WebQuest

What is a WebQuest?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing. There are at least two levels of WebQuests that should be distinguished from one another.

Short Term WebQuest

The instructional goal of a short term WebQuest is knowledge acquisition and integration. At the end of a short term WebQuest, a learner will have grappled with a significant amount of new information and made sense of it. A short-term WebQuest is designed to be completed in one to three class periods.

Long Term WebQuest

The instructional goal of a longer term WebQuest is extending and refining knowledge. After completing a longer term WebQuest, a learner would have analyzed a body of knowledge deeply, transformed it in some way, and demonstrated an understanding of the material by creating something that others can respond to, on-line or off-. A longer term WebQuest will typically take between one week and a month in a classroom setting.

Attributes of a WebQuest

• Introduction:

  sets the stage and provides background information

• Task:

  the assignment

• Information Sources:

  links to resources that will help accomplish the task

• Process:

  description of what should be done to accomplish the task

• Guidance:

  questions or directions to help organize the acquired information

• Conclusion:

  review of what was learned and suggestions for further investigation