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Journal of Reading Education Volume 38, No.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of
Classroom Instruction with WebQuests:
Connecting Literacy and Technology
Cynthia B. Leung
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ST. PETERSBURG
Zafer Unal
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ST. PETERSBURG
ABSTRACT
In this study 596 users of the website ZUNAL WebQuest Maker participated in an online survey conducted
to identify users conceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of teaching with WebQuests, an inquiry-based
instructional strategy involving Internet research. Findings from the study support previous research on the
advantages of using WebQuests for instruction, including consensus that WebQuests are fun and motivating for
students, promote computer literacy and development of critical thinking skills, and accommodate diverse learn-
ing needs. Literacy teacher educators can create WebQuests to model this instructional practice with preservice
and inservice teachers.
The International Reading Association (2009), in a
position statement on new literacies, acknowledged that
to become fully literate in todays world, students must
become profcientin the new literacies of 21
st
-century
technologies. As a result, literacy educators have a respon-
sibility to integrate these new technologies into the cur-
riculum, preparing students for the futures they deserve
(para. 1). With digital forms of expression and electronic
texts replacing an increasing amount of printed text, new
ways of reading and writing these new literacies have
emerged (Coiro, 2003; Leu et al., 2004; Reinking, 1998).
Internet research can challenge students because, in addi-
tion to skills required to read ofine text, they will need to
apply some additional reading strategies, such as deter-
mining the most appropriate reading path (Aferbach &
Cho, 2008, p. 212) and navigating search engines and dis-
parate Web site structures to negotiat[e] multiple modes
of information and a diverse range of perspectives (Coiro,
2011, p. 109).
to become fully literate in todays
world, students must become pro-
fcientin the new literacies of 21
st
-
century technologies
As educational technologies have become more ad-
vanced, educators have developed new tools for our youth
to learn from the World Wide Web. WebQuests are one
such instructional strategy. Tis inquiry-based activity
allows for collaborative learning and diferentiated in-
struction as students work on authentic, interdisciplinary
projects. In 1995, Bernie Dodge, a professor at San Diego
State University, developed the WebQuest, an instructional
strategy to integrate the use of the World Wide Web into
classroom activities. He defned a WebQuest as an inqui-
ry-oriented activity in which some or all of the informa-
tion that learners interact with comes from resources on
the Internet (Dodge, 1995). Tom March further refned
the WebQuest and revised its defnition in 2003:
A WebQuest is a scafolded learning structure that
uses links to essential resources on the World Wide
Web and an authentic task to motivate students in-
vestigation of a central, open-ended question, devel-
opment of individual expertise and participation in a
fnal group process that attempts to transform newly
acquired information into a more sophisticated un-
derstanding. (March, 2006, para. 7)
Even though the WebQuest is a fairly recent develop-
ment in the classroom, educators, including literacy teach-
ers and researchers, have applauded its impact and en-
couraged its use (Ikpeze & Boyd, 2007; Milson & Downey
2001; Watson 1999; Yoder 1999). Literacy researchers have
found WebQuests to be an important bridge between
content literacy and technology literacy (Ikpeze & Boyd,
2007, p. 651). In a typical WebQuest activity, students use
the Internet to access specifc information on a defned
topic, researching frst as an individual and then engaging
with others in a small group activity that results in sharing
Links to Sample WebQuests
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=8371 Looking outside the
Windows Frame of a Text
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=159755 Cyber-Bullying in the
Digital Age
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=159918 Human Body WebQuest
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and integrating research results with others. Linking such
activities to real world problems and issues makes this
model important and relevant to content literacy instruc-
tion. WebQuests scafold students experiences negotiating
various websites as they develop a problem-solving mind-
set to Internet research.
Vidoni and Maddux (2002) compared the format of
WebQuests to the critical thinking framework developed
by Weinstein (2000). Tey found WebQuests provide
students with reliable web sources to enhance their criti-
cal thinking skills and protect them from inappropriate
Internet sites since links are preselected by the WebQuest
developer. WebQuests can expose students to primary
sources, so they can form their own ideas from informa-
tion presented. Te content of WebQuests is ofen inter-
disciplinary, which adds depth to the topic and creates a
more realistic learning environment. Also, WebQuests
ofen present issues from diferent perspectives or view-
points, which results in critical refection.
