What is a WebQuest?

A WebQuest is a virtual web resource role-play research guide and learning evaluation tool. A
WebQuest helps students guide their thinking process along the steps to correlate information
gained through the research process. Similar to Pathfinders, a list of resources (books,
magazines and web sources, chosen by librarians to help users research a topic on their own,
but more guided by teachers taking the student step by step through web only resources. I am
unsure why it is only web resources. The roleplaying aspect of it could work with print
resources as well such as a Pathfinder quest. I think WebQuest as an instruction tool work so
well because the structure is simple and consistent with the 5 parts of introduction, task,
process, evaluation, and conclusion. I also think the role-play aspect makes it lots of fun.

History of the WebQuest

March, Tom. (1998) Why WebQuest? Accessed June 5, 2016
from:http://tommarch.com/writings/why-webquests/

From this webpage it seems that web quests came about in the late nineties when students
were being bombarded with internet resources that were not up to the teachers standards of a
good website. I would pair a WebQuest with the lesson vetting websites for usefulness. I think
a better skill to teach students is how to evaluate the websites on their own through repetitive
practice.

Higher Level Thinking

The WebQuest makes students merge the information collected and come up with a synthesis
piece to turn in to the teacher. In order to engage students in higher level cognition,
WebQuests use scaffolding or prompting which has been shown to facilitate more advanced
thinking. In other words, by breaking the task into meaningful chunks and asking students to
undertake specific sub-tasks, a WebQuest can step them through the kind of thinking process
that more expert learners would typically use. (March 1998).

WHY use a WebQuest for your topic? What are the purposes of creating a WebQuest for
a classroom, library, or training instructional goal?

When I was reading about WebQuests I wondered what was different between them and a
Pathfinder which I have been creating for years. The WebQuest seems to direct the student to
the answer making it a nice tool for K-3 and emerging computer or research skills.
In my searching I found this nice list of Pathfinders and WebQuests :
https://eastwoodlibrary.wordpress.com/resources/pathfinders-webquests/
I think that the reason WebQuests work better than Pathfinders is they are more fun and remind
me of the board game CLUE. I think the fun aspect will motivate the students to do the
assignment and do it well.

HOW can you best use a WebQuest to evaluate the skills required to use the school
library and its resources?

I think the best way to evaluate the skills used to use the school library is with a scavenger hunt
and it can be digital in the form of a WebQuest. This one is for 2nd graders learning the Dewey
Decimal system. http://questgarden.com/141/82/4/120402211508/process.htm

What are the best methods of assessing the instructional outcomes and research
capabilities upon students completion of a school library-focused WebQuest?
The best way to assess instructional outcomes is to make sure the WebQuest is rooted in
content standards and then have the learning targets match. I think if the focus was research
skills having the WebQuest links to the answers and more controlled browsing of websites or
databases such as TEL4U.org. The rubric would also follow along with the content standards,
and learning outcomes to judge to what extend the student matched the targets.

Good examples of WebQuest

1. WebQuests that incorporate writing skills would fulfill common core standards for writing.
Also, most times writing prompts are given, critical thinking skills must be imployed to
synthesize knowledge to write a finished product whether it be an informative piece (merge two
or more texts) or opinion (merge and compare and contrast information). This WebQuest on a
2nd grade book in the Magic School Bus series takes the student on a research quest
about Pompeii. http://questgarden.com/161/65/6/130801145321/ It incorporates social
studies standards, writing standards and helps the student learn from novels they read for fun.
The WebQuest could also incorporate library research skills by directing them on a scavenger
hunt to find books on the subject of the Magic School Bus book (in this case Ancient Rome).

2. This WebQuest on Mo Williams books

http://questgarden.com/142/21/2/120413160323/index.htm (Pigeon and Elephant and Piggy)
has the students reading several of the authors books and completing a character study The
students the use artistic and creative writing skills to illustrate their own book. The students
could also use library skills to find the section (Easy or Everybody section) in which the Mo
Williams books are found.

3. This WebQuest called Be a Civil War Spy

http://questgarden.com/99/59/3/110911103612/
This WebQuest would be good for 4th grade TN state standards for social studies. The
students are to imagine they are a spy. This one is for older student and has more opportunities
for detailed research. The teacher gave the students pre-vetted websites and then find a way to
synthesize the research into a project.

My School Library Scavenger Hunt WebQuest:

http://zunal.com/teacherspage.php?w=324129