Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

Using WebQuests
In The Social Sciences Classroom
Olga A. Kachina, California State University East Bay, USA

ABSTRACT

This article investigates if WebQuests have been an effective instructional tool for teaching Social
Sciences subjects. In order to obtain an answer to this question, a review of scholarly literature
from 1995 to the present has been undertaken and action research in 8th grade U.S. history
course was conducted. The literature investigation has shown that WebQuests gained a prominent
place as a valuable internet-based and inquiry-oriented teaching/learning tool that develops
students’ higher-order thinking skills and shifts the classroom toward being more student-
centered. However, there has not been sufficient research to establish the effectiveness of this tool.
The results of action research conducted in one of the middle schools in Northern California are a
small contribution to this discussion.

Keywords: Internet-Based Learning; Inquiry-Oriented Teaching; WebQuests for the Social Sciences

INTRODUCTION

T he shift from industrial to an informational society created changes in public education. Both
National Curriculum Standards for Social Sciences (NCSS) and National Educational Technology
Standards (NETS) have demanded teaching students to use technology. Dodge (1995) introduced
WebQuest, an internet-based strategy, for the first time. WebQuest immediately became popular among history
teachers, who created hundreds of WebQuests for many Social Sciences topics and grades. However, when the first
wave of admiration for WebQuest strategy passed, serious concerns about the effectiveness of WebQuest arose
among educators. The main reason for this was that little research was conducted on the effectiveness of
WebQuests. Moreover, some studies indicated that there were no significant differences in the learning outcomes
between traditional- versus WebQuest-based instruction.

The contradiction between the opinion that WebQuest is a valuable student-centered, internet-based and
inquiry-oriented learning tool and results of experimental research created a backlash against the use of WebQuests
in the Social Sciences Classroom. On the one hand, strong WebQuest supporters continue to offer teachers new
WebQuests on educational websites. On the other hand, using WebQuests continue to be an occasional instructional
strategy.

This article investigates if WebQuests have been an effective instructional tool for teaching Social Sciences
subjects. In order to obtain an answer to this question, a review of scholarly literature from 1995 to the present has
been undertaken and action research in 8th grade U.S. history course was conducted.

PART I. LITERATURE REVIEW

This investigation is based on a three-part literature review. First, we review the history of creation of
WebQuest and its main theoretical underpinnings. Next, we consider using WebQuests in Social Sciences
classrooms. Finally, we review the findings to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of using WebQuests.

© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 185

Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

History of WebQuest Creation

It is natural to start a literature review about WebQuest instructional strategy with an analysis of the basic
writings of Dodge and March (1995, 1997), the creators of the WebQuest.

In 1995, Dodge wrote his first article about this new instructional activity, “Some Thoughts about
WebQuests.” In this article, he gave for the first time the definition of a WebQuest. According to him, a WebQuest
is “an inquiry-oriented activity, where some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from
resources on the Internet" (Dodge, 1995, 1). He also presented the concept of two types of WebQuests, short term
and long term. The major differences between them are instructional goals and duration of WebQuests. An
instructional goal of a short term WebQuest is knowledge acquisition and integration, whereas an instructional goal
of a long term WebQuest is extending and refining knowledge. A short-term WebQuest is designed to be
completed in 1-3 class periods, while a long term WebQuest typically takes between 1-4 weeks in a classroom
setting. For the first time, Dodge presented the structure and examples of short term WebQuests. According to
Dodge (1995, 1997), WebQuests should contain at least the six following parts: (1) Introduction, (2) Task, (3)
Information Sources, (4) Process, (5) Guidance, and (6) Conclusion.

The Introduction serves as a hook for a WebQuest activity and provides background information. The Task
is the most important part of the WebQuest activity because it provides students with an objective for the activity
and directs their efforts toward that goal. The Information Sources section provides students with reliable
resources, collected and checked by the teacher. The Process provides students with a step-by-step instruction about
how to complete the Task. The Guidance section in a modern WebQuest structure is replaced by two sections: the
Evaluation and Teacher Page. The Evaluation usually contains rubrics which evaluate students work during the
project. The sixth part is the Conclusion, which brings the WebQuest to a closure. It sums up the knowledge
obtained by the students in this WebQuest and encourages them to extend their thinking into the future. If the six
parts outlined above are for the use of the students, the Teacher Page is for the teachers who might want to use this
WebQuest with their students. The Teacher Page contains information about students’ grade level,
recommendations for special needs students or gifted students, as well as how this activity fits into curriculum.
Dodge (1995) underlines that students have to have the cognitive skills that might be required while completing a
WebQuest activity.

March, a former student of Dodge and cofounder of WebQuest, stresses the importance of WebQuests to
increase student motivation by providing students with essential tasks and opportunities to work in cooperative
groups. According to March (1998), working in groups helps students complete the tasks because some WebQuests
can be quite complex or involve controversial topics.

Dodge (1995, 1997) and March (1998) underscore that WebQuests promote students’ higher level thinking,
their cognitive and social skills. The theory and practice of WebQuest are based on the ideas of constructivism that
were created and developed by Dewey (1938), Piaget (1973), and Vigotsky(1978). Constructivism is a student-
based learning strategy when learners construct knowledge for themselves. Creators of the WebQuest strategy
based their approach on two constructivist ideas: (1) Piaget’s cognitive constructivism, demanding inquiry method
of teaching (Piaget, 1973) and (2) Vigotsky’s social constructivism with its emphasis on the theory of social
interaction and the Zone of Proximal Development (Vigotsky, 1978). According to Dodge (2001), during WebQuest
activities students construct their new knowledge and skills through a critical thinking, knowledge application,
cooperative learning, and scaffolding learning.

The creation of the WebQuest method advanced American education in two areas: WebQuests created a
new version of student-centered activities, and they facilitated the introduction of technological literacy into the
classroom. In 1990s, the majority of American teachers taught students using traditional methods of education that
required teacher-centered activities and demanded from students’ memorization of facts and concepts, copying
lectures, and reading textbooks. Students were passive in class and had to accept ready opinions of their teachers
and authors of the textbooks (Rice & Wilson, 1999). WebQuest represented a transformation of teacher-centered
education into student-centered one.

