What is a Webquest?

A Presentation by Matthew Durant

Question

What do I want my students to learn and what will my students need to know to get there?  

Background Information

Look what other teacher's and students have said about webquests:

"Webquests are among the most fascinating applications on the Web for K-12 educators. Student-centered and inquiry-based, a Webquest challenges students to explore the web for information. They include the links that are appropriate for students to research as well as suggestions for further research. Webquests are generally constructed around a scenario of interest to students."  -Spartansburg County Schools

"Webquests are fun.  I can always find great information and I get to work with my friends.  I also really like when I get to teach other kids about what I learned."  -George (12 years old)

Why are teachers so hooked on webquests?

Webquests have a fancy name that is catchy but beneath the name there is something simple that we can all understand. Simply put, Webquests are really good lesson plans or curriculum units that integrate resources from the Internet. This is so important that I will repeat it again!  Webquests are great lessons that integrate technology to enhance it.  That's really exciting because developing creative lessons are what us teachers are really good at.  Lets dig a little deeper.  Webquests guide our students to build knowledge and to think at a higher level.  Webquests ask great questions and provide reliable resources that get kids excited to learn more. They provide opportunities for students to actively apply their knowledge through hands-on learning and collaborative activities.They also push students to continuously reflect on what they have learned. In this way, learners begin to build their own knowledge by combining what they already know and with new ideas, events, and activities with which they come in contact. As promised, we'll take a close look at one webquest that I have created on Ancient Egyptian Mummies. As we learn about each section, I'll speak of its importance and discuss classroom strategies I have used while implementing the webquest.   

Each Webquest should contain several parts:

I. Introduction
II. Tasks
III. Great Resources
IV. Process/ Activity
V. Assessment and Evaluation

I. Introduction

Question At the heart of every webquest is an open-ended question. The question creates a clear purpose for the webquest, inspires students to access prior knowledge, and creates a level of excitement that motivates students to explore further. "Webquests use a central question that honestly needs answering. When students are asked to understand, hypothesize or problem-solve an issue that confronts the real world, they face an authentic task, not something that only carries meaning in a school classroom."  -Tom March   Background Information In a Webquest, the teacher provides background information.  This information provides the core-knowledge that the teacher wants every student to come away with.  Also, background information continues to motivate students to access prior knowledge and to explore the topic further.

II. Tasks 

Can students in elementary and middle school think at a higher level where they not only research but also apply their new knowledge?   The Task Section of a Webquest provides a "scaffolding" to lead students through the kind of thinking process that more expert learners use.  "Scaffolding,"  means breaking the daunting project into smaller pieces so students can work on specific sub-tasks that will lead them through the difficult steps of researching and then applying their knowledge.

III. Great Resources

Two types of resources: A. Online Resources (web sites, online journals, virtual tours, blogs, e-mail, podcasts...) B. Offline Resources (Children's literature, CD-ROM's, magazines, field trips, guest speakers...)

A. Online Resources

In a Webquest the teacher creates links to other Internet sites. I usually create a Hot List to share these resources. These Online Resources come in varying forms (web sites, online journals, virtual tours, message boards, and e-mail.) These sites provide quality, current information. Excitement is created with stimulating graphics and interactive features. By utilizing a variety of Internet resources a webquest provides information for all students- no matter their learning level or learning style.  

B. Offline Resources

The developer of a Webquest provides easy access to Offline Resources such as Children's literature, CD-ROM's,  magazines, field trips, guest speakers... I usually use a bibliography to provide offline resources.

C. Unintended Consequences

Webquest Resources provide easy access to quality information. This allows students to no longer focus on gathering information. Now, students can spend more time interpreting and analyzing the information.

IV. Activity

The focus of a webquest is to get students to apply their knowledge to constructively solve authentic problems. The culminating activity of a Webquest provides the guidelines for this higher-level thinking. The culminating activity can range from creating a PowerPoint Presentation, e-mailing an expert in the field, creating their own web page, or a hands-on (offline) activity.

V. Assessment and Evaluation

When using a webquest, students are asked think at a higher level. It is important teachers effectively evaluate student's hard work. Many Webquests provide rubrics to clearly define how a student’s work will be assessed.  Rubrics also provide an opportunity for students and teachers to reflect on their learning.

 

Webquests should contain several parts:

I.    Introduction
II.   Tasks
III.  Great Resources
IV.  Process/ Activity
V.  Assessment and Evaluation

 

A good web site to further explore the differnet sections of a webquest
Building Blocks Of A Webquest

Webquest Resources

 

Our Favorite Webquests As you search through the many webquests out there, be looking for good ones. When you find a good one, e-mail the web address to me.

Language Arts

Math

Local Student Chased Up A Tree!!!

