Student teams participate in an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information is drawn from the Internet. Using primarily instructor-specified websites, team members investigate an open-ended question and participate in a highly structured group process that aims to help them synthesise and apply their understanding to a task that replicates real-world challenges.

'WebQuests' helps students learn to use the web for research in ways that encourage analysis and judgment rather than simply copying or summarising information. Because the task is authentic – a scaled-down version of things adults do as citizens or workers – 'WebQuests' creates a bridge between what is learned in the classroom and the world outside of the classroom, demonstrating how and why classroom-based knowledge is important.