What is a webquest?
Bernie Dodge, the original designer, describes
a webquest as
"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."
A webquest typically includes the following elements: An Introduction,
a presentation of the Task, a list of Resources, a step-by-step description
of the Process, a form or rubric for Evaluation, and a Conclusion that
summarizes what students have learned.
WebQuests were designed to bring together the most effective
instructional practices into one integrated student activity which emphasizes
critical thinking, constructivism, cooperative learning, authentic assessment,
and technology integration.
Webquest Collections
Examples of Specific Webquests
for Students in Grades 5-6
Hundreds of innovative teachers are
busily creating new Webquests every day and loading them up onto the Internet.
In order to find the latest and greatest regarding your special topic, you'll
be much better off using a good search engine to find one yourself. Follow
the directions below to quickly locate a webquest related to your classroom
themes and curriculum topics.
| Directions
for Locating a Webquest |
- Begin with a good search engine for teachers like
Google or
Dogpile
- Click in the empty white search box (not the address
bar at the top of the screen).
- Type your topic with a plus sign (+) directly in
front of it.
e.g. +bears or +whales
The plus sign forces the computer to look for this term.
- If your topic is a phrase (more than one word),
use quotation marks around the phrase and put a plus sign in front of
it.
e.g. +"Ancient Egypt"
The quotes force the computer to only search for the entire phrase,
not just one of the words in the phrase.
- Type a space and then type +webquest.
e.g. +bears +Webquest
e.g. +"Ancient Egypt" +webquest
- Click on the search button next to the search box.
In Northern Light, it's a blue button that says "Search";
in Dogpile, it's a grey button that says "Fetch".
- Your search results should include a few or many
Webquests about that topic. If there's a webquest
about it, you'll be able to find it if you follow these steps. If there's
none available, you may just be inspired to create one yourself. If
that's the case, look no further than this resource on Internet
Webquests to get you started.
This page last updated June, 2007.
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