What is a WebQuest and why my students love them?

Have you used WebQuests recently in your World Language classes? No matter where you are in the school year, WebQuests offer a great opportunity for your students to experience authentic culture and to grow intellectually. Let’s explore some of the ways I implement WebQuests in my classroom and why my students love them.

My Introduction to WebQuests

The creation of my first WebQuest was in 2017. Earlier that year, I visited the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, which quickly felt like a second home & culture. But in mid-September, I was devastated to see the horrors of Hurricane María, as it ripped through Puerto Rico. I wanted to teach my students a mini-lesson about Puerto Rico that would help them understand what they were seeing on the news, but also, to teach them about the cultural richness of the island and its history. There was no one thing online that satisfied my needs. It occurred to me that I could curate a list of online resources, create worksheets, and set up stations around the classroom: thus my first WebQuest was born!

What Is a WebQuest

According to Edutopia, a “WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which students get all information from the web. Teachers provide their students with the documents that include links to websites to use the information, according to the activity.” It merges technology with learning!

The Benefits of a WebQuest

Here are some of the benefits that I notice in my classroom when I use a WebQuest in my World Language class:

If you can find one that is already made & matches your needs, it is no-prep for you, making your life easier!
It grooms thinking and curiosity skills
It expands students’ cultural knowledge
It uses authentic material
It is self-paced — students can move at the rate that they need to

What Students Love about WebQuests

From my observation of students completing various WebQuests over the years, they seem to like the freedom of it. They can begin with any activity and move at their own speed. They can work in groups or individually. There is a flexibility to learning that is student-centered when doing WebQuests. This is particularly useful in the World Language Classroom!

Also, WebQuests can take any format. I prefer Google Slides because they are very flexible but you can also use Google Docs or even a Pear Deck (which is still…Google Slides, lol).

When Is A Good Time for A WebQuest?

Quite frankly, anytime! You can make your own or you can purchase an already-made seasonal one. For example, I have one on Semana Santa and El Cinco De Mayo. But you could make your own for something more specific!

I like WebQuests year-round, but especially during testing season when schedules are unpredictable–that way students have the flexibility piece to work on the WebQuest when they can.

I also love WebQuests when I’m absent! Check out this video on how to change a Google Slides Pear Deck Presentation WebQuest into a Sub Plan!