186 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute

Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

WebQuest was a new type of educational technology because it demanded active use of the Internet.
Dodge (2006) recognized that, in the middle of the 1990s, when WebQuest was created, many teachers were still
very ignorant of the new technology. He wrote that “The web was still new or unknown to most people.
Universities were beginning to put course materials up online, but most K-12 schools were still years away from
making substantive use of the web for teaching and learning ” (2006,p.1).

It is no coincidence that the proliferation of computer technology and the constructivist principles of
learning and teaching merged in WebQuest as a new learning/teaching tool. According to Showalter (1998),
“Constructivism and computing technology, separately and often together, have remade substantially the conception
of the challenges of learning, and brought about new learning possibilities for almost all teaching and learning
situations”(p. 72). New possibilities for learning/teaching created by WebQuest have led to its wide popularity
among teachers around the country. In fifteen years, since 1995, hundreds of WebQuests have been created for all
grades and subjects. Social Sciences educators have become active proponents of WebQuest methodology in
teaching social sciences.

Using WebQuest activities in Social Sciences Classroom

The first National Curriculum Standards for Social Sciences (NCSS) were published in 1994, one year
before the birth of the WebQuest strategy. The first set of National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) was
published in 1998. Thus, WebQuest became a bridge between NCSS and NETS. On the one hand, WebQuest
satisfied the demand of NCSS “to apply inquiry processes; and employ skills of data collection and analysis,
collaboration, decision-making, and problem-solving” (NCSS, 1994, p. 4). On the other hand, WebQuest, as an
Internet- based strategy, perfectly matches the demands of digital- age learning described in NETS.

Whitworth and Berson (2003) were among the first to summarize literature about using the internet in
social studies classrooms. They analyzed 325 articles published from the spring of 1996 through the fall of 2001 in
educational magazines. The majority of these articles were published in three NCSS magazines: Social Education,
Social Studies and the Young Learner, and Theory and Research in the Social Studies. Whitworth and Berson
concluded that the articles reflected the fast pace of the technological shift in society and the desire of the field of
education to keep up with these technological changes. They underlined that during five years of existence
WebQuest became one of the most popular Internet- connected strategies. A total of 102 out of 325 (31. 3%)
articles were classified by Whitworth and Berson as Internet Resources and WebQuest.

Another attempt to analyze and summarize literature about using technology in social studies classrooms
was made in Technology in Retrospect: Social Studies in the Information Age (Diem & Berson, eds., 2010). The
authors assessed the trends and patterns of using technology in the Information Age, from 1984 through 2009.
Friedman & VanFossen (2010), contributors to this edition, agreed with Whitworth & Berson (2003) that WebQuest
became a most popular Internet-related strategy in social studies classroom. They underscored, however, that little
research into the effectiveness of WebQuest was done during this period. The authors credited history teachers
Milton and Lipscomb as being the first who analyzed the implementation of WebQuest strategy in their classrooms
at the elementary and middle schools.

Through their publications, Milson (2002) and Lipscomb (2003) changed the direction of WebQuest-
related literature, from being introductory and descriptive to being analytical. Prior to these publications, the
majority of articles about WebQuest were centered on an explanation of the nature of WebQuest, its design, and its
purpose. Articles analyzed the role of the WebQuest strategy among other instructional strategies that used the
Internet. Their emphasis on the descriptive phase of WebQuest development was understandable because the
Internet was new and just beginning to enter the life of society and education. For example, when Milson
implemented “A Study of Ancient Egypt” as a 6th grade Social Studies WebQuest there were only six computers and
a classroom full of students (Milson & Downey, 2001).

Milson (2002) demonstrated that the WebQuest approach can be used even in classroom with limited
access to technology. Milson divided his students into four groups. Since there were only six computers, only one
group was assigned to them. The other three groups worked at learning stations. The goal of the computer group
© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 187
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

was to assist the other groups in finding information on the web that the other three groups could not find in the
learning stations. Milson & Downey (2001) noted that the WebQuest approach to inquiry was valuable for a
variety of reasons. They pointed out that WebQuest as a structured process of getting information saved students
time. Since the list of on-line resources was prepared and controlled by the teacher, it precluded students from
getting into inappropriate sites. Additionally, the WebQuest strategy could be used in a classroom with limited
computer resources, and was conducive to cooperative learning and student motivation.

Lipscomb (2003) was another history teacher who wrote about his WebQuest activities and made them
available to other social sciences teachers. Whereas Milson (2001) had only six computers for his students,
Lipscomb (2003) had a computer for every student. Lipscomb created a WebQuest for eighth-grade students to
study the Civil War. The task section of the WebQuest was to assume the role of a person living during the Civil
War and to create six journal entries; two that were written before the Civil War, two that were written during the
Civil War, and two that were written after the Civil War. The procedure section of the WebQuest consisted of
students broken into five groups according to the roles assumed by the students, Confederate Soldier, Union
Soldier, Southern Woman, Northern Woman, or Female Abolitionist. The results of his research indicated that the
students enjoyed the WebQuest activities, and their journal entries demonstrated their tremendous creativity in
content and appearance (Lipscomb, 2003). Among his recommendations to the teachers were: (1) chose WebQuest
carefully; (2) assess students’ technological capabilities; and (3) determine their prior knowledge and content
understanding.

