge is?

By the way, what is a hair-drier?

Week 3 Gadgets of the Present Thank you dear friends!!! Do not forget to put down the definitions and post them into your blog  Best wishes, Yours Verter

Week 4 Gadgets of the Future Imagine that you are in a time capsule. You have been to the past, present and now you are in 2050. There are lots of new gadgets around you. This alien world seems unfamiliar but you will cope with all these devices if you follow our instructions.

Week 4 Gadgets of the Future Step 1 Imagine you are at home… What is around you??? Describe devices you see and use. These web resources will provide you with some fresh ideas. Post your impressions into the blog. http://www.t3.com/feature/100-pieces-of-concept-tech-we-wish-was-real http://www.gaj-it.com http://www.gaj-it.com/5127/technology-and-gadget-predictions-for-2050/ http://www.tuvie.com

Week 4 Gadgets of the Future Step 2 Share your impressions about this amazing future world with your friends! Choose 1-2 gadgets you’ve come across and find out more information about them involving the following media: 1) Audio or video files (for example, explore www.youtube.com); 2) News articles or presentations (check any search engines); 3) Forums or blogs or hotlists of sites on the topic. Post this information into your blog.

Week 5 Gadgets and Inventors Step 1 Surf the net resources and find information about the great inventors and their inventions. Feel free to choose various search engines! Here is the list of the great inventions you are to look for in the net.

INTERNET

LARGE HADRON COLLIDER

WEB CAMERA

GPS NAVIGATOR

IPOD

YOTA

Week 5 Step 2 Gather the information about the inventions mentioned above according to the following plan: 1. When and where was it invented? 2. Who is the inventor? 3. Why do we use it today? Post the results into your blog.

Week 5 Step 3 Choose one invention (from the above mentioned list) you liked most of all and record the information on your telephone or PC as an audio or video file (3-4 minutes). Then post your recording into your blog.

Week 6 Step 1 Conduct your own survey. Surf the net in order to make up lists of: Top 5 must have gadgets; Top 5 strange or funny gadgets; Top 5 “green” gadgets; Top 5 gadgets for students; Top 5 gadgets of 2011. Post your lists into the blogs.

Week 6 Step 2 Make your own list of gadgets (4-5) you find the most interesting. Give reasons for your choice. Make a Power Point Presentation (PPP) to support your report. Be ready for classroom discussion!!!!!

EVALUATION The performance of this Web Quest is evaluated by 30 (35) points. Week 1 – 2 points Week 2 – 5 points Week 3 – 5 points Week 4 – 4 points Week 5 – 5 points Week 6 – 10 (15) points

CONCLUSION By completing this activity you will be able to: 1. Learn more about useful gadgets around us; 2. Develop your communicative and collaborative skills; 3. Experience various Internet tools and technologies: web pages, e-mail, blogging recording audio files, etc.; 4. Make your own Power Point Presentations.

Additional resources Search engines: Google Alta Vista Brainboost Lycos Meta Crawler Ask.com Dogpile Clusty

Additional resources Encyclopedias and dicionaries http://www.encyclopedia.com http:// www.wikipedia.org http://www.britannica.com/ http://meta.wikimedia.org http://www.coolfreeweb.com/ http://www.educypedia.be/ http://en.wiktionary.org

You did it!!!