Introduction

The Question / Task serves to focus your entire WebQuest and helps students engage in higher-order thinking. The Quest(ion) makes students look beyond the facts to how things relate, what is the truth, how good or right something is.

In writing your own Question / Task Statement, it will be helpful to think about what gets listed in the higher levels of things like Bloom's Taxonomy like analysis and synthesis. Also consider such things as:

- analyzing and classifying the main parts of a topic
- using these main parts as criteria from which to evaluate examples of the topic

- analyzing perspectives and opinions through comparison / contrast
- using an understanding of people's opinions to make a persuasive argument

- analyzing how things change through cause & effect and If/Then statements
- using if/then statements to problem solving new situations

By the way, have you already seen Web-and-Flow's Transforming for Understanding with its clusters, table and tips? The sample questions / tasks on the table might give you some ideas.

Example Quest(ions)

A good strategy for learning a concept like "What is a good WebQuest Question?" is to give a bunch of examples, so here goes:

School Desegregation

What, if anything, should be done to racially desegregate U.S. schools?

China

How should the U.S. relate to China in order to achieve positive international goals?

The U.S. National Debt

What should be done with the U.S. debt and deficit?

Cloning

What are the social, economic and political effects of cloning on individuals, families and communities?

Art

What is the value of art?

Example Tasks

The Task is what action or product students will take or develop to demonstrate that they have achieved the learning goals shaped by the Question. Some examples:

School Desegregation

Students will put their opinions into a persuasive esseay format. The best way to complete this WebQuest is to bring students together from different schools and communities to compare ideas and come to a collective answer.

China

Complete a Group Report that combines the separate reports offered by team members into one clear argument that presents possible solutions and their likely consequnces.

The U.S. National Debt

Send a letter to your representative in the United States Congress that demonstrates what your team has learned from the three perspectives provided by the Number Cruncher, Fact Checker, and Budget Director.

Cloning

Each team presents a brief (10 to 15 minute) informational summary of its findings. Then a detailed plan is created on how the senate should proceed.

Art

Prepare a presentation that will persuade your client to contract with your brokerage firm. Include the following in your presentation: a brief history, a map, a chart, and a spreadsheet.