Webquest learning as perceived by higher-education learners

Abstract

T he WebQuest as an inquiry-oriented approach in web learning has gained considerable attention from educators and has been integrated widely into curricula in K-12 and higher education (Dutt-Doner, Wilmer, Stevens, & Hartmann, 2000; Joseph, 2000; Pohan & Mathison, 1998). It is considered to be an effective way to organize chaotic internet resources and help learners gain new knowledge through a guided learning environment (Patterson & Pipkin, 2001). Originated by Bernie Dodge and Tom March in 1995, the WebQuest is an instructional tool for inquiry-oriented learning in which learners interact with resources on the Internet, develop small group skills in collaborative learning and engage in higher level thinking. The WebQuest can be designed within a single discipline or be interdisciplinary. Two levels of WebQuests exist: short term and long term. Short term WebQuests focus on learners' knowledge acquisition and integration that can be completed in one to three class hours, whereas long term WebQuests emphasize learners' ability to extend and refine knowledge. Long term WebQuests may take between one week and a month in a classroom setting. A well designed WebQuest typically contains six parts: (a) introduction; (b) task; (c) information sources; (d) description of process; (e) guidance; and (f) conclusion (Dodge, 1995). These segments guide learners through WebQuest activities by providing descriptive background information, defining tasks, supplying information resources needed to complete tasks and offering a description of the process learners should go through in accomplishing tasks. Although WebQuests have been adopted in K-12 schools and universities, their functionality and underlying principles are often not well-understood. Vidoni and Maddux (2002) pointed out that WebQuests are sometimes used as "a panacea for all manner of educational ills" (p.ll3). Dodge (2001) expressed his concern that some WebQuests "do not represent the model well at all and are merely worksheets with URLs" (p.7). The existing body of research on WebQuests is mainly focused on their design and development (Gohagan, 1999; Joseph, 2000; Pohan et al, 1998; Seamon, 2001). Little is known about how learners perceive the WebQuest as an instructional and learning tool. Research suggests that perceptions can influence exit behavior and should become part of the design process (Blose & Fisher, 2003; Sahin, 2003). Sahin (2003) observed that student teachers' perceptions of instructional technology, for example, may influence the way they "incorporate technology for teaching and learning across the curriculum" (p. 67). Wheeler (2002) asserted that student perceptions, such as their perceptions of learning and social support, can affect the way that distance learning is designed and implemented. This paper offers a discussion of the underlying constructs of WebQuests followed by the report ofa study examining existing issues regarding WebQuest learning. Implications for teaching and learning with WebQuests will be made, along with suggestions for future research. "Little is known about how learners perceive the WebQuest as an instructional and learning tool"