1. Using Webquests in Schools
Dr. Harriet Herbst, University of Dresden, Germany

2. What is a webquest?
A webquest is an enquiry oriented activity in which…
the internet is used as a source of information and knowledge
A webquest requires an open-ended task
A webquest requires higher level thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation)

3. Bernie Dodge from San Diego State University developed Webquests and has many videos explaining how webquests work (browse internet).
According to Dodge, webquests aim at the „life verbs“ – activities that one really needs in life.

4. Attributes of a Webquest
Introduction
Task
Information sources
Description of process (worksheets, guides, instructions)
Guidance on how to complete the task
Evaluation- how you assess/ grade students
Conclusion
The star provides the link to a webquest.

5. Weblink: Another example of a webquest:

6. Success? According to Bernie Dodge success is when:
Students‘ results/ products are different from each other
There is richness in students‘ writing
Every assignment is unique
Range and depth of output is better than through traditional teaching

7. Pitfalls Choosing an inappropriate topic Choosing an inauthentic task
Choosing a topic that is already well-covered by the text book

8. Using webquests in schools
Explain design of webquest and how to use it (first time)
Don‘t give too many resources
Provide short, comprehensible questions/ tasks
Encourage students to use the evaluation table
This is my experience of using webquests in schools. One needs to explain the format when first using webquests. To be truly effective the evaluation table should be used properly by both students and teachers. The output should be realistic and constitute an authentic task.

9. Webquests used in school placement
Look at how EU agricultural policy has changed since 2014
Here students could look up how much money farmers get from the EU, what it is used for and how
EU money is used for rural development.
Problems: Task not precise enough and students unwilling to engage in discussion.
2. Research differences between organic and conventional farming to prepare for a debate on the topic
Here students looked at various websites, including farm websites and were given precise questions to help in their research.
Problems: students did not quite keep to the debating question, some arguments were unsatisfactory.
The first part of this webquest is not really so good, but the second part (comparing organic and conventional agriculture) worked better. The output was also more authentic for the second task as the students carried out a debate.
Webquests provide a useful way of keeping students on task and guiding them through internet resources.

10. Comments by students Too many links No freedom to look for websites
Too much info, too little time
Well structured task and helpful to be given websites.
Fast and efficient way of working, more fun than using text book, can work alone
Interesting and varied links
Good to have info that is not in textbook
These were comments made by a class of year olds about the webquest I prepared for them.

11. http://webquest.org/ http://questgarden.com/
Useful sites

13. Evaluation rubric