Webquest on EU Enlargement
by
This WebQuest encourages students to research the issue of EU enlargement. The students -based on their Web-based research- will determine their own personal position on this great historic event .
Students are kindly invited to:
Read biographies of people who have envisioned a better and united Europe and write a follow-up summary of what they learned.
Create a survey asking questions about the enlargement. Carry out the survey among their classmates, parents, "the man in the street" and reaching out even as far as the representative of the local council and the mayor. The responses should be then discussed.
Research EU institutions and learn the scope of their work.
Create a list of pro and con voices for the topic of enlargement.
What is the European Union? How many member states are there at present? Do you know which countries will join the EU in 2004? How can you balance national sovereignty with belonging to a wider Union? Do you think it is as good idea to expand the Union? What could be advantages or disadvantages of this? How might an agreed constitution help bring the EU together? What are the implications of a country belonging to a wider political, social and economic grouping? What different levels of identity as citizens do we have? What does the following citizenship levels mean to you: 'home town citizen', 'national citizen', 'European citizen', 'world citizen'? Explore the meaning of active citizenship!
Resources
Guardian Unlimited Special reports EU enlargement
The Process
-
Arrange to have Internet Access.
WebQuest: What Do I Really Think? A Political Issue Research Activity
Subject: U.S. Government, Social Studies
Grade Level: 9-12
Introduction for Teachers
This WebQuest was developed by The Dirksen Congressional Center to provide students a method for researching a current political issue so students can participate in debate about issues and a larger platform writing/election activity offered in a CongressLink lesson plan.
The lesson asks students, on their own, to research a current political issue such as healthcare, gun control, education, environment, foreign policy, or homeland security using the Internet. The students will determine their own personal positions based on their Web-based research.
For information about WebQuests, visit http://webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm and
http://home.earthlink.net/~cfairey/VSTE/home.html
The Task for Learners
Your job is to find out what you really think about an issue. Your teacher will either allow you to select an issue or assign a current political issue. You will do research on-line in order to determine your own personal position on the issue. What do you think about an issue after you have consulted at least five different sources on the topic?
You have the following tasks ahead of you:
- Find out or choose your topic
- Identify high-quality internet sites about that topic
- Consult five different sources
- Complete the Position Research guide
The Process
Make arrangement to have Internet Access.
- Proceed to the Resource section of for gathering information so that you could answer the questions raised at the Task section. Use the recommended links to find out what the big issues are before the decision-makers here in Europe.
- Students will design political posters and/or write and deliver a political speech and/or write and produce a political commercial.
Students are encouraged to get engaged in debate on the enlargement.
Students can practice their fundamental human right: they can vote on a particular issue related to the enlargement and can even write a petition and ask their peers and the members of the local community to sign it. All these task can be done online! See Resources section.
- Students can explore an actual or possible future area of conflict within the EU over the constitution or the use of the Euro. Students can prepare for a debate on a particular issue. Students should take a standpoint in a debate and try to support their view(s) with facts.
- Students are encouraged to watch regularly the TV news and to record the references made on the EU enlargement. Students can give mini-lectures, explaining why they think the particular stories were highlighted.
Evaluation
| The final evaluation of your work will be based on the notes you make during the research process, and the performance you give at the debate session. and/or in your essay. Furthermore, if you create any kind of artifact (political commercial, design an online survey, create and online petition, carry out a vote on an issue etc. the quality of it/them will also add to the overall evaluation of your performance. |
After having done the WebQuest students will most probably - be able to list some arguments that are in favour the EU enlargement - will be able to describe the significance of this great historic event in the light of their better understanding of EU institutions, human rights, European citizenship, values etc. - will be able to identify the role the EU plays in stabilising the region and improving the international relations between the member countries, as well as contributing to a more prosperous and peaceful era. - will be able to list basic values that underpin the structure of the shaping new Europe
Based on a template fromThe Webquest Page.