Authentic learning activities such as WebQuests
provide learners with the motivation to acquire new
knowledge, a perspective for incorporating new knowl-
edge into their existing knowledge, and an opportunity to
apply their knowledge (Edelson, Gordin, & Pea, 1999).
Teorists who support inquiry-based learning, such as
Dewey (1997/1910) and Greeno, Collins, and Resnick
(1996), advocated authentic action learning with real-
world connections as is possible with WebQuests. For
language arts and literacy instructors, WebQuests provide
opportunities to create active learning experiences with
connections to interdisciplinary knowledge available on
the Internet. While some instructors may consider We-
bQuests inquiry-centered or problem-centered learning,
others may view them simply as activities that provide stu-
dents the freedom to learn by accessing multiple resources.
However they are characterized, they provide literacy
teachers the opportunity to integrate Internet technology
into curriculum by allowing students to experience learn-
ing as they construct their perceptions, beliefs, and values
out of their experiences (Beane, 1997).
Educators have created WebQuests about many dif-
ferent topics, including a focus on particular literary works
or genres, grammar and writing instruction, and content
literacy topics in math, science, social studies, health,
and the arts. Elementary school reading teachers create
WebQuests on such topics as short vowels, compound
words, rhyming, and homophones and help their students
develop vocabulary in the content areas with WebQuests
on volcanoes, the rain forest, Colonial America, the Statue
of Liberty, fractions, geometric fgures, and other topics.
Secondary English and language arts instructors build
WebQuests around themes in particular literary works,
use WebQuests to provide the cultural or historical back-
ground of works they will study in class, provide links and
activities related to understanding and using grammar
elements, and link to model texts on the Internet to teach
their students how to write poems, essays, letters, and
other forms of writing. College literacy educators use We-
bQuests for professional development to provide examples
of teaching strategies and resource materials.
WebQuests have a common format that includes an
introduction to the WebQuest and topic, a description of
the tasks students will complete, an outline of the process
students will follow with links to appropriate websites, a
description of the evaluation process or a rubric, a conclu-
sion, and a teacher page. Examples of the diferent parts
of a WebQuest and instructions for creating each part
are available at http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/stafdev/
buildingblocks/p-index.htm (Building Blocks of a We-
bQuest, 2012). According to Dodge (1995), creating a
WebQuest requires a series of activities, such as selecting
a topic appropriate to WebQuests, selecting a design, de-
scribing how to evaluate learners, designing the process,
and polishing the content. Dodge (2002) also noted it
takes a certain level of technical skill, familiarity with the
subject matter, and time to round up appropriate links.
To design a successful WebQuest, teachers need to com-
pose explanations, pose questions, integrate graphics, and
link to websites to reveal a real-world problem (Peterson
& Koeck, 2001, p. 10).
Although many educators see the benefts of creat-
ing and using WebQuests to scafold Internet research
and instruction, WebQuest creators ofen have difculty
implementing their WebQuest ideas because they do not
have the required web design skills, or they do not know
where to host their project. Te second author of this
paper created a free web application, ZUNAL WebQuest
Maker (Unal, 2012, http://www.zunal.com), to help educa-
tors create WebQuests in a short time with no HTML or
FTP knowledge. Teachers who are not tech savvy can use
this website to create WebQuests without needing to fnd
a host for their completed project. To create a WebQuest,
users only are required to fll in the blanks and upload
pictures or fles. Tis website is used nationally and inter-
nationally by practicing teachers to create and implement
their own WebQuests and by teacher educators to intro-
duce undergraduate and graduate students to WebQuest
development. Figure 1 is a sample screen from a Web-
Quest on ZUNAL WebQuest Maker.
