Bernie Dodge,
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.
WebQuests of either short or long duration
are deliberately designed to make the best use of a learner's time. There is
questionable educational benefit in having learners surfing the net without a
clear task in mind, and most schools must ration student connect time severely.
To achieve that efficiency and clarity of purpose, WebQuests should contain at
least the following parts:
1. An introduction that sets the stage and
provides some background information.
2. A task that is doable and interesting.
3. A set of information sources needed to
complete the task. Many (though not necessarily all) of the resources are
embedded in the WebQuest document itself as anchors pointing to information on
the World Wide Web. Information sources might include web documents, experts
available via e-mail or realtime conferencing,
searchable databases on the net, and books and other documents physically
available in the learner's setting. Because pointers to resources are included,
the learner is not left to wander through webspace
completely adrift.
4. A description of the process the learners
should go through in accomplishing the task. The process should be broken out
into clearly described steps.
5. Some guidance on how to organize the
information acquired. This can take the form of guiding questions, or
directions to complete organizational frameworks such as timelines, concept
maps, or cause-and-effect diagrams as described by Marzano
(1988, 1992) and Clarke (1990).
6. A conclusion that brings closure to the quest,
reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to
extend the experience into other domains.