To help teachers create high quality WebQuests, Dodge and March (2001) created criteria for WebQuests’
evaluation. They also created Websites where teachers could share their WebQuests and get feedback so they could
improve WebQuests. The first website promoting WebQuest strategy was created by Dodge in 1995 in response to
the huge interest of the teachers around the world to this internet-based and inquiry-oriented activity. This first
website was named WebQuest. org (http://webquest. org/). Ten years later, Dodge (2005) created its second
generation website QuestGarden, housing a huge collection of WebQuests in social sciences for the elementary- to
high- school levels (http://questgarden. com/). March created his own website, BestWebQuests
(http://bestwebquests. com/), which has his own WebQuests as well as WebQuests created by other teachers.
March’s WebQuest “Searching for China” (1995) was one of the first high-quality samples that strongly influenced
social sciences teachers. One of the best websites to date that provides social sciences teachers with WebQuest
samples was created by the Learning Center of the Library of Congress. Especially valuable is that this website
includes primary sources and tips for how to work with them (http://memory.
loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/index.html). High-quality websites that provide social sciences teachers with
WebQuest activities have been recommended by Vanguri, Sunal, Wilson, & Wright (2004), including The
WebQuest Page Matrix, WebQuest Collections, Blue Web’n, and Filamentality websites.

Among the printed materials, the publication of the book authored by Thombs, Gillis, and Canestrari
(2009) with its emphasis on a culturally responsible approach of using WebQuest in the Social Studies Classroom is
particularly valuable for history teachers. The book is relevant to the diverse and multi-national student population
of the U. S., and is very useful for teachers who are sensitive to culturally responsive social studies program.
WebQuests found in this book have important controversial topics that stimulate students’ historical thinking, as for
example, “World Religions and Conflicts,” “Immigration: Past, Present, and Future,” and “Voting Rights and
Responsibilities.”

Since 1995, hundreds of WebQuests have been created for all grades and Social Studies subjects.
However, little research was done in order to evaluate the quality of the WebQuests and effectiveness of their using
in Social Sciences classroom.

Debates about effectiveness of using WebQuests

Vidoni & Maddux (2002) were among the first who recommended looking at the usage of WebQuests in
American Schools critically. Even though they recognized that the WebQuest format met the key elements in
critical thinking, they warned that lack of evidence of WebQuest effectiveness through practical implementation
presented a reason for concern in using this internet-based tool in the classroom. Seven years later (2009), Maddox
188 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

was still apprehensive about a wide-spread uncritical use of this tool, “Despite their [WebQuests] popularity,
questions remain about the effectiveness with which WebQuests are being used with students” (p. 182).

Results obtained from action research conducted by elementary and secondary school teachers with support
of University professors fueled this discussion further. In some study- cases, results indicated that there were no
significant differences in the learning outcomes between conventional- versus WebQuest-based instruction. In
others, the results using WebQuests were even worse and tipped in favor of traditional classroom learning.

To compare the use of WebQuests vs. traditional instruction, Strickland and Nazzal (2005) conducted an
action research in 7th grade classes. There were 86 students involved in the study and the topic was the Texas
Revolution. Researchers randomly divided the students into two groups. The control group, consisting of 38
students, had to complete traditional instructional activity. The students in this group were required to individually
create a poster entitled “Roadmap to Freedom.” This kind of activity was common for middle-school students. The
poster had to reflect the major events in the Texas Revolution that led to independence. The students used materials
from textbooks and placed events in chronological order.

The other group was the experimental group where students had to complete WebQuest on the Texas
Revolution created by a teacher (http://www. citejournal.org/articles/TexRevlutionBetter/Texas_Revolution_Index.
html). The experimental group consisted of 48 students and was divided into several subgroups of four. The task
for the entire group was to create a living history of events leading to independence in the form of a news
broadcast. Each of the four students in a subgroup had a role to play, news anchor, feature correspondent, war
correspondent, and graphic designer. Students had to use internet resources to find all the necessary background
information, be it historic documents, witness reports, expert reports, etc. At the end of the unit, they had to produce
a slide show presentation of their findings.

Both groups were tested on their prior knowledge of the topic before the beginning of the experiment.
Strickland & Nazzal (2005) admitted that there was no statistically significant difference in the scores of the two
groups. The average pre-test scores indicated that students in both groups did not know much about the Texas
Revolution before the experiment. However, results after the experiment were different. The control group had a
higher score on the exam given at the end of the unit than the experimental group. Therefore, results of the
experiment did not speak in favor of the WebQuest tool.

Similar results were reported by Gaskill, McNulty, and Brooks (2006) who conducted action research in
social sciences classrooms in a rural high school. The purpose of the research was to compare the effectiveness of
WebQuests with the effectiveness of conventional instruction. The participants, 72 high school students in a
freshman history class, were divided into two groups. First group, which included 41 students, used the traditional
method of instruction. Their teacher who was an excellent story-teller and had more than 20 years of teaching
experience in social studies, gave a lecture on the topic of ‘‘Assassinations of Four American Presidents and Their
Impact on the History of the United States. ” The students took notes, watched a movie, and participated in
discussions. The other group that consisted of 31 students completed the WebQuest that was prepared by University
Professors. The students worked individually and had to create a PowerPoint presentation about assassinations of
four American Presidents.

The experiment lasted for four days. On the first day students in both groups took a pre-test. The results of
the pre-test showed that the experimental group was slightly better informed about the subject. At the end of 4 days,
both groups had a post-test that was identical to the pretest. Results were unexpected for those who believed in the
effectiveness of the WebQuest activity. The results showed that the conventional instruction led to significantly
greater student learning (Gaskill, McNulty, & Brooks, 2006).

Discussing the reasons for ineffectiveness of the WebQuest activity vs. the traditional instruction, the
authors of both experiments came to similar conclusions. Gaskill, McNulty, and Brooks (2006) pointed out that
“neither the students nor the teachers in this study were accustomed to using WebQuests as teaching/learning
activities” (p. 136). They also believed that the teacher might have inadvertently rehearsed the students for the test
during the lecture.
© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 189
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

Strickland and Nazzal (2005) recognized that their experiment (the Texas Revolution, 7th grade) was
limited in that it looked only at the content learned by both groups and not the skills. They agreed that the poster
activity in the control group turned out to be more creative and analytical because the students had to draw road
signs and critically analyze their connection with the events of the Texas Revolution. The students in the
experimental group who worked on the broadcast had only to recall the information they found while engaged in the
WebQuest activity. As one of the possible reasons of ineffectiveness of the WebQuest method in comparison to the
poster activity, the researchers pointed out that today the Internet is no longer a novelty since almost every student
has access to the internet at home. According to the researchers, “Using the Internet to learn may not be as
motivating to these students as it would be for students with limited access to the Internet” (p. 135).

