WebQuests will normally have the following parts at a minimum: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, Conclusion, Credits/Resources. We formed groups of about 5 students to evaluate five different WebQuests in the high school math/science field. Each student had a specific "role" tied to what they were looking for in a great WebQuest. There was the Efficiency Expert, the Affiliator, the Altitudinist, and the Technophile. I was the Technophile and examined the different websites for attractive color scheme, working links, useful links, links to interesting sites, animated gifs, and anything technologically related. The Efficiency Expert looked for a website that gives the most educational "bang for the buck" (the most information in a decent amount of time) while the Affiliator looked for individual learning in a cooperative setting. Finally, the Altitudinist tried to find the level of higher-order thinking on each WebQuest. And believe me, WebQuests come in all forms: the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
Our winner: How Did Life on Earth Begin?
Our loser: A Mathematical Look at the Electoral College
This activity was useful because we each had an individual role that we then shared as a group to come to a final consensus. It was very quick and easy to do (it was especially easy to pick out the super bad WebQuests!). I can see myself using this in the classroom to evaluate the pros and cons of any WebQuests that I'm thinking about using. After looking for a WebQuest in my subject area, I found an AWESOME one! It's called Bones & the Badge and I am already planning to use it as an introductory activity in my forensic science class this fall :)
Finally, a really great, searchable database for WebQuests is QuestGarden.com. Be sure to check it out if you're looking for a good (or maybe not so good ...) WebQuest!
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