Science

A Pollination Adventure
Ocean Quest 2000

Social Sciences

Ancient Egypt Webquest
Explorations: Ancient Greece Webquest
Middle Ages Storytelling Webquest

Other

Students for Responsible Use of the Internet

 

Webquest Collections: Find Great Webquests to Use in Your Classroom

iwebquest.com  
Webquest Search Page
Best Webquests
Building Blocks Of A Webquest (good way to see the differnet sections of a webquest)
Kathy Schrock'sWebQuest Archives
Macomb School's Webquests
San Diego Public School's Webquests
Memphis City Schools teachers
Spartansburg County Webquests (South Carolina)
Macomb (Michigan) Webquests
TechTrekers Webquests
Stonewall Elementary Webquests (Lexington, Kentucky)
New Mexico State Student WebQuests
Louisiana State University
Manteno School District's WebQuest
West Bend Webquest Resource List
WebWeaver Products 1999
Indiana University Teacher Education
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Dr. Alice Christie's Matrix of 340 WebQuests
Locating and Evaluating WebQuests
WebQuests created by eMINTS teachers
Webquests from Dedham, MA
Elementary School Web-based Projects
Naturescapes
SESD WebQuests from Saskatoon (East) School Division
Warrensburg Schools WebQuest Academy
Eduscapes (search by grade-level)
WebQuests by Brebru.com
WebQuest Collection from Ecole Whitehorse Elementary

 

Selected Readings: Learn More About Webquests

FOCUS: Five Rules for Writing a Great WebQuest - Bernie Dodge
Active Learning on the Web- Bernie Dodge
Building Blocks of a WebQuest- Bernie Dodge
The Student WebQuest- Maureen Brown Yoder (.pdf file)
The Learning Power of WebQuests- Tom March
Webquests- Disney Learning Network
Some Thoughts About WebQuests- Bernie Dodge
Enter the Web Quest- Teach-nology
Weaving the Web into Your K-12 Curriculum- Bernie Poole, Beckie Randall
Webquest 101 ?| Putting Discovery into the Curriculum - Network for Instructional TV
WebQuests: What are They? - Ecole Whitehorse Elementary
Selecting a WebQuest Project- Bernie Dodge
The WebQuest Design Process- Bernie Dodge
WebQuest Overview- SBC Knowledge Network Explorer
Using the Internet to promote inquiry-based learning - biopoint

Activity

In Search of the Greatest Webquest On Earth
Adapted From Bernie Dodge's 
"A Webquest About Webquests."

1. Cooperative Learning Roles
   

   Each participant will play an important role to determine if this webquest is the "Greatest Webquest on Earth." Choose one of the following roles and use the worksheet to record your data as you examine the Webquests.

2. Critically Examine Sites
   

   Please go to Bernie Dodge's Webquest Search Page as a group decide on three webquests that you will each take a look at.  Individually, participants will now examine each of the webquests listed below to determine which is the Greatest Webquest on Earth? You will have no more than ten minutes to examine each webquest so you must examine the site fairly quickly. Remember to focus in on the role that you chose.

    

3. Report back to your Group

When everyone has had time to explore each site, it is time to get back together to share what you found. One way to approach this is to go around and poll each member of your team.  Remember, it is important to listen to other perspectives.

4. Build a Consensus

   There will probably not be a consensus so you will need to work together to come up with a compromise consensus.
   

    

5. Post your Site
   

   On a large sheet of paper write your group's decision for the greatest webquest.  Include the Title, URL, and the strengths and weaknesses of the site.

 

Conclusion

Why should I consider creating a Webquest?

The benefits of using webquests with your students

• Wise use of time- Quality resources are provided for students.
• Current Information- Webquests provide users with up-to-date information.
• Stimulating Graphics- The colorful, sometimes animated, graphics found on webquests can create excitement.
• Interactive Sites- Students can use webquests to actively manipulate information.
• Various Reading Levels- Students using webquests can find information at their reading level.
• Multiple Intelligences- Webquests use different mediums to reach all types of learners.
• Safety Issues- Webquests provide teacher previewed sites.

 

The benefits of developing your own webquest to use with your students

• Open Communication- Teachers, parents, and students will write to ask thought provoking questions or give helpful suggestions.
• Solidify Knowledge- Teachers solidify their knowledge on the topic by exploring and developing the webquest.
• Curriculum Tie-Ins- Teachers can create specific tie-ins to their own district's curriculum and the state's frameworks.
• Publishing-  When students realize that thousands of people from all over the world have the opportunity to read their work that is published on the webquest, the quality of their work improves.

 

Revisit the Question

What do I want my students to learn and what will my students need to know to get there?

 

Course Home Page

 

Question  |  Background Information |  Webquest Resources  |  Activity |  Revisit the Question

 

Created: July 16, 2000
Updated: June 6, 2006

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