Findings in the studies done by Strickland and Nazzal (2005) and Gaskill, McNulty and Brooks (2006)
showed that the effectiveness of using WebQuests depended largely on human factors, namely: teachers’
understanding of and ability to implement WebQuest, and students’ skills and motivation to complete WebQuest.
Maddux and Cummings (2007) shared this opinion and pointed out that effectiveness of using WebQuest depended
on the content of the WebQuest, the motivation and abilities of the students, as well as abilities and skills of the
teachers to create and use WebQuest in their teaching practice.

Zheng, Perez, Williamson, and Flygare (2007) came to the same conclusion in research about the
connection between teachers’ understanding and skills of using WebQuest strategy and effectiveness of teaching.
They interviewed 226 teachers who used WebQuests activities and found that most of the teachers who used
WebQuests did not have deep understanding of this inquiry-oriented activity. In many cases, teachers neglected
design and purposes of the WebQuest and, as result, WebQuest turned into an ineffective tool.

In this connection, the positive experience of Teacher Education Department (TED) of Alabama University
had a particular significance. Preparedness of teachers and their ability to correctly design, evaluate, and use
WebQuests was key for effective use WebQuests in the social sciences classroom. Understanding this, the TED
incorporated WebQuests strategies in three graduate courses. In 2004, the Department conducted a study in order to
“assess the ability of graduate students in social studies education at the elementary or secondary level to develop
WebQuests using a grading rubric” (Vanguri, Sunal, Wilson, & Wright, 2004, p.2). During an academic year, three
professors received over 50 submissions of WebQuest projects from pre-service and in-service teachers in social
studies graduate programs. They evaluated teachers’ WebQuests through rubrics, paying particular attention to
content, framing of the essential question, inquiry process, and relevant sources at appropriate grade level for
students and quality of resources, and creativity of a WebQuest assignment. Studies concluded that elementary and
secondary level teachers were able to understand the basic concepts of implementing WebQuests in their social
studies classrooms.

Graham (2004) demonstrated other ways to prepare social sciences teachers to use WebQuest in
educational curricular. At a high school, a group of five teachers participated in a study group focusing on the use of
WebQuests. Over the course of 10 weeks, from February to April of 2003, participants learned theoretical
underpinnings about WebQuests. They created and implemented their own WebQuests in classroom, and upon
completion received feedback from colleagues. All participants recognized that this long-term workshop was
successful on multiple levels, creating opportunity to turn WebQuest strategy into effective tool of teaching and
learning. Both experiments, by Vanguri, Sunal, Wilson, and Wright (2004) and by Graham (2004), concluded that
effective training of teachers to create and implement WebQuest as a tool led to improving students’ knowledge and
skills.

Maddux (2002, 2007, 2009), one of the main critics of WebQuests, warned that teachers had to carefully
consider students’ age and abilities during implementation of WebQuest in their classrooms. WebQuest cannot be
effective if teachers do not use differentiation of instruction.

In order to investigate whether WebQuests promoted greater student engagement than traditional methods
of social sciences instruction, the Institute of Internet Technology in Citizenship Education, conducted a study
during the summer session of 2005; 32 teachers and 796 students from 3 to11 grades took part in the study
(Friedman and VanFossen, 2010). In previous sessions teachers learn how to create WebQuests, and then they
190 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

created and implemented their WebQuests in their classrooms. Results of this study supported the general
perception of WebQuest by teachers and students. On the surface, they had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to
the WebQuests. The majority of the students recognized that they enjoyed working with WebQuests and were more
active than in traditional, textbook-based class model. They felt that they were in a greater control of their own
learning. The majority of the teachers considered that WebQuest model was a very useful teaching tool in social
sciences classroom.

VanFossen (2009) underlined, nonetheless, that not all teachers and not all students were satisfied with
WebQuest strategies. Some teachers considered them time consuming. Some students recognized that WebQuests
were too difficult for them and/or that they did not learn as much as in traditional classroom. The author concluded
that this study showed conflicting results about effectiveness of using WebQuest strategy in social sciences
classroom as well as strong demand to conduct more research about WebQuest effectiveness. Therefore, this study
supported Maddux’s idea that the majority of WebQuests did not follow the principle of students’ differentiations.

Despite the criticism, not a single researcher called for abandoning the use of WebQuests in social sciences
classrooms. All of them, however, urged teachers to use this internet-based strategy carefully, creating high quality
WebQuests. Ikpeze and Boyd (2007) conducted a long-term interdisciplinary study, covering social studies,
language arts, and science. At the end of the study, they emphasized that the effectiveness of the WebQuest tool and
its success were closely linked to “carefully selected, organized, and delivered” (p. 654) tasks associated with using
WebQuests.

It is clear that a strong demand for further study of WebQuest effectiveness continues to exist. Future
researchers have to focus their attention on the following aspects of WebQuest effectiveness: student differentiation,
inquiry-oriented activity and development of student motivation and social skills.

PART II. AN ACTION RESEARCH ON: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING A WEBQUEST IN THE
WESTWARD EXPANSION UNIT, 8th GRADE, U.S. HISTORY COURSE

This action research project was conducted in one of the urban middle school in Northern California with
population of about 1,150 students in 2010-2011 academic year. The research project was conducted in two 8th
grade classrooms during the unit “The Westward Expansion.” The project was based on the WebQuest “How My
Life Was Changed on the Oregon Trail: Exploring the Past” created by history teacher Kellogg (2010). It can be
found in Website “Zunal WebQuest Market” http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=57626. This WebQuest has a
classical structure and clearly presents all six steps of the WebQuest.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate whether WebQuest is an effective tool in
teaching the topic on “Westward Expansion” in the U.S. History course taught in the 8th grade. The study was
designed to answer three questions. First, does using WebQuest create the transition from the teacher-centered to
student-centered environment? Second, what skills do students develop completing WebQuest? Third, is it possible
to use a WebQuest created by another teacher? The main research question for this mixed method is “Does the
WebQuest create an effective transition from the teacher-centered to student-centered environment which results in
better developed students analytical, writing, technological, and social skills?”

