WebQuests are a lesson format developed by Dr. Bernie Dodge from San Diego State University. One of the main characteristics of a WebQuest is that it is an inquiry-based curriculum unit. With inquiry-based activities, students don't just memorize facts and retell them to the teacher. They are expected to take the information that they interact with and transform it to create new information that has meaning to them. With WebQuests, students create meaningful projects that they share with others via oral presentations, posting to the web, etc.
WebQuests are also different from other Web-based lessons and experiences in that they focus on an engaging and achievable task. WebQuest tasks go beyond simply answering questions; they require higher order thinking skills such as creativity, analysis, synthesis, judgment and problem solving. The task in a WebQuest can be almost anything. For example, students might be asked to design a monument representing one of the branches of government; or they might be asked to write, perform and record an old-time radio play.
Another key component of WebQuests is that the links students use are pre-selected by the WebQuest writer. The focus is on using information rather than looking for it. Many teachers avoid using Internet resources with their students because of how long it can take students to actually find useful information when searching the Web. They also worry about students accessing inappropriate sites. WebQuests avoid these roadblocks because the Internet resources are identified and evaluated by the WebQuest designer ahead of time. This eliminates the need for wasteful searching by the students. WebQuests provide teachers with a structured environment where they can integrate technology into the curriculum and make it beneficial to the students.
So why would a teacher want to use a WebQuest instead of more traditional teaching methods? First, WebQuests increase student motivation. When students are motivated, they are likely to put in more effort, and their minds are more alert and ready to make connections. "It never ceases to amaze me at how focused the kids stay when they are working with a WebQuest. It is often difficult to tear them away from it to work on other things or even to get them to go outside for recess," says Cindy Graves, a third-grade eMINTS teacher in Monett.
Several aspects of WebQuests contribute to increasing student motivation. Many WebQuest tasks are designed to address problems or issues that exist in the real world, which makes the task authentic. In WebQuests, students use real, timely resources instead of dated textbooks and materials that are only presented from one point of view. Janna Elfrink, a third-grade eMINTS teacher in Reeds Spring uses WebQuests extensively in her classroom. "I use WebQuests almost exclusively for science and social studies instead of the textbooks. Although the textbooks offer valuable information, the WebQuests bring it to life for the students. Most WebQuests are tied to the Standards, and can therefore be substituted for the textbooks."
WebQuests are often cooperative in nature, requiring students to take on roles where they are part of a team that must accomplish the task. They have to become experts on a certain topic and share this information with their group. They know their teammates are counting on them to contribute to the completion of the final task. Because they know their results will be shared with others in some format, often times on the Web, they know they have a real, sometimes worldwide audience. Most students are motivated to do quality work when they know that someone other than their classmates and teacher will see the results of their work. "My kids love doing WebQuests. It is a time where they can learn something important, but they get to show off their creativity and their ability to work with others. After we finish one, my class is begging to do another one," says Julie Frye, a fourth grade eMINTS teacher in Branson.
One of the key reasons for using WebQuests is that they prompt higher-level thinking. The questions posed to students require more than just finding and spitting back information. They must take the information they research and transform it into something else. Often students have to evaluate a variety of information sources that contain multiple opinions. Prior to the Web, it was difficult for teachers to provide resources with varying perspectives.
WebQuests consist of five main components: the introduction, task, process, evaluation, and conclusion.
Introduction:
The introduction is usually a short paragraph that introduces the activity
to the students. It often has a role or scenario involved.
Task:
The task informs the learners of what their end-result or culminating
project will be.
Process:
The process identifies the steps the students should go through to accomplish
the task. It also includes the online resources they will need, and provides
scaffolding for organizing the information gathered.
Evaluation:
The evaluation describes to the students how their performance will be
evaluated, and is often in the form of a scoring rubric.
Conclusion:
The conclusion summarizes what the learners will have accomplished by completing
the WebQuest, and often provides additional opportunities to extend their
thinking.