Abstract:

Purpose:
WebQuest, developed by Bernie Dodge in 1995, is a digital tool that facilitates the design, development, implementation and evaluation of goal-based online activities and reusable learning objects. As an inquiry-based tool, a growing body of research indicates that WebQuest has the potential to engage learners in developing well-organized and reliable online resources that bring about solutions to a stated problem. With this in mind, the purpose of this study is two fold: First, it presents an exploration of the premise that underpin the integration of WebQuest in a Learning Outcome Capstone Course that assesses students' progression in developing lifelong learning employability competences such as communication, critical thinking and problem solving, technology, teamwork, and leadership and global awareness. Second, it reports on a mixed methods case study that examined (1) the extent to which the development of WebQuest impacts student learning, self-assessment and future employability, and (2) the correlation between perceived impact of WebQuest in learning and self-assessment on the one hand and student attitude towards the integration of WebQuest in a problem-based learning environment on the other hand.

Design/methodology/approach:
The overall design of the study reflects a constructivist paradigm and pedagogical approaches that advance learning-by-doing, problem based learning and performance based assessment. A mixed methods case study approach with a validating quantitative data framework is used. The survey was delivered to 40 male and female students enrolled in a Learning Outcome Capstone Course at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The survey contained three open-ended questions as supplementary components to validate quantitative findings. Data analysis considered the usage of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

Findings:
The findings of the study provide insights, via quantitative and qualitative results, into the value of integrating WebQuest on student development of lifelong learning competences and future employability. It is evident that learner-cantered and easy to construct WebQuest gives students the opportunity to organize and explain global issues in relation to local experiences. Through the construction and reconstruction of WebQuests, students were able to bring globally-oriented meaningful content to reflect on while developing awareness of issues relevant not only to their lives but to the lives of the different intellectual Others

Originality/value:
A critical review of higher education research on WebQuest renders a focus on its positive impact in facilitating the teaching, learning and assessment processes for both students and faculty. To date there have been no empirical research in the context of Saudi Arabia that determines the pedagogical impact of implementing WebQuest on student development of global awareness, lifelong learning competences and skills, self-assessment and future employability. The study addresses this gap in the literature and provides insights into the positive impact of integrating WebQuest on the three researched areas. The study also provides evidence-based insights into the effectiveness of integrating WebQuest in a problem-based learning environment where students have the opportunity to reflect on multiple worldviews related to the topic under inquiry.

Keywords:

WebQuest, lifelong learning skills, employability skills, graduate employability, global learning, inquiry-based learning, competency-based learning.