Participants

The subjects of the study were 62 students and their teacher. The ethnic background of the participants was
Asian- Americans, 64%; Hispanics, 8 %; Whites, 19 %; and African-Americans, 9%. Thirty two students were male
and thirty were female. About 24% of the students were eligible free or reduced lunch. All 8th grade students
participating in this research were enrolled in the English and U.S. History Core courses. The Core course covered
two class periods of the student day. The students were invited to participate in this research through an agreement
to be part of this research study. Each student received permission from his/her parent or guardian to participate in
this research study. The teacher had more than thirty years of teaching experience in social studies.
© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 191
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

Method

A mixed methodology approach, collecting qualitative and quantitative data, was used to measure the
effectiveness of using Webquest. Qualitative data was derived from classroom observations, an interview with the
teacher and students’ written responses to a question about the efficiency of the WebQuest (Attachment A). During
the observation, special attention was paid to the students’ reaction to the Webquest, specifically, did they use their
time effectively, did they enjoy what they were doing, what was their reaction when they came across a difficulty,
and how did the teacher monitor the process. The main purpose of the interview with the teacher was to understand
if the teacher was familiar with the WebQuest strategy, whether in the teacher’s opinion there were advantages and
disadvantages to using the WebQuest and how easy or difficult it was using a WebQuest prepared by another
teacher. The students’ opinions about the WebQuest were obtained on the basis of student written responses to a
question about the efficiency of the WebQuest and on the basis of the two surveys. Quantitative data was derived
from two student surveys given before and after the implementation of the WebQuest. (Appendix B).

Procedure

The implementation of the project took three days or six class periods. During the first day, in the first
period, the students worked in their regular classroom. They took a short survey about the WebQuest. After a short
discussion regarding their previous knowledge and usage of WebQuests, they were introduced to the WebQuest
strategy. Following the PowerPoint Presentation, they looked at the structure of WebQuest “How My Life Was
Changed on the Oregon Trail- Exploring the Past.” During the second period of the first day, students went to the
computer lab. The students followed step-by-step instructions in the “Process Section.” They investigated several
on-line sources about the Oregon Trail (http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/introduction.html) and wrote down five facts
that they found most interesting and explained why. The Researcher observed learning and social activities of the
students.

During the second day, in the first period the students explored the Map of the Oregon Trail
(http://historyglobe.com/ot/otmap1.htm. They had to describe five cities on the Oregon Trail and explain why they
found them most interesting in their adventure. During the second period, the students read the diary of James
Longmire (http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/00.ar.longmire.html). Putting themselves in his place, they critically
analyzed how traveling along the Oregon Trail changed his life. The Researcher observed learning and social
activities of the students.

During the third day, the students were in a regular classroom, using all the materials that they found during
their WebQuest activity. They had to write an article about their trip along the Oregon Trail for a national newspaper
from the point of view of an imagined hero. Finally, the students evaluated their WebQuest activity through a
second survey and an oral interview.

Data Analysis

Data analysis began from the first day of the implementation of the action research project that examined
whether WebQuest is an effective tool in teaching the topic on “Westward Expansion” in the U.S. History course
taught in the 8th grade.

Qualitative data were gathered during classroom observations by way of daily field notes. At the end of the
project, the students were asked to provide a written response to the question “Was the WebQuest a good way for
you to learn and write about the Oregon Trail? If yes, explain why. If not, explain why not.” Qualitative data were
supplemented by a consultation with the teacher, daily discussions with the teacher about preliminary results and the
final post-project interview with the teacher. (Appendix A).

Quantitative data were derived from two student surveys (Appendix B). One survey was given before the
intervention and the second survey was administered after the implementation of the WebQuest and took about 10
minutes. All surveys were based on the 5-point Likert –type scale, allowing for a range of students’ opinions from
strongly disagree to strongly agree. Information from the questionnaires was calculated to determine students’
attitudes toward the WebQuest.
192 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

The data analysis was conducted to answer the research question: Does the WebQuest create an effective
transition from the teacher-centered to student-centered environment which results in better developed students
analytical, writing, technological, and social skills?

Findings

Qualitative data gathered during classroom observations showed that the students were extremely well-task
oriented, and stayed focused. Only one student out of 62 did not stay on the task and got diverted to using other
internet sites. Initially, the students were naturally curious about this new method of learning, but later in the
process, they were driven more by receiving a good grade for the material they were learning. Most of the students
stayed on task and were able to complete the task by the deadline. Four students out of 62 were not able to complete
the task on time because they read and wrote slower than other students. They completed the missed part of
assignment at home. The observation also showed that after awhile, usually by the end of the 2 nd period, the
students got tired from reading from the computer screen. On the last day, when they worked on the essay for a
newspaper, the observation showed that the students were using their research notes and were motivated and
enthusiastic about completing their tasks. The teacher continuously monitored the activity of the students and was on
standby to answer their questions.

At the end of the project, the students were asked to provide a written response to the question “Was the
WebQuest a good way for you to learn and write about the Oregon Trail? If yes, explain why. If not, explain why
not.” The majority of the students mentioned that WebQuest was a good way for them to learn and write about the
Oregon Trail. Specifically the students pointed out that it was much easier for them to concentrate their attention on
the topic using the on-line strategy than a textbook. Some of them clearly preferred the on-line text to a printed one.
They also pointed out that without a doubt the Internet gave them more information on the topic than a textbook.
One student admitted, “I kind of visualized that I was on the Oregon Trail because of a lot of the details.” Some of
them stressed that they thought the cumulative information created a more accurate picture because the information
came from many sources. Others mentioned that they were introduced to a good new learning strategy that they
wanted to use in the future. One student expressed his thoughts in the following manner, “I think WebQuest was
good because I learned how to do research on my own. I think it will be a good resource for me in the future.” Many
students also recognized that they learned more about how to write a newspaper article. Many said that it was an
easy way for them to learn because the WebQuest had clear instructions and guided them step by step. Also many
students were satisfied that they were able to study the subject on their own, “It was a good way to learn because it
teaches me to be independent about my work and gives me a good feelings, that I get to learn on my own.”