Study Objectives

As teacher educators, both authors instruct our under-
graduate and graduate students in literacy and technol-
ogy classes on how to develop WebQuests using ZUNAL
WebQuest Maker. Perkins and McKnight (2005) studied
teachers attitudes related to using WebQuests and found
teachers saw disadvantages to using WebQuests in their
instruction. However, since 2005 more teachers are famil-
iar with WebQuests and have used WebQuests in their
teaching. Also, classroom technology has advanced to
the point where many of the previously perceived disad-
vantages may no longer be relevant. In this present study
we wanted to ascertain if teachers attitudes had changed
about WebQuests as a form of instruction. Te purpose of
our study was to identify advantages and disadvantages of
using WebQuests for classroom instruction as viewed by
users of the WebQuest site discussed above. To do this we
developed an online survey and placed it on the website
for ZUNAL WebQuest Maker with a request for participa-
tion. Our survey would provide recent data on teachers
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attitudes towards using this inquiry-based approach to
teaching with the Internet.
Methodology
Survey Development
To determine perceptions of the advantages and
disadvantages of using WebQuests for instruction, we
developed a six-part survey. We obtained university IRB
approval for the survey and posted it on the free website
ZUNAL WebQuest Maker. Participation in the survey was
voluntary and open to all users of the website. Survey par-
ticipants IP addresses were not recorded to maintain con-
fdentiality. Te survey was divided into six sections: Sec-
tion 1, demographic information on participants, Section
2, reasons for using the website, Section 3, participants use
of WebQuests, Section 4, advantages of using WebQuests,
Section 5, disadvantages of using WebQuests, and Section
6, rating of experiences using the website. Section 3 asked
open-ended questions, dependent on whether or not the
respondent had personally used WebQuests for instruc-
tion. Sections 4, 5, and 6 used a 5-point likert scale with 1
= strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, 5 =
strongly agree.
We developed survey items based on a literature
review of studies on the use of WebQuests in classroom
instruction to identify what previous researchers found
to be advantages and disadvantages of WebQuests as a
form of classroom inquiry. Research on teachers attitudes
towards and uses of WebQuests provided other items re-
lated to advantages and disadvantages of WebQuests (e.g.,
Dutt-Doner, Wilmer, Stevens, & Hartman, 2000; Perkins
& McKnight, 2005; Summerville, 2000; Vidoni & Maddux,
2002; Yoder, 1999). Also, research on WebQuests as a form
of inquiry learning to develop critical thinking skills (e.g.,
Ikpeze & Boyd, 2007; Ridgeway, Peters, & Tracy, 2002;
Weinstein, 2000) infuenced the development of survey
questions. Tables 2 and 3 include the survey items related
to advantages and disadvantages of WebQuest use.
In developing the survey, we conducted a prelimi-
nary reliability study of the instrument and concluded the
survey is a reliable instrument useful in understanding the
advantages and disadvantages of WebQuests created at this
website. According to results, the analysis of the Advantag-
es subscale of the survey revealed an internal consistency
of = .719, with an average inter-item correlation of .362
(sd = .098). Results for the Disadvantages sub-scale also
showed an internal consistency of = .705 for the items,
with an average inter-item correlation of .355 (sd= .086).
Participants
A total of 596 respondents completed all sections of
the survey. Demographic information on survey partici-
pants is provided in Table 1, and Table 2 reports partici-
pants use of the WebQuest site. Sixty percent of the web-
site users who participated in the survey were teachers or
Figure 1: Sample WebQuest Page from Zunal.com
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college faculty/librarians. About 80% of participants were
over 25 years of age, which suggests the website ZUNAL
WebQuest Maker is used more by graduate students and
practicing teachers than by undergraduates. About 60% of
participants used the WebQuest Maker to complete a class
assignment, 4.39% were teacher educators who created a
WebQuest as a model for their college students, and 2.84%
used their WebQuests in teacher coaching.
Results
Advantages and Disadvantages of WebQuests
Survey participants responded to a list of advantages
and disadvantages of using WebQuests by rating each item
on a likert scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being strongly agree. We
report fndings here by percentages of respondents who
agreed or strongly agreed with statements about Web-
Quests. We collapsed ratings 4 and 5 on the likert scale to
include all participants who agreed a survey item was an
advantage or disadvantage. Table 3 reports on the advan-
tages of WebQuests as an instructional activity, and Table 4
reports on disadvantages.
