A webquest is a pedagogical resource that is based on the use of the Internet.
Webquest is a teaching model that consists of a guided investigation where most of the information comes from the Internet . The concept was proposed by Bernie Dodge (researcher at San Diego State University ) in 1995 .
This type of activity, its promoters claim, promotes teamwork , student autonomy and the use of higher cognitive skills. It also helps students acquire skills linked to the information society (a concept that refers to the era that human beings are currently going through, with unprecedented access to information, both for its dissemination and for its consumption. ).
The webquest usually proposes attractive tasks that invite the student to adopt active behavior. Creative thinking is necessary for solving problems and analyzing statements, since the activity requires additional effort than answering a simple question.
Development of a webquest
The first step to develop a webquest requires a space on the Internet, whether from the development of a website , a blog or some similar publication. The teacher must include an introduction to the project, the task to be developed, the suggested resources and an evaluation, among other sections.
A webquest can be short-term (when it has the objective of acquiring and integrating knowledge of a subject in the short term) or long-term (when the aim is for the student to develop deduction, induction and abstraction skills).
It is important to distinguish between the webquest and the so-called treasure hunt . While in the first activity the student must transform and process the information , in the treasure hunt he is simply asked to find the answer to a given question.
The online search for information is one of the pillars of a webquest.
The success of these projects
Despite their usefulness, webquests represent one of the many tools that teachers have at their disposal and are not suitable for achieving any educational objective. Specifically, they are ineffective for memorizing historical facts, learning simple procedures, and acquiring new definitions.
To successfully complete a webquest it is necessary to have a good level of reading comprehension ; therefore, they are not appropriate for younger students or those who have difficulties using language. However, it is possible to take advantage of the assistance of adults willing to read the statements and information aloud to guide children who cannot complete the activities on their own.
Creation of webquests
In technical terms, a webquest is nothing more than a simple web page, so the tools necessary for its development are the same as those used to create any other type of document for the Internet. The most advanced users, who rely on their knowledge enough to not require constant assistance when programming, they usually use the notepad included in their operating system or applications similar to Notepad++ , an open source text editor very popular among programmers of all countries. languages.
For those who appreciate the security that a syntax checker provides, there are various programs, such as Dreamweaver and, at the time, Frontpage , that allow the creation of web pages in a short time and through graphical interfaces, which eliminate the need to program each line. of code, and save time for those who value aesthetics more than accuracy.
There are also sites that are specifically dedicated to creating webquests, such as Questgarden and Zunal , which guide their users step by step in the process. On the other hand, teachers can make use of the numerous services of free pages and blogs, and adapt them to the webquest format; Two highly visited providers for this purpose are WordPress and Edublogs .