However, the students also mentioned some negative elements of this WebQuest. For example, one student
recognized that “there sometimes was too much information, so I would get frustrated and just wanted to get it over
with.” Another student complained that he “did not get much of the vocabulary” as he would from a textbook.
Some students complained that it was too much reading and writing during this project. Even though the majority of
students enjoyed the work with the computer and preferred it over the work with a textbook, they complained that
their eyes were tired from spending too much time in front of the screen.

Interview with the teacher showed that the teacher positively evaluated the students’ usage of the
WebQuest in the U.S. History course taught in the 8th grade. The teacher had never before used the WebQuest in
teaching Social Sciences and did not participate in any workshops devoted to this teaching strategy. The teacher,
having taught her students both History and English, knew that they could write essays. Upon the completion of the
WebQuest project by her students, she recognized that it was a lot easier for them to write an essay for the
newspaper following step-by-step instructions, provided in the WebQuest. The teacher used rubrics, offered in the
WebQuest, for evaluating students’ essays. She concluded that the WebQuest was an effective strategy and that it
was possible to use WebQuests created by another teacher. She was grateful to the author of this WebQuest for
creating a very effective tool to be used in her classroom. However, she recognized that some adaptations, dealing
with the original texts containing archaic language, were necessary. The original text was difficult for 8th graders and
could be handled easier by high school students. This project did not involve ESL or Special population students. If
they were involved, additional adaptations related to the language of the original texts might be necessary. Another
adaptation of the WebQuest was made; it was related to the fact that the students showed signs of fatigue reading
© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 193
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

from the computer screen. Special pauses were arranged during which the students worked in groups and discussed
material that they just read. To conclude, the teacher underlined that on the whole the WebQuest was a very
effective tool and that she would use it in the future.

Quantitative data were gathered by conducting two student surveys, one pre-intervention and one post-
intervention. All students stated that they had not used WebQuests before. Following the introduction to the
WebQuest project, all students were optimistic about the project as is evident from their answers to the survey
questions. They wanted to do the project, they believed that they could do it, and they wanted to learn something
new (Table 1, Appendix C). Their positive attitude was due to the project’s new learning strategy that they have
never used before. They were also excited by the prospect of using the Internet.

The post-intervention survey showed that that 100 % of students were now familiar with WebQuests and
learned something new, that 90% enjoyed the offered Internet-based activity, 94% believed that they succeeded in
doing this WebQuest, 90% wished more teachers used WebQuests in classroom, and 88% preferred learning the
topic by using this tool rather than textbook. Specific to the topic of the Oregon Trail, 100% of the students felt that
they learned more from using the WebQuest, than they would learn if a textbook were used.

Only 2% of the students did not enjoy this WebQuest activity, while 8% of the students were not sure, and
only 2% did not want to see it used by other teachers. If the pre-intervention survey showed that all students felt
they would be successful in using the WebQuest, the post-intervention survey showed that 6% were not sure and
10% felt that using the WebQuest was difficult for them. No one wanted to quit, when it was too difficult. Instead,
they opted for help from the teacher and their classmates (Table 2, Appendix C).

Upon completion of this project, the teacher and students admitted that this WebQuest was an effective way
to develop students’ analytical, writing, technological, and social skills. Students developed their analytical skills
when they processed primary sources and answered questions based on them. They developed their writing skills
when they worked on their essay for the newspaper. Their technological skills were developed when they used
internet resources for completing the WebQuest. When they worked in groups and discussed the information
gathered on-line, it helped them develop their social skills.

Limitations

This educational research was limited to native speakers, and excluded EL learners and Special Population
students. The WebQuest Project was short-term and emphasized reading and writing materials. Students spent most
of their time were working individually analyzing materials about the Oregon Trail and writing an essay. This
research was conducted involving only two 8 th grade classes in a suburban middle school. The teacher was in full
control of the class environment was experienced and had a good rapport with the students. The situation would be
much different in a different area school or with a less experienced teacher. The research did not examine the
knowledge of students but rather the development of their skills and any shift to center-oriented activity.

CONCLUSION

When the WebQuest strategy appeared in 1995, it has became popular among Social Sciences teachers.
They have embraced the fashionable and novel tool without testing its effectiveness. Moreover, initial investigations
of the tool’s effectiveness have shown no significant differences in the learning outcomes between traditional-
versus WebQuest-based instruction. The tension has developed between supporters of WebQuests as a new valuable
student-centered, internet-based and inquiry-oriented learning tool and their critics. This tension has created a
backlash against the use of WebQuests in Social Sciences. The need for more research into the new tool has been
evident. The present research is a small contribution to the debate on the effectiveness of WebQuests.

This action research, conducted in 8th grade U.S. history course, showed that both the teacher and the
students found the WebQuest strategy an important and effective tool in the teaching/learning process. Both the
teacher and the students did not have any prior experience with WebQuests. Their lack of experience with
WebQuests echoed Maddox’s (2007) opinion that WebQuests were a passing phenomenon and would not make a
194 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

substantial impact on education. However, the teacher’s and students’ experience with the WebQuest was so
positive that they felt the need to learn more about it so they could use it more in the future. It is important,
therefore, to conduct WebQuest workshops, educating California teachers in this matter, and create the similar
programs the Teacher Education Department of Alabama University created in 2004.

This research shows that the effectiveness of the WebQuest is particularly striking in the area of developing
students’ skills in gathering and analyzing the needed information independently. Without a teacher’s lecture on the
topic, the students have learned the topic from a to z, by doing all the work independently. Qualitative and
Quantitative data gathered during research clearly shows that the WebQuest is an effective instructional tool for
transitioning from the teacher-centered to the student-centered environment. The students have been able to learn the
topic about the Oregon Trail by themselves. Using on-line materials, they have learned about the reasons for the
Westward Movement, the geographical route of the Oregon Trail, discoverers and explorers, Native Americans, and
hardships of the journey. Students have analyzed primary sources and developed their writing skills. Following the
WebQuest’s step-by-step instructions, the students have been able to complete the project by writing an essay for a
newspaper.