Respondents identifed all items we listed as pos-
sible advantages of WebQuests as actual advantages of
using WebQuests for instruction. Tere was 86% or
higher agreement on all advantage items. Advantages that
received the highest ratings included the fun and student-
centered nature of WebQuests, the appeal of WebQuests to
students with diferent learning styles, and the pedagogi-
cal nature of WebQuests to encourage critical thinking,
promote computer literacy, and meet students learning
competencies.
On the other hand, many items found to be disad-
vantages by previous researchers were not considered
disadvantages by our survey respondents. Te only items
considered disadvantages of using WebQuests were (a) the
constantly changing nature of the Internet may mean some
of the online resources in a WebQuest become obsolete,
are removed, or change URLs (88% agreement) and (b)
WebQuests require learners to already have a certain level
of reading ability (84% agreement). Te rapid changing
of Internet materials means WebQuests become obsolete
when web links used in the projects are broken. With ZU-
NAL WebQuest Maker, however, instructors can make a
copy of published WebQuests and update the URLs. It is
also difcult to fnd reading material at lower reading lev-
els on the Internet. When creating WebQuests for young
children, instructors can approach the WebQuest as a par-
ent/child activity, or they can use simple language in the
WebQuest, create worksheets with simple language and
attach them to the WebQuest, and have links to websites
like starfall.com and pbskids.com that were created for
beginning readers.
Table 1: Demographic Information
Characteristics n %
Gender Female............................................................................................................ 462............... 77.52%
Male................................................................................................................ 134............... 22.48%
Age 17 or younger ................................................................................................... 10................. 1.68%
1824................................................................................................................ 85............... 14.26%
2434.............................................................................................................. 156............... 26.17%
3546.............................................................................................................. 184............... 30.87%
4759.............................................................................................................. 143............... 23.99%
60 or over ......................................................................................................... 18................. 3.02%
Status Student (Middle, High School, Undergraduate, Graduate)............................. 210............... 35.23%
Teacher (Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School) ................................. 287............... 48.15%
Faculty / Instructor / Librarian (Community College, Four Year College) ......... 68............... 11.41%
Other................................................................................................................. 30................. 5.03%
Table 2: Participants Use of the Website ZUNAL WebQuest Maker
Response n %
I created a WebQuest to learn about WebQuests on my own. .......................................... 34................. 8.79%
I created a WebQuest to teach my students about WebQuests. I used my WebQuest
as a demo............................................................................................................................ 17................. 4.39%
I created a WebQuest to teach content (science, math, or literacy).................................... 61............... 15.76%
I created a WebQuest for a class assignment................................................................... 229............... 59.17%
I created a WebQuest for my portfolio................................................................................. 10................. 2.58%
I created a WebQuest on my own for fun/experiment. .......................................................... 3................. 0.78%
I created a WebQuest to use in teacher coaching................................................................11................. 2.84%
I used WebQuest/s created by others. .................................................................................. 4................. 1.03%
Other ................................................................................................................................... 16................. 4.13%
Table 3: Participants Level of Agreement on Advantages of Using WebQuests
Statement
Strongly Agree
& Agree
WebQuests are fun and students love them. ................................................................................... 96.81%
WebQuests are student-centered. ................................................................................................... 95.81%
WebQuests appeal to students various learning styles (i.e. visual, audio, tactual, kinesthetic) ...... 95.30%
WebQuests provide efficient use of class time. ................................................................................ 94.97%
WebQuests help students meet learning competencies. ................................................................. 94.97%
WebQuests encourage critical thinking skills. .................................................................................. 93.62%
WebQuests promote students computer competency. .................................................................... 93.29%
WebQuests motivate students. ........................................................................................................ 92.95%
WebQuests help students focus on tasks. ....................................................................................... 92.45%
WebQuests can be used for independent study............................................................................... 92.11%
WebQuests are multi-disciplinary and related to real-life problems (authentic learning). ................ 91.95%
WebQuests stimulate learners imagination. ................................................................................... 91.61%
WebQuests encourage effective & structure use of the Internet. ..................................................... 91.28%
WebQuests accommodate learners diverse learning needs. .......................................................... 91.28%
WebQuest offer learners the chance to interact with different media (i.e., video, audio). ................ 90.77%
