A WebQuest is a carefully-designed lesson with a focus on higher level thinking skills and critical thinking skills. There are six parts to a WebQuest. They are:

1. An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background information.

2. A task that is doable and that is interesting to students.

3. A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. The process should be broken out into clearly described steps. Some guidance on how to organize the information needs to be given. This can take the form of guiding questions, concept maps, timelines, cause-and-effect diagrams, etc.

4. A set of resources needed to complete the task. Many (though not necessarily all) of the resources are a crucial part of the WebQuest when it is designed. The resources point to information on the Internet and other resources that could include experts via e-mail, interviews, or video conferencing, searchable databases on the net, and books and other documents physically available. By providing these resources, students do not wander through cyberspace without guidance and they can focus on using the information rather than on finding it.

5. Evaluation should be clearly laid out for students before they begin the process. The criteria should be clearly identified, often through the use of a rubric. This helps students plan and understand the process and the product through which they are expected to demonstrate their learning.

6. A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned , and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other situations.

For more information on the parts of a WebQuest, visit this site:

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestwebquest-hs.html