Natalia Katasonova

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the session you will be able to:
explain what a webquest is;
analyze the structure of a webquest;
recognize pedagogocal value of using webquests
in the EL classroom;
search the web for available webquests;
create your own webquest.

What is a Webquest?

Definitions
A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all
of the information that learners interact with comes from
resources on the internet. (Bernie Dodge)
A WebQuest is a scaffolded learning structure that uses links
to essential resources on the World Wide Web and an
authentic task to motivate students' investigation of an open-
ended question, development of individual expertise, and
participation in a group process that transforms newly acquired
information into a more sophisticated understanding. The best
WebQuests inspire students to see richer thematic
relationships, to contribute to the real world of learning, and to
reflect on their own metacognitive processes. (Tom March)

Types of Webquests
Long Term
Short Term
extending and refining
knowledge acquisition
knowledge
and integration
analyzing a body of
making sense of large
knowledge thoroughly
amounts of information
and transforming it
typically completed in
creating a product that
one to three class
others can respond to
periods
typically completed in
one week to a month

Why Use Webquests?
Student Motivation
& Authenticity
Cooperative Developing
Learning Thinking Skills
Problem-Based Project-Based
Learning Learning
Technology
Integration

Webquest Structure
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation

Searching for Webquests
http://webquest.org/search/
http://www.theconsultants-e.
com/webquests/
http://bestwebquests.com/
http://www.kn.pacbell.
com/wired/bluewebn/search.cfm

Sample Webquests
A trip to London
London is a large, vibrant, multicultural city, rich in history and
with many beautiful and interesting places to visit. The
purpose of this WebQuest is to plan a visit to London , where
you will stay for one month studying English at a language
school and, above all, having fun! Suitable for teenage and
adult learners of general English, of low intermediate level or
higher.
Who Made My Trainers? How To Be A Responsible
Consumer
In this WebQuest you will investigate the way your favourite
brands - of clothes, fast food, cosmetics, etc - are produced
and marketed, with a view to becoming better informed and
therefore a more discriminating consumer.

Task
1. Explore the webquests in pairs or groups.
2. Evaluate the webquests using a rubric in
your worksheets.
3. What are the strong and weak points of the
webquests?
4. Would you use these webquests with your
students? Why or why not?

Producing a Webquest
Word processing
SKILLS
Research Analytical

Online Webquest Generators
QuestGarden
zWebQuest
Filamentality
Teach-nology Web Quest Generator

Round-Up
Take this Webquest Quiz to find out what you've learnt today.

Useful Resources
1. Dudeney, G. (2000). The Internet and the Language Classroom.
Cambridge University Press.
2. http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/webquests
3. http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest.html
4. http://webquest.org
5. http://www.mapacourse.com/webquesthtml/
6. http://webquest.sdsu.edu/about_webquests.html
7. http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html
8. http://bestwebquests.com/
9. http://tommarch.com/learning/
10. http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_design.php
11. http://www.tommarch.com/learning/prewrite.php
12. A series of short videos
Part 1: What is a WebQuest?
Part 2: How to Make a WebQuest
Part 3: Intro to QuestGarden
Part 4: Designing the Process

Thank You!
Any Questions?
katasonova.natalia@gmail.com