A Rubric for Evaluating WebQuestsFrom http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html

Beginning Developing Accomplished

Overall Aesthetics (this refers to the WebQuest page itself, not the external resources linked to it.)Overall Visual Appeal There are few or no graphic

elements. No variation in layout ortypography.ORColor is garish and/or typographicvariations are overused andlegibility suffers. Backgroundinterferes with the readability.

Graphic elements sometimes, butnot always, contribute to theunderstanding of concepts, ideasand relationships. There is somevariation in type size, color, andlayout.

Appropriate and thematic graphicelements are used to make visualconnections that contribute to theunderstanding of concepts andideas and relationships. Differencesin type size and/or color are usedwell and consistently.

Navigation & Flow Getting through the lesson isconfusing and unconventional.Pages can’t be found easily and/orthe way back isn’t clear.

There are a few places where thelearner can get lost and not knowwhere to go next.

Navigation is seamless. It is alwaysclear to the learner what all thepieces are and how to get to them.

Mechanical Aspects There are more than 5 broken links,misplaced or missing images, badlysized tables, misspellings and/orgrammatical errors.

There are some broken links,misplaced or missing images, badlysized tables, misspellings and/orgrammatical errors.

No mechanical problems noted.

IntroductionMotivational Effectiveness

of IntroductionThe introduction is purely factual,with no appeal to relevance orsocial importance.

The introduction relates somewhatto the learner’s interests and/ordescribes a compelling question orproblem.

The introduction draws the readerinto the lesson by relating to thelearner’s interests or goals and/orengagingly describing a compellingquestion or problem.

Cognitive Effectiveness ofthe Introduction

The introduction doesn’t preparethe reader for what is to come, orbuild on what the learner alreadyknows.

The introduction makes somereference to learner’s priorknowledge and previews to someextent what the lesson is about.

The introduction builds on learner’sprior knowledge and effectivelyprepares the learner byforeshadowing what the lesson isabout.

TaskConnection of Task to

StandardsThe task is not related tostandards.

The task is referenced to standardsbut is not clearly connected to whatstudents must know and be able todo to achieve proficiency of thosestandards.

The task is referenced to standardsand is clearly connected to whatstudents must know and be able todo to achieve proficiency of thosestandards.

Cognitive Level of theTask

Task requires simplycomprehending or retelling ofinformation found on web pagesand answering factual questions.

Task is doable but is limited in itssignificance to students’ lives. Thetask requires analysis ofinformation and/or putting togetherinformation from several sources.

Task is doable and engaging, andelicits thinking that goes beyondrote comprehension. The taskrequires synthesis of multiplesources of information, and/ortaking a position, oand/or goingbeyond the data given and makinga generalization or creativeproduct.

Process

Clarity of ProcessProcess is not clearly stated.Students would not know exactlywhat they were supposed to do justfrom reading this.

Some directions are given, butthere is missing information.Students might be confused.

Every step is clearly stated. Moststudents would know exactly wherethey are at in the in the processand know what to do next.

Scaffolding of Process

The process lacks strategies andorganizational tools needed forstudents to gain the knowledgeneeded to complete the task.

Activities are of littlesignificance to one anotherand/or to the accomplishmentof the task.

Strategies and organizationaltools embedded in the processare insufficient to ensure thatall students will gain theknowledge needed to completethe task.

Some of the activities do notrelate specifically to theaccomplishment of the task.

The process provides studentscoming in at different entrylevels with strategies andorganizational tools to accessand gain the knowledgeneeded to complete the task.

Activities are clearly relatedand designed to take thestudents from basic knowledgeto higher level thinking.

Richness of Process

Few steps, no separate rolesassigned.

Some separate tasks or rolesassigned. More complexactivities required.

Different roles are assigned tohelp students understanddifferent perspectives and/orshare responsibility inaccomplishing the task.

Beginning Developing Accomplished

Resources

Relevance & Quantity ofResources

Resources provided are notsufficient for students toaccomplish the task.

OR

There are too many resourcesfor learners to look at in areasonable time.

There is some connectionbetween the resources and theinformation needed forstudents to accomplish thetask. Some resources don'tadd anything new.

There is a clear andmeaningful connectionbetween all the resources andthe information needed forstudents to accomplish thetask. Every resource carries itsweight.

Quality of Resources

Links are mundane. They leadto information that could befound in a classroomencyclopedia and/or areinappropriate for the targetedage.

Some links carry informationnot ordinarily found in aclassroom.

Links make excellent use ofthe Web's timeliness andcolorfulness.

Varied resources provideenough meaningful informationfor students to think deeply.

Evaluation

Clarity of EvaluationCriteria

Criteria for success are notdescribed.

Criteria for success are at leastpartially described.

Criteria for success are clearlystated in the form of a rubric.Criteria include qualitative aswell as quantitativedescriptors.

The evaluation instrumentclearly measures whatstudents must know and beable to do to accomplish thetask.