The WebQuest is a teaching/learning strategy that combines higher order thinking skills and technology. WebQuests are an excellent tool to use for family nursing education because they incorporate active learning, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning. In addition, the WebQuest is versatile and can be tailor-made to emphasize any family nursing topic! WebQuests are webpages designed using the technology capabilities with instructional design principles. Typically, each WebQuest is consists of focused questions, intentional reflection, guided exploration, and links to resources.
The purpose of a WebQuest is to develop higher order thinking such as creating, analysis, reflection, synthesis, and evaluation. The WebQuest strategy was developed by Dr. Bernie Dodge and Dr. Tom March. The main components of the WebQuest strategy (introduction, task, resources, processes, guidance, and conclusion) form the structure of the WebQuest. According to Dr. Bernie Dodge, WebQuests should be a practice application or simulation of the real world. That makes it a great fit for family nursing education, as learners can experience simulated applications in a safe environment before doing in clinical nursing practice! Educators can search for WebQuests being shared by educators with educators, or create their own.
View an example of a WebQuest: Nursing WebQuest: Patients and Families with Chronic Illness. Dr. Leibold will lead a “How To” session on creating WebQuests at a 3-day educational institute: Teaching Family Nursing Institute, to be held June 2-4, 2014 in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. For more information, contact IFNA member Nancyruth Leibold: [email protected]