WebQuests help students apply, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate what they are learning. ......... 90.77%
While WebQuest give direction, they allow students to learn the information in their own way. ...... 90.44%
WebQuests help learners to acquire skill in using the Internet efficiently. ........................................ 89.43%
WebQuest help learners concentrate on using information rather than looking for it....................... 88.59%
WebQuests are excellent for developing basic skills (i.e. reading, writing, research skills) ............. 88.59%
WebQuests provide hands-on activities. .......................................................................................... 88.59%
WebQuests promote collaborative learning...................................................................................... 88.59%
WebQuests help students become familiarized with hyperlinks and navigation. ............................. 88.42%
WebQuests allow students to use technology enthusiastically and appropriately. .......................... 88.26%
WebQuests provide opportunity for educators to share exciting lessons they created.................... 87.59%
WebQuests help teachers select the most appropriate information for their students to view. ........ 87.08%
WebQuest help students complete the assignment outside of class time. ...................................... 86.58%
Rating Scale: 1 - Strongly Disagree, 2 - Disagree, 3 - Neutral, 4 - Agree, 5 - Strongly Disagree
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Participants Experiences with WebQuests
Of the survey participants, 30.7% (n = 183) had al-
ready used WebQuests in their own teaching, and 95.4%
of these respondents considered their teaching with We-
bQuests to be successful. Te following themes emerged
from open-ended responses to the following question
directed to those who had successfully taught with Web-
Quests: Why do you think your WebQuest was successful?
Students could work independently and at their
own pace.
WebQuests invited hands-on learning.
Students developed technology skills as they
worked on WebQuests.
WebQuests motivated students to learn and were
of high interest.
WebQuests were fun and provided variety in
classroom instruction.
Students were actively engaged in problem solving.
WebQuests provided scafolded content and clear
directions.
All of the information for learning, including
web links, was in one place.
A literature teacher wrote of her experience teaching
with a WebQuest on Chaucer: My students enjoyed learn-
ing the meaning of their family crests and came to appre-
ciate that Chaucers stories were similar to contemporary
popular culture stories. Tey also appreciated having the
resources that they would need to complete a complex task
readily available. For students who were not experienced
in writing research papers based on Internet research,
WebQuests provided a format to scafold their learning.
A teacher introducing her students to WebQuests and
internet research responded, Webquests are a new ex-
perience for many students. Te idea of taking a task and
following the prescribed process gives students freedom to
research relevant information using the tools provided by
the website. Another teacher shared, My students are all
interested in technology, but tend not to have a lot of ex-
perience using it for academic purposes. Using webquests
to teach can incorporate several technology and/or appli-
cation experiences in one assignment. Te potential for
independent study and diferentiated instruction appealed
to instructors of special populations, including the follow-
ing teacher: My students are incarcerated and indepen-
dent study is the only option this format gives a sense of
Table 1: Demographic Information
Characteristics n %
Gender Female............................................................................................................ 462............... 77.52%
Male................................................................................................................ 134............... 22.48%
Age 17 or younger ................................................................................................... 10................. 1.68%
1824................................................................................................................ 85............... 14.26%
2434.............................................................................................................. 156............... 26.17%
3546.............................................................................................................. 184............... 30.87%
4759.............................................................................................................. 143............... 23.99%
60 or over ......................................................................................................... 18................. 3.02%
Status Student (Middle, High School, Undergraduate, Graduate)............................. 210............... 35.23%
Teacher (Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School) ................................. 287............... 48.15%
Faculty / Instructor / Librarian (Community College, Four Year College) ......... 68............... 11.41%
Other................................................................................................................. 30................. 5.03%
Table 2: Participants Use of the Website ZUNAL WebQuest Maker
Response n %
I created a WebQuest to learn about WebQuests on my own. .......................................... 34................. 8.79%
I created a WebQuest to teach my students about WebQuests. I used my WebQuest
as a demo............................................................................................................................ 17................. 4.39%
I created a WebQuest to teach content (science, math, or literacy).................................... 61............... 15.76%
I created a WebQuest for a class assignment................................................................... 229............... 59.17%
I created a WebQuest for my portfolio................................................................................. 10................. 2.58%
I created a WebQuest on my own for fun/experiment. .......................................................... 3................. 0.78%
I created a WebQuest to use in teacher coaching................................................................11................. 2.84%
I used WebQuest/s created by others. .................................................................................. 4................. 1.03%
Other ................................................................................................................................... 16................. 4.13%
