Let WebQuests Help during COVID-19
As we all struggle to adapt to life in pandemic times, many schools, teachers and parents are grappling with how to provide online learning for students. Lots of great strategies and platforms exist that didn’t 20 years ago when we were in the heyday of WebQuests, so keep using these things (Google Suite, apps, videos, LMS platforms, etc.). But there will come a time when WebQuests are exactly the solution you’re looking for (he says, confidently). When is this magical time?
You really want to use a WebQuest when…
- Obviously, learners have access to the Web 😉
- The goal is to develop understanding, not just learn information (e.g., not just memorize or copy/paste). Use the comments link if you want to discuss the difference.
- You’d rather guide, than direct, student learning.
- The topic is connected to the real world and people often have different opinions or theories about it.
- Especially during times of social isolation, you want students to work together and collaborate (even remotely).
How about a refresher on WebQuests?
The video below will take you quickly through the “Parts” of a WebQuest (and why each part is important). Other videos will elaborate on WebQuest design tips.
Resources
- WebQuest Template (in HTML format). You can Copy and paste this into a Doc to create a draft of your own WebQuest.
- Tips for WebQuest Designers – friendly advice for each section of a WebQuest.
- What WebQuests Are (Really) – a longer article to understand what they are all about (expanded from a version published in ASCD’s Educational Leadership)