Understanding WebQuests

A WebQuest is an Internet based activity that takes a student’s core knowledge and expands it into higher level thinking through the use of information found on the net.

Due to the interactivity and immediate access to information, a WebQuest can be tailor designed by you to bring relevant information to the student in a fun, exciting way.

Part 1 - Getting Started

We will begin by looking at a slide show put together by Kathy Schrock on her website at DiscoverySchool.com. http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/webquest/wqsl1.html

Let’s look at an example aimed at students in grades 5-9.

www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/sbcss/services/educational/cctechnology/webquest/tobacco.html. This sample was found from this site of great WebQuest examples.

Next, we will look at three sites that will further help you understand what a WebQuest is and then expand that knowledge so that you may design your own. PS (You can design a WebQuest using something as simple as Microsoft Word, I will demonstrate further in.)

Site 1: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html

This is "The Web Quest Page". Hosted by San Diego State University, it is the origin of the WebQuest – (Bernie Dodge and Tom March.) For now, the best sections to look under are Training Materials and Examples. You can easily get overwhelmed on this page, so take it easy and look in one section at a time. I especially like the “WebQuest about WebQuests.”

Site 2: http://www.ozline.com/webquests/design.html

An in depth description for creating your own WebQuest

Site 3: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil

In just ten minutes on this site, I was able to look around, sign up and post a page to the Internet, all without seeing one word of programming code. Look here! To actually signup click on Start a New Topic at the site listed above.

If you would like to make your own site without using online tools you could use Microsoft Word by following the format found on the original WebQuest page. Then send a copy of the document to me through an email attachment or on a 3.5” disk. I could then post the site to the Internet, under your name off of the Middle School site (sorry high school teachers L.)

Part 2 – Finding quality WebQuests for your own use.

You can find WebQuests any where you turn. Starting with this link to various high quality WebQuests. However this is only a small sample. Instead I would start on a general search engine such as Google.com or a specific site listing WebQuests such as SESD Teacher Resources.

My final recommendation is for Edhelper.com. I just found this site while making up this resource sheet. Incredible resources at your fingertips. I highly recommend giving this one a try. It boasts over 1000 WebQuests in several different categories.