Webquest
A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity or lesson format in which most or all the information learners work with what comes from the web. The model was developed by Bernie Dodge in 1995 when he published a brief paper on the topic called “Some Thoughts About WebQuests” (Dodge, 1995). WebQuests can be implemented for both short term or long term instruction. Short term instructional goals might be knowledge acquisition and integration that would be completed in one to three class periods (Dodge). Longer term instructional goals could include extending and refining knowledge that may be completed in a week to a month of classroom instruction (Dodge). Having students surf the internet with no clear task in mind can often be a waste of valuable educational time for students and teachers alike. In most cases, WebQuests are designed by teachers to be a guided and structured form of inquiry lesson (Milson, 2002).
According to Dodge (1995), to achieve efficiency and clarity of purpose, a WebQuest should include:
According to Dodge (1995), to achieve efficiency and clarity of purpose, a WebQuest should include:
- An introduction to set the stage and provide background information.
- A task that is doable and interesting.
- Information sources needed to complete the task.
- A description of the process students should follow while completing the task.
- Guidance on how to ordganize the information that is acquired.
- A conclusion that brings closure to the activity and remind students what they've learned.
Advantages
Andrew Milson (2002) noted that the internet is increasingly providing teachers with access to materials that may be used for activities like critical thinking, problem-solving, civic participation, and service learning with the goal of building the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for civic competence. While the internet is full of information, it can be unorganized, full of bias or opinion, and developed by anyone (Skylar, Higgins, & Randall, 2007). A WebQuest allows teachers to provide some structure and organization to class assignments and projects when using the internet as an instructional tool (Skylar, Higgins, & Randall).
The WebQuest approach is intended to capitalize on the advantages of the internet for guided inquiry learning while mitigating some of the disadvantages (Milson, 2002). As previously noted, the internet can provide students with access to large amounts of information that may not have been available before. If a teacher were to assign a task to research online and not provide identified websites to complete the task, students might spend large amounts of time searching the web to simply find appropriate websites.
In contrast, Skylar, Higgins, and Boone (2007) noted that a WebQuest provides: a structured environment; specific steps for completing the assigned task; a list of appropriate websites and sources; and instructions for compiling data for a research project. In short, a “well-designed WebQuest provides students with an efficient tool to conduct research, compare and contrast, and analyze a topic” (Skylar, Higgins, & Boone, p. 21).
The WebQuest approach is intended to capitalize on the advantages of the internet for guided inquiry learning while mitigating some of the disadvantages (Milson, 2002). As previously noted, the internet can provide students with access to large amounts of information that may not have been available before. If a teacher were to assign a task to research online and not provide identified websites to complete the task, students might spend large amounts of time searching the web to simply find appropriate websites.
In contrast, Skylar, Higgins, and Boone (2007) noted that a WebQuest provides: a structured environment; specific steps for completing the assigned task; a list of appropriate websites and sources; and instructions for compiling data for a research project. In short, a “well-designed WebQuest provides students with an efficient tool to conduct research, compare and contrast, and analyze a topic” (Skylar, Higgins, & Boone, p. 21).
Challenges
Our target classroom includes five students with learning disabilities that make it difficult to get information from the text, remember facts, and organize, one student who is a recent immigrant to the U.S. for whom English is a second language language which results in her beign slow to process auditory information, one student on the autism spectrum who does not work well in groups, and two students who are withdrawn and tend to participate very little in class and infrequently complete their work.
A WebQuest provides structure and organization to class assignments and projects by giving students the online resources they need to effectively navigate the internet, rather than randomly searching or surfing it. Even though WebQuests include specific websites and resources for instructional activities, some students with learning disabilities may be confused by complex sentences, difficult vocabulary, and the organizational structure of a typical website (Skylar, Higgins, & Boone, 2007). As a result, these students may find it difficult to identify and synthesize key information needed to complete assigned tasks.
Skylar, Higgins, and Boone (2007) also found that some websites are cluttered and contain too much information, and that students with learning disabilities who are viewing these sites may find it difficult to identify the key information needed to complete a task. This is a problem that may also exist in printed materials, however, in the case of internet resources, a teacher has the option of selecting specific websites, and must be sure to select carefully when including them in a WebQuest.
A WebQuest provides structure and organization to class assignments and projects by giving students the online resources they need to effectively navigate the internet, rather than randomly searching or surfing it. Even though WebQuests include specific websites and resources for instructional activities, some students with learning disabilities may be confused by complex sentences, difficult vocabulary, and the organizational structure of a typical website (Skylar, Higgins, & Boone, 2007). As a result, these students may find it difficult to identify and synthesize key information needed to complete assigned tasks.
Skylar, Higgins, and Boone (2007) also found that some websites are cluttered and contain too much information, and that students with learning disabilities who are viewing these sites may find it difficult to identify the key information needed to complete a task. This is a problem that may also exist in printed materials, however, in the case of internet resources, a teacher has the option of selecting specific websites, and must be sure to select carefully when including them in a WebQuest.
Application
WebQuests can be modified in many different ways to meet the needs of all students, and often modifying a WebQuest is no different than modifying other learning material. Modifications can include assigning tasks as individual or group work, assigning different tasks to be completed or varying materials to be used based on student abilities and needs. Providing for this differentiation may be time consuming for the teacher, at least during the setup/creation phase, but may ultimately be needed to ensure that all students in the classroom are learning the required material.
WebQuests should not be used in isolation, rather, they should be connected to the curriclua or specific standards being studied, and should link to previous and subsequent classroom topics, themes, and activities (Skylar, Higgins, & Boone, 2007). Alex Zukas (2000) commented that while the internet provides users with the ability to reach far beyond the traditional sources of social studies curriculum material, but the internet is only a tool, and like any tool can be enriching or frustrating. The other teaching strategies highlighted on this website can be used with a WebQuest as they would with other tools and methods. In fact, many strategies, including study guides and graphic organizers, help students to comprehend and identify key information (Mastropieri, Scruggs, & Graetz, 2003).
WebQuests should not be used in isolation, rather, they should be connected to the curriclua or specific standards being studied, and should link to previous and subsequent classroom topics, themes, and activities (Skylar, Higgins, & Boone, 2007). Alex Zukas (2000) commented that while the internet provides users with the ability to reach far beyond the traditional sources of social studies curriculum material, but the internet is only a tool, and like any tool can be enriching or frustrating. The other teaching strategies highlighted on this website can be used with a WebQuest as they would with other tools and methods. In fact, many strategies, including study guides and graphic organizers, help students to comprehend and identify key information (Mastropieri, Scruggs, & Graetz, 2003).
Looking for more?
WebQuests can be found for just about any topic you are looking for. Some good sites to visit include:
Zunal.com - A web-based software for creating WebQuests without needing to know HTML. Also includes an extensive library of existing WebQuests that can be sorted by grade-level and content area.
QuestGarden.com - An online authoring tool, community, and hosting service designed to make it easier and quicker to create a high quality WebQuest created by Bernie Dodge. 30-day free trials are available, but longer term membership costs $20 for a two-year csubscription.
Zunal.com - A web-based software for creating WebQuests without needing to know HTML. Also includes an extensive library of existing WebQuests that can be sorted by grade-level and content area.
QuestGarden.com - An online authoring tool, community, and hosting service designed to make it easier and quicker to create a high quality WebQuest created by Bernie Dodge. 30-day free trials are available, but longer term membership costs $20 for a two-year csubscription.