Task-based learning online through WebQuest

"A WebQuest," according to Bernie Dodge, the originator of the WebQuest concept, "is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web", which can be simply defined as online-based lessons built by teachers for their students. 

WebQuests are designed to make students learn how to use information rather than how to look for it, with the teacher providing links to required reading for students. This educational technique supports learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. For teachers, WebQuests are innovative to help students become more enthusiastic about solving tasks.  

picture resource: Google images

Before I tell you more about WebQuest, let's firstly see one example made by my teacher Tilly Harrison.

Here is the link for her WebQuest:

http://questgarden.com/author/create/preview.php?u=16243&l=16243-110202033926&a=&p=introduction&pt=student

Structure of a WebQuest

According to her WebQuest, there are six sections and the first four of them are necessary. 

1. Introduction stage

It gives readers overall theme and background information on the topic. If you want to use WebQuest to teach English, key vocabularies and concepts that learners should understand will be covered.

2. Task stage

This part explains clearly and precisely what the learners have to do. The task is always based on a real-life situation, for example, in one WebQuest, 'Oh, the Possibilities!: Choosing an English Language Course Abroad', the student has the opportunity to use 3500 euros for a study trip in an English-speaking country (see the picture below), and they need to design the details of their trip.

3. Process stage 

It guides the learners through a set of activities and research tasks with a set of predefined resources. These resources are prepared by teachers in advance and presented in the links. The Process section also explains strategies students should use to complete the task. Sometimes, this stage may have one 'product' which the learners are expected to present at the end.

4. The Evaluation stage 

It gives learners time to evaluate themselves, comparing and contrasting what they have produced with other learners and giving feedback on what they have learnt and achieved. Teachers can see their results which might be shown by presentations or reports, and then give evaluation at the same time. 

So how to make your own WebQuest ?

I will give you one video that you can follow to create your own WebQuest.

Disadvantages and suggestions

Although WebQuest is seen as one new technique that can motivate students, without teachers' guidance, students' attitudes are not good. They sometimes cannot find correct resources by their own and feel boring about the topics as tasks owing to the time-consuming process. 

I also found some limitations when I tried to finish one WebQuest: some devices do not have access to the websites needed. It may happen very commonly if teachers are requiring students to work on the WebQuests outside of the classroom, for example, as homework.

In an ELF environment, teachers may be better to teach students where to look for information and how to skim articles in English, as these skills could be used in the exams. WebQuest is complicated in order to deal with a large number of things, so it is significant for teachers to think carefully what the purpose of using this.

Lastly, I will put a website link about some surprising ways to use WebQuests in the classroom. Hope it will be helpful to you.

https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2018/08/9-surprising-ways-to-use-webquests-in-your-classroom