Why use Internet-Based Projects ?
Incorporate the Internet into the language classroom
These are group activities and, as a result, lend themselves to communication and the sharing of knowledge, two principal goals of language teaching itself.
3. The use of projects encourages cooperative learning, and therefore stimulates interaction.
4. They encourage critical thinking skills. Students are required to transform information in order to achieve tasks.
5. Internet based situations bring real-life contexts to the classroom helping learners to deal with situations that they might come across in their lives.
In order to prepare for Internet-based project work, there are some points to take into account:
Choose the project topic
Will your learners be researching famous people, an event or an issue?
Make the task clear
What information will they need to find - biographical, factual, views and opinions?
Find the resources
Which websites will your learners need to visit? Do these websites contain the information they need and are they at the right level?
Decide on the outcome
What is the final purpose of the project? For example, will your learners be making a poster, a presentation or holding a debate?
Webquests
Webquests are projects in which a large percentage of the input and material is supplied from the Internet.
There are usually four main sections to a webquest:
Step 1 - Introduction
This stage is normally used to introduce the overall theme of the webquest. It involves giving background information on the topic and, in the language learning context, often introduces key vocabulary and concepts which learners will need to understand in order to complete the tasks involved.
Step 2 -Task
The task section of the webquest explains clearly and precisely what the learners will have to do as they work their way through the webquest. The task should obviously be highly motivating and interesting for the learners, and should be firmly anchored in a real-life situation.
Step 3 - Process
The process stage of a webquest guides the learners through a set of activities and research tasks, using a set of predefined resources. These resources are predominantly Internet-based and are usually presented in clickable form, that is, as a set of active links to websites within the task document.
Step 4 - Evaluation
The evaluation stage can involve learners in self-evaluation, comparing and contrasting what they have produced with other learners, and giving feedback on what they feel they have learnt and achieved.
What does a Webquest look like ? Here are some screenshots.
Here's the link to my Webquest : http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=749654
References:
Hockly, N. & Dudeney, G. (2007). Chapter 4“Internet-Based project work”. In How to Teach English with Technology. Essex: Pearson.
Commentaires