Following is an overview of what a WebQuest is, how you can use it to develop an interactive online activity for your course, followed by a template you can edit in D2L or Moodle.
So named because of their resemblance to a treasure or scavenger hunt, a "WebQuest" is a type of lesson model using the Internet which encourages learners to use a variety of provided resource links to perform a given task.
The term was coined by Bernie Dodge and Tom March of San Diego University in 1995. Dodge and March define a WebQuest as "an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet."
Instructionally speaking, the goal of a WebQuest is to help the learner sort, digest, and better understand a given resource or group of resources. By "sifting" through the given resources in pursuit of a particular goal, learners assimilate information and then apply it toward specific goals. A WebQuest is also an excellent way to familiarize learners with the usage and breadth of Web-based and other Internet resources in a goal-oriented manner.
In his essay "Some Thoughts About WebQuests," Dodge indicates that there are two levels of WebQuest: short-term and long-term (full article at: http://webquest.org/sdsu/about_webquests.html).
Short-term WebQuests are, as their name implies, designed to be completed in a brief amount of time. They serve best as an introduction to new material or a shallow overview of a large body of resources.
Use short-term WebQuests for:
Tip: A short-term WebQuest could easily be administered in the D2L quiz tool. Links, photos, and videos can be placed in the quiz tool and students can answer reflective questions about these resources.
Long-term WebQuests are not so much activities but larger projects. After a long-term WebQuest, a learner should have digested and compared the information in a wide variety of resources, going more in-depth than the 'summary' most short-term WebQuests ask for. At the end of a long-term WebQuest, learners typically create an artifact of some form, for example an essay, project, multiple essay questions, or another assignment that the instructor can use to gauge their assimilation of the material.
Use long-term WebQuests for:
Sending students on a WebQuest blind is a sure recipe for disaster; good starting points for resources include online lists of links and other resources that branch out further into links to more specific resources, allowing learners to follow whatever path they wish from a central starting point.
Directions on how to build a WebQuest are in the following html template where you can edit the content like you would normally in D2L or Moodle. To use this template, but keep the first page of the WebQuest open while keeping the others hidden. Students will use the links at the top and bottom of the pages to navigate the WebQuest. Also delete this directions page before you open for students to view.
Explanation of WebQuests and how to develop for engaging activities.
Wikipedia provides more information and resource links at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebQuest#How_to_develop_a_WebQuest