WebQuests

A WebQuest is a lesson or a series of lessons built around a question that will be answered from information that students comes up with by visiting the preselected web links that the teacher provided for them.  It has five parts which are Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation and Conclusion.  The Introduction provides some sort of background knowledge. WebQuest involves students in a task, which guides the learning. Part of the Process is providing students with worksheets, instructions and hyperlinks to the resources on the web that are selected by the teacher in advance.  These ensure that students do not waste time and remain on-task while online. The students are also provided rubrics as part of the Evaluation so they will know what is expected of them and how they will be graded.  The students are reminded about what they learned and perhaps encourage them to extend the experiences in the Conclusion part.

WebQuests are good for differentiating instruction, cooperative learning and cross-curricular teaching. What is good about it is the group work can be done in parts by different students. As it does not need to have every student engaged in every part of each WebQuest, the group can just utilize the strengths and interest of each member.

Webquests offer a lot of advantages over traditional lessons. Students learn through discovery in webquests.  Although traditional lessons can also offer discovery in science lessons experiments, not all traditional lessons can have this element of discovery.  Webquests also allow student self- pacing and present self- learning opportunities, unlike in a traditional lesson that the teacher has to guide the class in a specific schedule to achieve the objectives for the day. So in webquest they have a sense of ownership in whatever they learn. The lesson or lessons are student centered and the teacher is just a facilitator unlike in the traditional lesson that the teacher is the sole source of knowledge. Going through a webquest  with all the worksheets, handouts and rubrics make the students practice their organizational skills as they gather and synthesize their findings or results. In addition they are required to compare, contrast, make decisions and recommendations so they are honing their thinking abilities. Unlike in a traditional lesson that they are just ask to give the answer, in most web quest there is no cut and dry answers.

Webquest is an example of project based learning because webquest has the characteristics as a project based learning. For example, one characteristic of PBL is that students make decisions within a prescribed framework; while doing webquest students come up with a conclusion or an outcome after following guidelines or instructions that can be given to them by the teacher in the form of worksheets and rubrics so they are working within a prescribed framework. PBL and webquest also both revolves around a problem or challenge without a predetermined solution. Students are responsible for accessing and managing the information they gather as well as regularly reflecting on what they’re doing in both PBL and webquest.

The 21^st century skills prepare students for work and life in a fast changing world transformed by technological advances and a global economy. Learning is supposed to integrate new technologies, and responds to the characteristics of a new breed of learners. Webquest is an example of the 21^st century skills because webquest integrates technology and during webquest students learn how to search effectively, evaluate what they find, and put it to use. Thus by doing webquest, students are being prepared for life because the work environment  and life in the 21^st century needs people who know how to effectively find the information, and put it to use.  Webquest develops thinking, problem solving skills and intellectual curiosity that are all part of 21^st century skills. Webquest also promotes 21^st century skills like interpersonal and self-directional skills. 


An example of  a WebQuest is Unrestricted Importation. If you want to see more example visit the following:

WebQuest.Org - Ideas for using the web for research in the classroom, including the one-

computer classroom; web rings to link WebQuest projects.

Primary School WebQuests and Projects - Primary Webquest and Project sites for kids and teacher resources.


CESA 8 WebQuest Matrix 


NMSU Student WebQuests - links to exemplary WebQuests designed by students in the Learning Technologies Program at New Mexico State University. Also included are WebQuests designed by teachers and faculty at NMSU involved in an NSF funded project called Digital Desert Library. Most were created by classroom teachers and have been tested by their students. The links will continually be expanding. You will also find some of the WebQuests are available in Spanish.


AT&T Knowledge Network Explorer: Filamentality WebQuest Teacher Guide -