Table 3: Participants Level of Agreement on Advantages of Using WebQuests
Statement
Strongly Agree
& Agree
WebQuests are fun and students love them. ................................................................................... 96.81%
WebQuests are student-centered. ................................................................................................... 95.81%
WebQuests appeal to students various learning styles (i.e. visual, audio, tactual, kinesthetic) ...... 95.30%
WebQuests provide efficient use of class time. ................................................................................ 94.97%
WebQuests help students meet learning competencies. ................................................................. 94.97%
WebQuests encourage critical thinking skills. .................................................................................. 93.62%
WebQuests promote students computer competency. .................................................................... 93.29%
WebQuests motivate students. ........................................................................................................ 92.95%
WebQuests help students focus on tasks. ....................................................................................... 92.45%
WebQuests can be used for independent study............................................................................... 92.11%
WebQuests are multi-disciplinary and related to real-life problems (authentic learning). ................ 91.95%
WebQuests stimulate learners imagination. ................................................................................... 91.61%
WebQuests encourage effective & structure use of the Internet. ..................................................... 91.28%
WebQuests accommodate learners diverse learning needs. .......................................................... 91.28%
WebQuest offer learners the chance to interact with different media (i.e., video, audio). ................ 90.77%
WebQuests help students apply, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate what they are learning. ......... 90.77%
While WebQuest give direction, they allow students to learn the information in their own way. ...... 90.44%
WebQuests help learners to acquire skill in using the Internet efficiently. ........................................ 89.43%
WebQuest help learners concentrate on using information rather than looking for it....................... 88.59%
WebQuests are excellent for developing basic skills (i.e. reading, writing, research skills) ............. 88.59%
WebQuests provide hands-on activities. .......................................................................................... 88.59%
WebQuests promote collaborative learning...................................................................................... 88.59%
WebQuests help students become familiarized with hyperlinks and navigation. ............................. 88.42%
WebQuests allow students to use technology enthusiastically and appropriately. .......................... 88.26%
WebQuests provide opportunity for educators to share exciting lessons they created.................... 87.59%
WebQuests help teachers select the most appropriate information for their students to view. ........ 87.08%
WebQuest help students complete the assignment outside of class time. ...................................... 86.58%
Rating Scale: 1 - Strongly Disagree, 2 - Disagree, 3 - Neutral, 4 - Agree, 5 - Strongly Disagree
Journal of Reading Education Volume 38, No. 2 Winter 2013
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Table 4: Participants Level of Agreement on Disadvantages of Using WebQuests
Statement
Strongly Agree
& Agree
The constantly changing nature of the Internet may mean some of the online resources in a
WebQuest become obsolete, are removed from the Internet, or change their URLs. ............... 88.09%
WebQuests require learners to already have a certain level of reading ability. ............................... 84.06%
It is difficult to search and find suitable Internet resources for students. .......................................... 18.96%
Teachers are hesitant to try new approaches like implementing a WebQuest. . .............................. 18.62%
WebQuests take up a lot of class time. ............................................................................................ 16.44%
I will not teach with WebQuests since I have a heavy teaching workload........................................ 12.58%
Access to WebQuests may be difficult (slow web connectivity and inadequate number of
computers). ................................................................................................................................ 11.07%
Creating a WebQuest would require time to upgrade the teachers technical and information
literacy skills. ............................................................................................................................. 10.57%
WebQuests with too much interaction (i.e. blogs, chat rooms, etc.) may disclose too much
information about students. ......................................................................................................... 9.56%
Students with limited technology skills will have difficulty completing the project. ............................. 8.22%
It is difficult for the teacher to ensure that all students are on the sites they should be on. .............. 8.05%
The required technology to build and implement a WebQuest is not available. ................................ 7.55%
WebQuests are not suitable for learners with disabilities and/or learning difficulties, mainly
due to the largely inaccessible content of the World Wide Web. ................................................. 6.71%
Most WebQuests are not designed to meet my specific state/provincial educational curriculum. ..... 4.36%
Keeping students on task is a problem when using computers. ........................................................ 4.19%
The time it takes to create and design a WebQuest and keep it up to date is extensive. ................. 4.19%
The structure of the WebQuests is inflexible and does not allow teachers to be creative.................. 2.52%
The content of WebQuests often focuses on Web resources, ignoring other library resources......... 1.85%
It is difficult to plan what to do with groups that finish early or late..................................................... 1.51%
WebQuests are very informal and do not provide enough learning material. .................................... 1.34%
Rating Scale: 1 - Strongly Disagree, 2 - Disagree, 3 - Neutral, 4 - Agree, 5 - Strongly Disagree
connection to something other than self.