Results of this research indicate that the students have enjoyed the WebQuest. The same results were found
in many research papers. My educational research about effectiveness of using WebQuests in Social Sciences
classroom supports the conclusions of those researchers who spoke in favor of using WebQuests in History,
Geography, Economics, and Civic education classrooms. Specifically, this research supports the outcomes of the
study by Strickland and Nazzal (2005) and another study by Gaskill, McNulty and Brooks (2006), advocating the
importance of human factors in the effectiveness of using WebQuests.

This research also shares the Murry (2006) conclusion that Social Sciences teachers can use WebQuests
created by other teachers. However, modifications must be made to accommodate all students, including ELD
students and students with special needs, just like Maddux, one of the main critics of WebQuests, anticipated. This
WebQuest supports Maddux’ warnings that teachers had to carefully consider students’ age and abilities during
implementation of WebQuests in their classrooms and that WebQuests cannot be effective if teachers do not use
differentiation of instruction. One of the recommendations of my research is that a teacher can use a WebQuest
created by another teacher, but s/he must check to see if the WebQuest contain all necessary modifications to
accommodate his/her students population.

In summary, this research shows that WebQuests are effective for teaching/learning process. They can be
even more effective if educators take into account the following recommendations. Universities and school districts
must offer WebQuests workshops for teachers. Teachers need to be more educated about the use of WebQuest in the
classroom. Creators of WebQuests must provide modifications for potential student populations. Teachers must
adopt WebQuests to suit their actual student population. Researchers have to continue their efforts into how to make
the use of WebQuests more successful in the classroom.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Olga A. Kachina, California State University East Bay, USA. She is a 2011-2012 Sally Casanova California Pre-
Doctoral Scholar, a history teacher with an extensive teaching experience in Russia and the U.S. E-mail:
[email protected]

REFERENCES

1. Abbitt, J., & Ophus, J. (2008). What we know about the impacts of WebQuests: A review of research.
AACE Journal, 16 (4), 441-456.
2. Diem, R., & Berson, M. (Eds.). (2010). Technology in retrospect: Social studies in the information age,
1984-2009. Charlotte, NC: IAP- Information Age Publishing.
3. Dodge, B. (1995, 1997). Some thoughts about WebQuests. Retrieved November 19, 2010 from
http://webquest. sdsu. edu/about_webquests. html

© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 195

Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

4. Dodge, B. (2001). FOCUS: Five rules for writing a great WebQuest. Retrieved 19, 2010 from
http://babylon. k12. ny. us/usconstitution/focus-5%20rules. pdf
5. Dodge, B. (2006). WebQuests: Past, Present and Future. Retrieved November 19, 2010 from
http://www.portalwebquest. net/pdfs/cf001. pdf
6. Friedman, A. & VanFossen, P. (2010). The internet in social sciences classrooms: Lost opportunity or
unexplored frontier. In R. Diem & M. Berson (Eds.), Technology in retrospect: Social studies in the
information age, 1984-2009 (pp. 51-74). Charlotte, NC: IAP- Information Age Publishing.
7. Gaskill, M., McNulty, A. & Brooks, D. W. (2006). Learning from WebQuests. Journal of Science
Education and Technology, 15 (2), 133-136.
8. Graham, P. (2004). Study groups and WebQuest. Tech & Learning. Retrieved November19, 2010 from
http://www. techlearning. com/article/2510
9. Ikpeze, C. H., & Boyd, F. B. (2007). Web-based inquiry learning: Facilitating thoughtful literacy with
WebQuests. Reading Teacher, 60 (7), 644-654.
10. Lipscomb, G. (2003). “I guess it was pretty fun”: Using WebQuests in the middle school classroom. The
Clearing House, 76, 152-155.
11. March, T. (1998). Why WebQuests? An introduction. Retrieved November 19, 2010 from
http://tommarch. com/writings/intro_wq. php.
12. Maddux, C. D., & Cummings, R. (2007). WebQuests: Are they developmentally appropriate? Educational
Forum, 71 (2), 117.
13. Maddux, C. D. (2009). Information technology in education: The need for skepticism. International
Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 5 (2), 182-190.
14. Milson, A. J., & Downey, P. (2001). WebQuest: Using Internet resources for cooperative inquiry. Social
Education, 65, 144-146.
15. Milson, A. J. (2002). The Internet and inquiry learning: Integrating medium and method in a sixth grade
Social Studies classroom. Theory and Research in Social Education, 30, 330
16. Molebash, P., Dodge, B., Bell, R., & Mason, C. (2002). Promoting student inquiry: WebQuests to web
inquiry projects (WIPs). Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education
International Conference 2002, Nashville, TN. Retrieved from http://webinquiry. org/WIP_Intro. htm
17. Murry, R. (2006). WebQuests celebrate 10 years: Have they delivered? Action Research Exchange, 5 (1).
Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http://teach. valdosta. edu/are/vol5no1/Thesis%20PDF/MurryR_ARE.
pdf
18. National Council for the Social Studies. (1994). Expectations of excellence: Curriculum standards for
social studies. Washington D. C.: National Council for the Social Studies.
19. Piaget, J. (1973). The child and reality. NY: Grossman Publishers.
20. Rice, M. L., & Wilson, E. K. (1999). How technology aids constructivism in the social studies classroom.
Social Studies, 90 (1), 28-33.
21. Showalter, A. (2009). Constructivist instructional design (C-ID): Foundations, models, and examples J.
W. Willis, (Ed.). Charlotte, NC: IAP- Information Age Publishing.
22. Strickland, J., & Nazzal, A. (2005). Using WebQuests to teach content: Comparing instructional strategies.
Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 5 (2), 138-148.
23. Thombs, M. M., Gillis, M. M., & Canestrari, A. S. (2009). Using WebQuests in the social Studies
classroom: A culturally responsive approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
24. Vanguri, P. R., Sunal, C. S., Wilson, E. K., & Wright, V. H. (2004). WebQuests in social studies
education. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 3 (2). Retrieved November 21, 2010 from http://www.
ncolr.org/jiol/issues/PDF/3. 2. 5. pdf
25. Vidoni, K. L., & Maddux, C. D. (2002). WebQuests: Can they be used to improve critical-thinking skills
in students? Computers in the Schools, 19 (1/2), 101–117.
26. Vigotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
27. Whitworth, S., & Berson, M. J. (2003). Computer technology in the social studies: An examination of the
effectiveness literature (1996- 2001). Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 2 (4),
472-509.
28. Zheng, R., Perez, J., Williamson, J. & Flygare, J. (2008). WebQuests as perceived by teachers:
Implications for online teaching and learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 24 (4), 295-304.
196 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute
Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

