The impact of WebQuest integration in the writing learning process on academic writing skills and critical thinking skills

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the WebQuest-based learning process on academic writing skills and critical thinking skills. The method used in this study was a quasi-experimental method involving 350 high school students. The instruments used were the California Critical Thinking Skills to measure critical thinking skills and an academic writing skills assessment form. The study employed the MANOVA and MANCOVA tests for data analysis to find out how using WebQuest affected students' academic writing and critical thinking abilities. The results of the research showed that WebQuest-based learning was more effective in improving academic writing skills and critical thinking skills than traditional face-to-face writing learning. In addition, this WebQuest-based writing learning provided short-and long-term effects on both competencies. The increase in academic writing skills that showed significant improvements occurred in all aspects, namely task achievement, cohesion and coherence, lexical  and grammatical accuracy. Several aspects of critical thinking skills that showed significant improvements were aspects of analysis, evaluation, and deductive reasoning skills. This study implies that WebQuest-based learning can be used as an alternative learning strategy in improving academic writing skills while improving critical thinking skills.