WebQuests: Teach with the web

 

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. This week I want to introduce to you another interesting ICT tool useful for English language teaching and learning. That is, ‘WebQuest’.

What is a WebQuest?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity which learners work on by using web resources. In other words, learners use information from the web to do a task given. However, this does not mean that learners search for information from google or any other search engine. Instead, they use web resources pre-selected and indicated by their teacher. In line with constructivist theory of learning, WebQuests allow learners to contribute greatly to their learning through collaboration and meaning negotiation. One of the advantages of WebQuests is that they promote higher order thinking through analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

The main elements of a WebQuest are as follows:

Introduction: This provides background information about the topic. This should be presented in a way that attracts students’ attention

Task: a general description of the task. This should be achievable and interesting

Process: This is a step-by-step explanation of procedures that learners need to go through to complete a task

Evaluation: This indicates what the teachers expect from learners, i.e. criteria for evaluation.

Conclusion: A summary of what has been learned and encouragement for further learning.

In the following YouTube video, Bernie Dodge (the creator of the WebQuest) explains more about WebQuests.

Let us now look at a sample WebQuest that I have explored this week. The title of this WebQuest is "Learning English with Technology - which tools to use?". 

The activity is introduced with a kind of challenge to students to put themselves in the place of somebody who has been employed as an English teacher and has been asked by the director to reseach on technology tools that could be used in English language classes. I believe that this way of introducing the activity will really engage students as they will strive to convince the director about their ability. Additionally, the task  is  introduced by means of a technology (voki), which I think is a kind of motivation for students to learn how technology can be applied in teaching. Doing this activity is very beneficial because students will at the same time explore WebQuests and learn about other technology tools for language learning.

The task is presented with clear guidelines: students are asked to work in groups to choose one of the language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) that interests them for which they are going to find a technology tool that can be used to develop that skill.The task is to be done collaboratevely as each student is to work with others with similar interests to develop criteria for choosing a technology tool , then come back to their original groups to evaluate together various tools. As this WebQuest is designed for undergraduate ELT students, I believe that  they have prior knowledge of English language teaching. 

In their groups, tudents are assigned roles  that really match the area being investigated (online tools to develop language skills). Those include listening leader, speaking expert, reading researcher, and writing representative. Working in groups, students with similar roles are provided with enough web resources from which they can get information to support their own understanding in order to decide on three criteria to adopt an online tool to develop a language skill of their interest. Additionally, students are given many options of online tools from which, basing on the criteria they set together, they can choose  one  that can be used to develop language skills.   

One of the merits of this activity is that it develops students critical thinking skills_reading different sources, synthesis of ideas to set up criteria to adopt an online tool, evaluating the tool, convincing the director about the tool, all these require higher order thinking. It is interesting and important that the teacher shares an evaluation rubric to let students know what is expected from them. This helps them to stay focused on the main points of their task. 

A good conclusion is provided congratulating students on the great job and challenging them to reflect on what they learnt from the task.

Overall, this is  an excellent WebQuest for ELT students/teachers to learn about how to incorporate technology in English language teaching and learning. I think similar activities can be very useful in different contexts. Even in some schools with no or limited internet connection, teachers can use webquests in assignments and projects whereby students can have internet access from parents, friends, or public internet spots.

One thing I don't understand in this webquest is why students were asked to choose only ONE tool to recommend to the director. Is it because there was not enough time to explore more tools? In my opinion, students should have analysed more than one tool to cater for most of language aspects. Maybe the author will tell us more about this.

It is good to note that the author has given permission to other people to use this WebQuest provided that the original authorship is credited_ many thanks to her! If you are interested in exploring this WebQuest further, you can go to this link

You can also find more WebQuests that are already created on Questgarden.com. Interestingly, you can also create your own WebQuest on the same website.

I hope you enjoy to explore WebQuests and look forward to receiving your feedback.