Teacher educators noted how they introduced their
undergraduate and graduate students to WebQuests as a
teaching tool. One teacher educator explained how she
created model WebQuests with ZUNAL WebQuest Maker
and then assigned her students to create their own: I used
them as models of what webquests are like and what their
purpose is. Tey also learned academic content along the
way. And they created good webquests. Another teacher
educator with a similar experience shared: Te interest
level was very high and many students were eager to try
their hand at developing a webquest. Of course, they did
not have an option as this was an assignment! I plan to
direct them to Zunal.com in the future!
Te majority of survey respondents, 69.3% (n = 413),
had not used WebQuests in their teaching, but 93.14%
indicated they planned to use them in the future for the
following reasons: (a) WebQuests are a fun, (b) engaging,
(c) hands-on, and (d) visually attractive way to integrate
technology into classroom instruction. Responses includ-
ed: I thought that they were hard to create, but using this
site made this a great experience! Im not a teacher yet
but I plan on using them when I am a teacher. A typical
response was, Im always looking for new and interesting
ways to help my students learn through collaboration,
independent work, and by having to make choices. Tese
types of activities push them to think and their learning
happens more in spite of their not so motivated atti-
tudes. A preservice teacher learned about WebQuests in
her teacher education program: I have experienced be-
ing taught with WebQuests and had to make one myself,
which I fnd interesting. It makes learning more fun &
meaningful.
Implications
Te results of our online survey indicate that with
our current state of classroom technology there are few
disadvantages to using WebQuests as an instructional
activity. Literacy instructors are using WebQuests at dif-
ferent grade levels to scafold their students Internet re-
search and comprehension of content knowledge. Given
the many advantages to using WebQuests and the growing
popularity of this teaching method, literacy teacher educa-
tors can create model WebQuests to demonstrate to their
preservice and inservice teachers how to use WebQuests
to teach diferent aspects of literacy and interdisciplinary
studies, including phonics, vocabulary development, com-
prehension, literacy analysis, and writing development.
Tey can also create WebQuests to use for professional
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development in diferent formats, including independent
learning and small group work during workshops.
Conclusions
Tis study shows websites such as ZUNAL Web-
Quest Maker that are designed to create and host Web-
Quests assist inservice and preservice teachers in learning
about WebQuests and in creating their own WebQuests
to use for classroom instruction. Afer being introduced
to WebQuests through this website, preservice and inser-
vice teachers found WebQuests to be an efective format
for scafolding Internet research experiences, enhancing
literacy instruction, and motivating student learning. Re-
spondents also found WebQuests promote collaborative
learning, diferentiated instruction, and critical thinking.
Findings from the study support previous research on the
advantages of using WebQuests for instruction. However,
many concerns noted in previous research did not seem
disadvantages to respondents in our survey. Tis study
shows classroom teachers enthusiasm for trying new
teaching technologies to assist their students in developing
higher order reading and thinking skills in an approach
that is highly motivating to students. Further research
could explore ways to overcome the few disadvantages of
WebQuest use that emerged from our study. n
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Cynthia B. Leung is Professor of Literacy Educa-
tion at the University of South Florida St. Peters-
burg where she teaches graduate literacy courses.
Her areas of research are early literacy, literacy
teacher education, vocabulary development, and
TESOL.

Zafer Unal is Assistant Professor of Childhood
Education at the University of South Florida St.
Petersburg. His areas of research are educational
technology, distance education, and assessment
of teacher candidate learning and online portfo-
lios.
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