What is a "WebQuest"?

     A WebQuest is a carefully planned activity that requires students to explore websites looking for specific information according to creative tasks that have been set for them. It can involve finding information within a single site, navigating between several preselected sites, or for more advanced students taking on different roles and expressing specific points of view, and even creating their own web pages.

Complex WebQuests:

Opportunities in Covert Organizations: a WebQuest exploring the official FBI, CIA and DoJ websites. Another version is available on Kiko.com.

Exploring Mars: a long-term WebQuest project about planning a trip to the red planet.

US Elections: A two-part WebQuest exploring the BBC Election site.

Catching Crooks, Exploring the FBI: a revised WebQuest based on the official website of the FBI.
You can now view examples of student work based on an earlier version of this Web Quest.

Simple Web Activities

An Online Culinary Exercise: a simple web activity based on a culinary website.

Corbin Motors Online: a simple web activity that includes a virtual factory tour.
The Corbin Motors site is really an excellent resource, especially for technical students like STI or BTS technique.

Activity Worksheets

First Steps on the Internet: a worksheet to guide students' first online search, for middle to upper intermediate students.
While not strictly speaking a "WebQuest" as such, I have included it here as an example of a composite introductory activity that guides students through their discovery of several different online activities.

Internet Activity Log - Message Boards: a worksheet with detailed instructions on using the Multiverse message boards

Internet Activity Log - The Press: a worksheet to help students discover English-language newspapers and magazines.

Student-generated WebQuests: one of my classes has just cobbled together a set of their own WebQuests. They are really just simple questionnaires, but it's a good first step towards more independent work.

News Flash: May and June will see a series of online workshops on designing WebQuests for the second language classroom.

WebQuest Tutorials:

What is a "WebQuest"? (in English)

Qu'est-ce qu'une "WebQuest"? (en français)

De la recherche à la création, une prise d'autonomie progressive (en français)

Intégrer les TICE dans un projet pédagogique (en français)

Links about WebQuests

Kiko.com, an excellent resource site with templates you can use to help design WebQuests, including student response forms. For an example see WebTeach-Kiko.

The WebQuest Page: an excellent resource site by the team headed by Bernie Dodge, the founder of the WebQuest concept.

Stop the presses! These links just in on design-based WebQuests. Especially check out the WebQuest for administrators on how to spend grant money on new technology, "We won the grant, now what do we do?"

Best viewed in 800 x 600 resolution.

- page written and designed by Philip Benz
 Philip.Benz@wanadoo.fr
- thanks to Bernie Dodge and
the team at The WebQuest Page