IQ

Measuring the Inquiry Quotient of WebQuests

(A WebQuest about WebQuests)

Introduction

WebQuests are the most popular form of web-based lesson because of their simple yet adaptable structure. Teachers can easily create them by filling in templates provided on the webquest.org portal and elsewhere. Ideally, WebQuests are designed to foster inquiry in which students do not just collect existing information or resources from the Web, but use those resources to solve problems or develop new theories or products.

Unfortunately, the ease of creating WebQuests does not guarantee consistently high-quality products. Although extremely compelling inquiry-based tasks can be found, many more examples exist that do not require higher-order thinking at all, and in fact that primarily involve mere regurgitation of already existing information.

This WebQuest facilitates examination of the question, “What features or qualities makes a WebQuest effective, in terms of whether it fosters inquiry and higher-order thinking as opposed to mere regurgitation?” To answer this question, we first need to ask “What is inquiry?”.

(See note about this Introduction)

Proceed to the TASK.

The IQWebQuest was created by Craig A. Cunningham
to accompany the book Curriculum Webs, 2nd edition,
by Cunningham and Billingsley (Allyn & Bacon 2006)
Return to curriculumwebs.com home page.