Webquests were originally developed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March about 1995 as a way of showing how the Internet could be used productively and the currency of the info posted on it could be exploited. In the words of Tom March (who gave my definition the big thumbs up when I sent it to him after marking dozens of uni papers about webquests that were not) "Every car is not a Chevrolet, every flower is not a rose". Since the concept first came into being, the name has been watered down to mean almost anything that requires web-based research.
A webquest is a strategy which allows a group of students to investigate a real-life issue from a number of different perspectives. The issue is multi-faceted with a number of possible solutions, each dependent on the purpose and opinion of the stakeholders. After acquainting themselves with the background of the topic, each student assumes the persona of one of the stakeholders and uses the facilities of the World Wide Web to explore the issue from that particular perspective. Using the WWW exploits the breadth or resources available, and because the issues are often topical and local, there is access to material not yet in print format - if indeed it ever is.
Students use their new knowledge and understanding to argue their case from the perspective of their persona and attempt to negotiate a solution to the issue that allows as much of a win-win situation for all as possible. These requirements to argue from an unfamiliar point of view and to achieve consensus and their subsequent demand to use higher order thinking skills that sets the webquest apart from other online strategies such as hotlists and treasure hunts. It also means that it is really suitable for those in year 6+ who have developed the ability to step aside from their own beliefs and argue objectively.
Critical elements include
· the real-life nature of the issue being explored,
· its multi-faceted nature that means there are a number of ways that it can be perceived and a number of feasible solutions
· the need for students to co-operate and collaborate to solve the problem
· the need for students to step beyond their own knowledge and beliefs to examine issues from a different perspective
· the need for negotiation and consensus so that there is a solution which is acceptable to all
· the need for resources, in whichever format, to be almost tailor-made for the situation so students can access and use it quickly, easily and efficiently
· its capacity "to facilitate the transformation of information into a newly constructed, assimilated understanding" (March, 2006)
A webquest enables students to
· explore real-life issues
· understand there can be several sides to every story
· access a broad range of current resources
· understand perception, opinion and bias
· work together to negotiate a solution that works for the majority
· work at a higher level of thinking than we currently often demand
That doesn't mean that things like hotlists and scavenger hunts are valuable activities, it just means they are not webquests.
In my opinion, webquests are not really suitable for younger students because they lack the ability to be able to set aside their own point of view and see an issue from a different perspective.
Tom March has also written about webquests in a Web 2.0 world at http://greav.ub.edu/iem/index.php?journal=iem&page=article&op=view&path%5b%5d=122and has now re-branded his Web-and-Flow site, which guides you step–by-step through the creation of a number of online activities at http://edge-ucator.com/ "
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