WebQuest or Internet Busy Work?
Bernie Dodge from San Diego State University is widely credited with having created the concept of WebQuests in 1995. In the past decade or so, educators have generated criteria that differentiate an authentic WebQuest from other uses of the Internet. A WebQuest
- focuses on a relevant, interesting, real world task
- is a scaffolded learning experience
- requires higher-order thinking
- makes good use of Internet resources
- inspires confidence in achieving success
Tom March (mentored by Bernie Dodge) claims that such criteria may be too simplistic because they overlook the Webquest's underlying pedagogy of transformative learning. In addressing the question what are webquests really?, March writes that "The main critical attribute of a WebQuest is to facilitate this transformation of information into a newly constructed, assimilated understanding." 
webquests_tom_march.pdf
As literacy lessons, well-designed WebQuests offer opportunities for guided and independent online reading and writing.
Locating or Creating WebQuests
Various websites offer rubrics for evaluation of WebQuests, resources for creating WebQuests, templates for WebQuests, and sample WebQuests for professional development.
SDSU maintains a searchable database of WebQuests created for a variety of content areas, as does Zunal.com. (Never having designed an authentic webquest before, I would choose to follow zWebQuest's procedures to draft my own WebQuest rather than adapt an existing one.)
Browsing though online samples, most WebQuests seem to include these sections (as links in a sidebar):
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Introduction
- Presents an interesting hook to learners like an essential question or problem
- Summarizes the purpose of the WebQuest
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Task
- Provides an overview of the entire WebQuest, including purpose, process, and product
- Presents group roles
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Process
- Lists expclicit step by step group and individual instructions
- Sets the pace of activities and designates time for metacognition or teacher feedback
- Links to Internet Resources (many sample WebQuests include a separate section for resources)
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Evaluation
- Publishes a rubric for process and product
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Conclusion
- Reflects on essential question or problem, how what the students have accomplished contributes to an answer or solution
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Teacher Page
- Defines focus, objectives/goals
- Credits resources, possibly evaluating or annotating them
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I'm interested in Webquests for the simple fact that it gets the students out of the pen to paper format and in front of the computer. Not only are the kids in front of the computer but they are forced to interact in a manner that combines all facets of literacy and not just game related.
One hurdle I routinely come up against during research lab time is the kids limeted ability to decipher the information they receive through the various search engines. An effective webquest should help streamline this process via the scaffolding and confidence built..........comment by Rick Spinner
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