APPENDIX A

Qualitative data was derived from classroom observations, an interview with the teacher and students’ written
response to a question about the efficiency of the WebQuest.

1. Observation
During the observation, special attention will be paid to answers to the following questions:
 What was the learning environment when the students were doing a WebQuest?
 Did the students follow the teacher’s instructions?
 Did the students use a computer for purposes unrelated to the classroom activity?
 Did the students use time effectively?
 What was the students’ attitude toward WebQuest as an internet-oriented activity?
 How did the teacher monitor the process of the research on the Internet?
2. Interview with the teacher
During the interview with the teacher, the following questions will be asked:
 Did the teacher use WebQuest strategy before?
 Did the teacher take a WebQuest workshop?
 Was the teacher satisfied with the results of using WebQuest activity? If yes, explain why or if not,
explain why not?
 How did the teacher evaluate the development of the students’ analytical-skills?
 How did the teacher evaluate the development of students’ social skills? What were the differences
between the WebQuest and the traditional teaching of this unit?
 What were advantages and disadvantages of using WebQuest in teaching this unit?
 What were advantages and disadvantages of using traditional strategies for teaching this unit?
 How did the teacher modify the WebQuest for ELL, Special Population, gifted students?
 Did using WebQuest strategy change the learning process from teacher-centered to student-centered?
If so, explain why, if not, explain why not.
3. Students’ written responses to the WebQuest efficiency question.
The question that the students were invited to answer was “Was the WebQuest a good way for you to learn
and write about the Oregon Trail? If yes, explain why. If not, explain why not.”

© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 197

Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

APPENDIX B

Table 1 Pre-Intervention Student Survey (62 Participants)

Survey Items Strongly
Disagree Not Sure Strongly Agree Agree
Participants Disagree
I know what WebQuest strategy is about
I am looking forward to doing this
WebQuest.
I believe I can do work in this WebQuest.
I believe I will learn something new while
doing this WebQuest.

Table 2 Post-Intervention Student Survey (62 Participants)

Survey Items Strongly
Disagree Not Sure Strongly Agree Agree
Participants Disagree
I know what WebQuest strategy is about
I enjoyed this WebQuest.
I believe I did the work in this WebQuest
successfully
I believe I learned something new while
doing this WebQuest.
I wish more teachers would use WebQuests
in their classrooms
Learning the material is more fun in a
WebQuest, than in a textbook.
I think I learned more about the Oregon Trail
from using the WebQuest, than I would learn
if a textbook were used.
This WebQuest was too difficult for me.
This WebQuest is difficult, because the
things we are learning are new to me.
This WebQuest is difficult, because the
process of doing the work is confusing.
When the work gets difficult for me, I want
to quit working.
When the work gets difficult for me, I want
to work harder so I can understand it.
When the work gets hard, I ask the teacher
for help.
When the work gets hard, I ask another
student for help.

198 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute

Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

APPENDIX C

Table 1 Pre-Intervention Student Survey (62 Participants)

Survey Items Strongly
Disagree Not Sure Strongly Agree Agree
Participants Disagree
I know what WebQuest strategy is about 39 (63%) 22 (35%) 1 (2%)
I am looking forward to doing this
12 (19%) 50 (81%)
WebQuest.
I believe I can do work in this WebQuest. 8 (13%) 54(87%)
I believe I will learn something new while
12(19%) 50(81%)
doing this WebQuest.

Table 2 Post-Intervention Student Survey (62 Participants)

Survey Items Strongly
Disagree Not Sure Strongly Agree Agree
Participants Disagree
I know what WebQuest strategy is about 26(42%) 36(58%)
I enjoyed this WebQuest. 1(2%) 5(8%) 12(19%) 44(71%)
I believe I did the work in this WebQuest
4(6%) 11(18%) 47(76%)
successfully
I believe I learned something new while
26(42%) 36(58%)
doing this WebQuest.
I wish more teachers would use WebQuests
1(2%) 5(8%) 12(19%) 44(71%)
in their classrooms
Learning the material is more fun in a
8(12%) 14(23%) 40(65%)
WebQuest, than in a textbook.
I think I learned more about the Oregon Trail
from using the WebQuest, than I would learn 38(61%) 24(39%)
if a textbook were used.
This WebQuest was too difficult for me. 12 (19%) 44(71%) 6(10%)
This WebQuest is difficult, because the
2 (3%) 44(71%) 6(10%) 10(16%)
things we are learning are new to me.
This WebQuest is difficult, because the
22 (35%) 34(55%) 6(10%)
process of doing the work is confusing.
When the work gets difficult for me, I want
22 (35%) 34(55%) 6(10%)
to quit working.
When the work gets difficult for me, I want
6(10%) 20(32%) 36(58%)
to work harder so I can understand it.
When the work gets hard, I ask the teacher
20(32%) 42(68%)
for help.
When the work gets hard, I ask another
26(42%) 36(58%)
student for help.

© 2012 The Clute Institute http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ 199

Contemporary Issues In Education Research – Third Quarter 2012 Volume 5, Number 3

NOTES

200 http://www.cluteinstitute.com/ © 2012 The Clute Institute