Why use a webquest?

In a webquest, students explore websites, seek answers to questions and partner with team-members to complete a process. In this sense, the webquest supports inquiry-based learning, a generative strategy.

But a lot of the work in a webquest is done in advance by the instructor. The instructor spells out the task, describes the process by which the task will be completed, chooses the websites and helps the students make best use of the websites through guiding questions.

A webquest does involve exploring, seeking answers to questions, constructing meaning. A webquest doesn’t involve turning the students loose on to the web and hoping that they will generate some knowledge that applies to the learning objectives.

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” author unknown

Inquiry based learning engages students in exploring, asking questions, and constructing their own meaning. As we progress through education, we become more and more exposed to the charismatic, informed teacher who dispenses his wisdom, tells his stories, woos us with his intellect and imparts the knowledge that he has constructed. In contrast, the student also needs opportunities to experience the content first hand (read prima facia accounts, for example), ask questions, construct his or her own meaning.

Instructional designers have called this depth of processing. Depth of processing promotes the long-term impact of new knowledge on the learner and the recall and application of new knowledge.

In 2002 the US Department of Education partnered with representatives from several high technology firms and concluded that "There is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st century communities and workplaces."

An important 21st century outcome is critical thinking and problem solving which includes these skills:

• Exercising sound reasoning in understanding

• Making complex choices and decisions

• Understanding the interconnections among systems

• Identifying and asking significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

• Framing, analyzing and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and answer questions

The term and the use of the webquest has been credited to Dr. Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University. As a result of his promotion of this form of inquiry-based learning, thousands of webquests exist on the internet on sites ranging from those collected on the popular site WebQuest.org, a database of webquests supported by San Diego State University to those supported by individual institutions like Louisiana State University .

An efficient way to locate webquests is through WebQuest.org and QuestGarden or through the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (Merlot).

Launch activity to view the Merlot site. Type in WebQuests in search field.

Your task is to explore the use and the relevance of the WebQuest in higher education. You will answer the questions:

Why is the webquest relevant?

How can I use it in my instruction?

You will learn the relationship of a webquest to inquiry-based learning and 21st century skills. You will see examples of a webquest. From the discussion and the examples you will list the major organizational components of a webquest and think of how you would use the organizational component in your own lesson. An example of an organizational component is the statement of process, which is what you are reading now.

Please use the attached pdf file to help focus your work.

View the Digital Literacy WebQuest by clicking on 'Launch Activity'.

In a statement what is the task of the webquest participant?

How is process different from task?

View the Media Design Webquest by clicking on 'Launch Activity'.

Webquests contain links to resources on the web. What comment can you make about the use of the links in the BlueFish Media Design Webquest? For example, is there a strong relationship between the links and the task?

View the Online Sales Webquest by clicking on 'Launch Activity'.

How does this webquest differ from the other examples?

Now that you have been introduced to webquests and have viewed three webquests that are used in higher education, complete the pdf file that asks you to describe the five components of the webquest.

Compare your answers to the answers offered under this 'Launch Activity'.

Normally, the evaluation section contains a rubric that helps students and teachers evaluate their performance.