Africa WebQuest

Africa Issues Conference:

A WebQuest

Joyce Valenza and Chris Shelly

Images from Pics4Learning

"Disaster parades today with impunity through the length and breadth of much of Africa: war, genocide, dictatorship, military government, corruption, collapsed economy, poverty, disease, and every ill attendant upon political and social chaos." Chinua Achebe, Another Africa: Essays and Poems, 1998

"From South Africa to Botswana, from Ghana to Senegal, democratic governments are ushering in a new era of vitality and development." Jesse Jackson, Special Envoy to Africa, 3/29/1998, San Diego Union-Tribune

"But let us not forget how far we have come. And let us not forget that greatness resides not only in the people who lead countries and who overcome persecutions, but in the heart and mind of every child, and every person -- there is the potential to do better, to reach higher, to fulfill dreams. It is our job to give all the children of Africa the chance to do that." Bill Clinton, to the Conference on US-Africa Partnership for the 21st Century, March 16, 1999

Introduction

An historic meeting of the Organization of African Unity is about to take place. The mission of the OAU is to promote the unity and solidarity of the African States, defend the sovereignty of its members; to work for human rights, and to eradicate poverty and the vestiges of colonialism.

Teams of concerned citizens from a variety of African nations are gathering to compete for special grant funding. Successful groups will become the focus of the organizations efforts over the next five years.

The Task

Your job is to plead the case that your issue is the most critical. But need is not enough to convince the panel of judges. You must also explore what has been done in the past, explore three possible solutions, and present the most viable.

The Process

Your team will begin by selecting a problem. The ideas listed below are just the beginning. Feel free to explore and look for others in our news and magazine databases. and the Resource Page. Facts.com is one database that will allow you to research the recent history of an issue. You should focus the issue you choose in a particular country or region of Africa.
Keywords and phrases that might help you find a problem to explore:
- Economic Development: foreign exploitation, the World Bank, debt relief, industrialization, world trade, supporting rural economy, developing market capitalism, investments, African Economic Community, labor policies
- Human Rights Issues: Women's Rights, Female Circumcision, racism, fallout from Apartheid, refugees, ethnic divisions, women and property issues, marital customs,
- Political Issues: emerging democracies, emerging nationalism, governmental corruption, war crimes, military oppression, crime
- Policies to Foster Peace: Civil War, education
- Environmental/Resource Concerns: Wildlife conservation, deforestation, commercial hunting, ivory trade, floods, drought, diamond trade, oil, pollution, energy
- Health Issues: AIDS, malaria, famine, birth control
The next step is thorough research. Look for high quality Web sites from reliable sources, but please also focus your search on journal articles available through the library's many subscription services.
Prepare a position paper in the form of a PowerPoint presentation to persuade the panel of the importance of your case and the viability of the solution you have chosen.
The slides in your show should cover:
- Your thesis, strongly phrased. This is an exercise in persuasion. Millions of people's lives may depend upon the success of your team's efforts.
- Analysis and historic background of the problem.
- What solutions, if any, have already been attempted?
- If there are clear sides with points of view, describe them
- List three solutions. Eliminate two, offering reasons they would not be effective.
- Propose the most viable solution. Examine its costs--in funding, and in the dedication of other resources.
- What factors might get in the way of your solution and how do you suggest we approach them?
- You will want to include maps and relevant images to illustrate the issue.
- Citations for all your sources, including non-clipart images!
You may choose to print this organizer to help you collect information for your presentation.
Get ready for the conference. You will be presenting in front the Organization for African Unity (your class) and competing to win funding and support for your project. Be prepared to answer hard questions!

Evaluation

You will be graded on your written work, your oral participation, and the depth of your research.

	Criteria	Poor (1)	Adequate (2)	Good (3)	Exemplary (4)	Score
Analysis of Problem	Presentation is logically organized and argument for a solution is clear and well-reasoned.
Presentation of Evidence	Students contributed to each others' learning by presenting the major arguments in a compelling manner. Graphic elements were used effectively to convey the message.
Depth of Research	Students used a variety of high quality resources and incorporated documents, news, and visuals into the presentation. Students included at least three journal sources.
Documentation	Students documented sources appropriately in the written product.
Group work	Work displays evidence of collaboration. Students worked effectively as a team incorporating the talents of all members.

Conclusion

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