WebQuests
Definition
A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in
which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the
Internet. WebQuests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on
using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners'
thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Putting a
WebQuest together is not much different from creating any kind of lesson.
It requires getting your learners oriented, giving them an interesting
and doable task, giving them the resources they need and guidance to complete
the task, telling them how they'll be evaluated, and then summarizing and
extending the lesson. The duration of a WebQuest can be as short
as a couple hours or a longterm project lasting several weeks.
WebQuests are more about
Teaching
than Technology
Background on WebQuests
"In the summer of 1995, Bernie Dodge, a professor
of educational technology at San Diego State University, unveiled a unique
approach to using the Internet as an essential part of teaching any subject
at any grade level. The result was the development of the WebQuest
strategy, perhaps one of the most documented strategies for integrating
the Web with our instructional goals. In the words of Tom March, 'The good
news is that the Web is not just helpful to education, but, used effectively,
it can revolutionize student learning.' Accept the Quest !
See for yourself the potential of the Web in your classroom."
Kathy Engle in "Accept the Quest!"
A WebQuest consists of six parts
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Introduction:The purpose
of the Introduction section of a WebQuest is two fold: first, it's to orient
the learner as to what is coming. Secondly, it should raise some
interest in the learner through a variety of means. It can do this
by making the topic seem . . .
-
relevant to the learner's past experience
-
relevant to the learner's future goals
-
attractive, visually interesting
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important because of its global implications
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urgent, because of the need for a timely solution
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fun, because the learner will be playing a role or making
something
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Task: The
task in a WebQuest is a description of what the learner will have done
at the end of the exercise. It could be a product, like a HyperStudio
stack or a PowerPoint presentation, or it might be a verbal act, such as
being able to explain a specific topic. (If the students have a web
editor, they could even build a web site based upon the synthesis of the
information obtained from the Web Quest.)
-
Process: The Process
portion in a WebQuest is the place where the teacher suggests the steps
that learners go through in completing the task. It may include strategies
for dividing the task into sub-tasks, descriptions of roles to be played
or perspectives to be taken by each learner. The instructor can also
use this place to provide learning advice and interpersonal process advice,
such as how to conduct a brainstorming session. The Process description
should be relatively short and clear.
-
Resources: The
Resources block in a WebQuest is a list of web pages which the instructor
has located that will help the learner accomplish the task. The resources
are preselected so that learners can focus their attention on the topic
rather than surfing aimlessly. It is important to note that resources
for the students are not restricted to those found on the web. There
is no reason that a WebQuest might not include textbooks, audio tapes,
and face-to-face interaction with other people among the resources.
Very often, it makes sense to divide the list of resources so that some
are examined by everyone in the class, while others are read by subsets
of learners who are playing a specific role or taking a particular perspective.
By giving separate data sources to learners, you ensure the interdependence
of the group and give the learners an incentive to teach each other what
they have learned.
-
Conclusion: The
Conclusion section of a WebQuest provides an opportunity to summarize the
experience, to encourage reflection about the process, to extend and generalize
what was learned, or some combination of these. It rounds out the
document and provides that reader with a sense of closure. One good
use for the conclusion is to suggest questions that a teacher might use
in a whole class discussion to debrief a lesson.
-
Evaluation: The
Evaluation is a new addition to the WebQuest model. Clearly, if you
want to justify the expense of using the web for learning, you need to
be able to measure results. Since the learning you are looking for
is at the loftier reaches of Bloom's Taxonomy, you can't gauge it (readily)
with a multiple choice test. An evaluation rubric is called for.
Bernie Dodge: Professor of Educational Technology,
San Diego State University
WebQuest Taskonomy
-
Retelling Tasks:
Read, and then retell what was read. (These are marginal WebQuests.
The goal should be to go beyond this to achieve deeper engagement on the
part of students).Tropical
Travelers is an example of this type of task.
-
Compilation Tasks:
A simple task for students is to take information from a number of sources
and organize it into a common consistent format. The resulting compilation
might be published on the Web, or it might be some tangible non-digital
product. Kathy Shrock's 1960's
Museum is a good example.
-
Mystery Tasks:
Everyone loves a mystery. Sometimes a good way to lure your students
into a topic is to wrap the inquiry into a puzzle or detective story.
This works well at the elementary school level, but can also be extended
all the way up to adult learners. Was
it Murder? The Death of King Tutankhumun: the Boy King
is a good example.
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Journalistic Tasks:
Describing an event using journalistic conventions. The Mexico
City Earth Quake WebQuest has students reading first hand accounts
of the quake and creating a simulated news program recounting it.
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Design Tasks:
Solving a problem or creating a prespecified end state. In the Design
a Canadian Vacation lesson, students create an itinerary that meets
the interests of a given family.
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Creative Product Tasks:
Working within established formats for creative expression. Radio
Days requires the scripting and performance of a radio play, complete
with sound effects and ads.
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Consensus Building Tasks:
Reconcilling divergent viewpoints. Applicable whenever there is controversy.
The Vietnam Mural
WebQuest elicits differences of opinion about the war as the question
of whether to paint a mural is debated.
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Judgment Tasks:
Determine relative or absolute worth. Find a pivotal event that encapsulates
what you want to teach. Students produce an account in various formats:
i.e. newspaper, diary, newscast, documentary. The
Rain Forest Project is an example of a Judgment task.
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Persuasion Tasks:
A persuasion task goes beyond a simple retelling by requiring students
to develop a convincing case that is based on what they've learned. Persuasion
tasks might include presenting at a mock city council hearing or a trial,
writing a letter, editorial or press release, or producing a poster or
videotaped ad designed to sway opinions. In Conflict
Yellowstone Wolves, the task is to influence government policy.
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Self-Knowledge Tasks: Sometimes
the goal of a WebQuest is a greater understanding of oneself, an understanding
that can be developed through guided exploration of on- and off-line resources.
One excellent example is provided by What
Will I Be When I Get Big? which walks students through a progression
of web-based resources as they analyze their goals and strengths and develop
a career plan.
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Scientific Tasks: Making
hypotheses based on an understanding of background information provided
by on- or off-line sources; testing the hypotheses by gathering data from
pre-selected sources; determining whether the hypotheses were supported
and describing the results and their implications in the standard form
of a scientific report. The
Lighthouse
Diamond Thief WebQuest is an example of a scientific task combined
with a mystery.
WebQuest Links:
Tools
for making your own WebQuests and other web pages
Clip Art and other Resources
"How To" Hints & Tutorials
This page was created for use on 3/16/2000 by the Alger Park Elementary
School staff.
