WebQuests

What is a WebQuest?
A Webquest is an assignment - basically a webpage tool for a classroom-based assignment in which all or most of the information for the assignment is found on the internet. Students can seach for information via inquiries into a search engine and get their information from web pages on the internet and other resources on the internet. The assignment is contained in the WebQuest page online, along with all details the students need to complete the assignment appropriately - such as rubrics and even forms or worksheets.

What are the essential parts of the WebQuest and what skills do students use to complete each part?

The 6 essential parts are:

1. Introduction - students would need to be able to read or have access to someone who can read the page/s for them and would need to be able to comprehend the concept of the assignment or project.
2. Task - again, students would need to have the comprehension skills to understand the specific task being assigned by the project.
3. Process - students would need to understand how to do one item before the other and would have to be able to use the computer to complete each step in the procss.
4. Resources - students would need to have working knowledge of how to use the computer and how to navigate to sites on the internet.
5. Evaluation - the students would need to be able to read and understand the grading rubrics so that they are aware of what the teacher is looking for in their work while completing the assignment.
6. Conclusion - students must be able to reflect on what they have learned and put it all together into a summary of their experience/findings while doing the project.

How can WebQuests be used in the classroom?
WebQuests can be used to teach subjects such as social studies or science, or for creative assignments with problems that have more than one possible solution or outcome. Lessons and subjects that require higher-level thinking are perfect for a webquest assignment.
Some examples of how a webquest can be used in the classroom are:

An endangered animal project like the ones I researched for my WebQuest evaluations - a zoo is given money to create a habitat for an endangered animal - but you have to research and present the one animal you think is the best choice and support your reason as to why you selected this animal.

Another idea might be to have students research and design a space station.

One other idea might be to have students do a project on traveling back in time to study a subject that could help save the environment or a subject that would help us understand a historical event or ancient people - such as how dinosaurs became extinct or ancient Egypt and their society. They would have to determine which event/subject is the most important to study and present ideas on how what they would learn would help us today.