A webquest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the web. It is comprised of task-oriented assignments that students complete step by step individually or as a group. This model was developed in 1995 at San Diego State University by Bernie Dodge with Tom March.

An interactive webquest is not a virtual scavenger hunt. The emphasis of the webquest should not be on finding information, but rather what to do with the information found.

While most webquests are presented in the form of a multi-page website, they do not have to be. There are some webquests where all of the components are presented on a single webpage. However, I recommend the multi-page design for interactive webquests, because I find it encourages students to complete one task before looking forward to the next.

All webquests are comprised of a few central elements:

• Introduction - Sets the scene and gives students a quick overview of what they will be doing during the assignment.


• Process - Comprised of tasks that the students must complete in order to construct the final product.


• Evaluation - Describes to the student how they will be evaluated, usually reviewing what is to be submitted and how.


• Conclusion - Summarizes what the student has learned by completing the webquest.

 

Authentic

Because webquests are based on information found on the web, they are generally viewed as being more real-to-life than activities based off texts books that are usually already outdated by the time they are finished printing and have a one-dimensional view point.

In fact, when dealing with webquests designed for the language learner, it is often best to provide the student with authentic texts via websites designed for native speakers whenever possible. This is a unique opportunity for those students who have not had the opportunities to study abroad to see how the language is really used!

Layers of Learning to Promote Interaction

You may be creating a webquest that will help your students practice their past perfect verb conjugation, but by varying the tasks in your process you could potentially allow them practice with listening, speaking, reading, and writing. And by using authentic tasks, you will add the benefits of increasing their vocabulary, providing additional grammar models, and exposing them to new cultural elements.

Also, by including several different task types, you should be able to offer a little something for all the different learning styles in your classroom: the visual, the tactile, and the auditory!

Not to mention, that by asking them to synthesize information using critical thinking, you are forcing them to internalize the work they are doing, rather than just regurgitate some information from the textbook into a workbook.