About WebQuests

WebQuests have been around since the mid-1990s, when Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University worked with Tom March to develop the model. According to the WebQuest pages at SDSU,

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. 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.

One of the features that attracted me to Cheryl's Web site was the Cinco de Mayo WebQuest, which grew out of her interest in multiculturalism. This WebQuest is a celebration of a significant historical event in Mexican history, and Cinco de Mayo serves as a springboard for a cornucopia of activities that integrate content, the arts, and the language arts.

As I navigated the Cinco de Mayo link not long ago, I remembered a contribution Don Leu made to the RTEACHER listserv on May 17, 2000. At the time, several members of the listserv were sharing information about sources of elementary-level WebQuests or giving URLs for sites. There was much excitement about this teaching tool, and comments about the activity were positive. Don shared the contributors' interest regarding WebQuests, but he interjected a note of caution. With Don's permission, I have reproduced his comments:

Here are some more thoughts about WebQuests. WebQuests are useful instructional tools on the Internet. Some are very good; some are very poor. We need to carefully evaluate any WebQuest before deciding to use it in our classroom, just as we would any other curricular material. I believe each of the following questions should be asked before using any WebQuest:

1. Does this WebQuest meet my curriculum goals and learning objectives? How? What do my students learn from this experience? What does it teach? Is this important?
2. How much time will this take my students? Is this time well spent or could we accomplish more in less time with another learning experience?
3. Does the WebQuest require my students to think critically about information and evaluate the information they encounter? Does higher order thinking take place during the WebQuest or are students only required to develop literal, factual knowledge?
4. Is this WebQuest developed to accommodate individual learning needs and interests? Will all of my students be able to benefit from this activity? If not, what must I do to meet individual differences?
5. Is there an opportunity for students to share the results of their WebQuest with the rest of the class for discussion and additional learning? How do students share their learning with the rest of the class, enriching everyone's insights about what took place?
6. Do students know, in advance, how their work on the WebQuest will be evaluated? Will students know what is important to accomplish in the activity based on how it will be evaluated?
7. Are all the links on the WebQuest active and appropriate for my students? Have I completed the WebQuest myself, and checked each of the links to resources that appear?

Of course, not all WebQuests will be able to pass answers to these questions. Do not simply assume that because it is a WebQuest on the Internet it must be a good experience for your students. Some will be; some will not. Good teaching always requires that careful judgments be made about the learning experiences we select for our students, whether they appear on the Internet or in more traditional formats.

One of my greatest concerns about WebQuests is that they often have students working alone, in pairs, or in small groups without ever getting back together with the entire class to share, exchange, and discuss their experiences. It is always best to include the use of a short workshop session following each WebQuest so that you have a better understanding of what children learned in order to plan upcoming experiences and so you can shape and support the learning that takes place as students describe the meanings they developed from their experiences. You have an important role to play in WebQuests. This should not be left entirely to the person who designed the WebQuest. You know your particular students' needs better than anyone else.

The Cinco de Mayo WebQuest shows that Cheryl and Don are on the same educational wavelength. For example, regarding congruence with educational goals, read the link entitled Teacher Notes. They were written with the New Mexico content standards and benchmarks in mind, but they could be adapted to any educational jurisdiction. The key is that Cheryl has thought about what she wishes to accomplish. As you explore other facets of Cinco de Mayo, put Don's guidelines and the issues he raises to the test.

Note: Readers who wish to learn more about WebQuest may find an article by John Andrews entitled “The Instructional Use of Webquests” useful.

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