The WebQuest: It\u27s impact on students\u27 critical thinking, performance, and perceptions in basic physics

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of WebQuest on students‘ critical thinking, content- knowledge acquisition, task performance and perceptions. Furthermore, this study also investigated which aspect of critical thinking was best or least demonstrated by the students, and examined the correlation between students‘ critical thinking and task performance and the relationship between students‘ academic performance and perceptions. The students who participated in this study were enrolled in basic Physics class (n = 20) in Muntinlupa City. The group received approximately 60 minutes of WebQuest instruction per day and extended over 17 weeks. Data were collected through administration of the Cornell Critical Thinking Test –Level X [CCTT-X], and the California Physics Standard Test [CPST]. Additionally, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to obtain information about the students‘ perceptions. Through classroom observations, unstructured Interviews, the researcher gained a deeper understanding of the students‘ views and experiences. The study employed the Non- Experimental Design (qualitative) and the Pre-Experimental Design (quantitative), particularly the One Group Pre Test –Post Test Design. This study utilized both descriptive and inferential data analysis procedures. The results of this study add to the accumulating body of evidence that WebQuests have a positive impact on students‘ critical thinking, content-knowledge acquisition, and perceptions. Deduction aspect of critical thinking skills was best demonstrated by the students while assumptions identification was the least demonstrated by the students. Furthermore, there was a low to moderate relationship between students‘ critical thinking and their task performance. In contrast, there was negligible correlation between students‘ academic performance and their perceptions towards the use of WebQuest model. Thus, this study demonstrated that students viewed WebQuest favourably irrespective of their ability to learn and it suggests that WebQuest model can be a useful tool for student learning