What is a webquest?
Bernie Dodge, a professor at San Diego State University, as cited in Dudeney & Hockly (n.d.). describes webquests as inquiry-based activities in which learners engage with information primarily sourced from the Internet. Over time, this definition has been refined and adapted for various disciplines.
However, Philip Benz as cited in Dudeney & Hockly (n.d.) explains that a webquest is a constructivist approach to learning, in which students not only gather and organize information from the web but also direct their activities toward a specific goal. This goal often involves taking on one or more roles inspired by professional adults.
Webquests are beneficial in the classroom for several reasons:
Easy Internet Integration: They allow teachers to incorporate the Internet without requiring technical expertise.
Group Communication: Webquests promote knowledge sharing and communication among learners.
Interdisciplinary Learning: They can bridge multiple subject areas, expanding learning opportunities.
Critical Thinking: Webquests foster critical thinking skills by guiding learners to transform information for task achievement.
Motivation and Authenticity: They motivate learners by providing authentic, real-world tasks that capture their interest.
How are webquests structured?
Webquests typically follow a structured format, although it's important to adapt them to suit students' needs and learning styles. A typical webquest consists of four main sections:
Introduction: This stage introduces the webquest's theme, providing background information and introducing key vocabulary and concepts relevant to the tasks at hand.
Task: The task section clearly defines what learners need to do during the webquest. It should be engaging, interesting, and connected to real-life situations. Role-playing scenarios are often incorporated (e.g., organizing a trip to an English-speaking country as the school social organizer).
Process: In this stage, learners are guided through a series of activities and research tasks using predefined resources, predominantly web-based. The webquest document usually includes clickable links for ease of access. Language-based webquests may also introduce or reinforce essential vocabulary or grammar related to the task. The process stage typically culminates in one or more "products" that learners present as outcomes.
Evaluation: it involves self-assessment, peer comparison, and feedback on what learners have learned and achieved. Teachers also provide evaluation and guidance, which should be outlined in the webquest to facilitate this part of the process.
Types of webquests:
Short-term webquests involve learners engaging with a substantial amount of information to comprehend it within the span of one or a few lessons. On the other hand, long-term webquests require learners to delve deeply into a body of knowledge and transform it in some manner. This transformation is the crucial distinction between long-term and short-term webquests. In long-term webquests, learners are expected to convert the acquired information into a new product such as a report, presentation, interview, or survey.
Example of webquest:
In this link you'll find an example of webquest created using Zunal for the following group of students:
Target group: 1st year (13 / 14 year-olds)
Language level: Intermediate (PET)
Topic: Food & Culture
Theme: How Food Shapes Our Identities
Sources:
Dudeney, G., & Hockly, N. (n.d.). Webquests. British Council TeachingEnglish. Retrieved July 4, 2023 from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/integrating-ict/articles/webquestsÂ
Hockly, N., & Dudeney, G. (2007). Chapter 4: Internet based project work. In How to Teach English with Technology. Essex: Pearson.