The role of WeQuests in learning a foreign/second language?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. These can be created using various programs, including a simple word processing document that includes links to websites. It is clearly structured into 5 components, which include an introduction (why do this activity), tasks (what is supposed to be accomplished), process (how to go about it), evaluative, and conclusion.

WebQuest has a major role in many important areas in TEFL/TESL field like activating critical thinking, student-oriented activities, enquiry-oriented language use, cooperative and collaborative learning and Project-based learning. It improves the students’ critical thinking. Students will be encountered with lots of issues that they have to analyze and solve. They have to gather information, analyze, decide the suitable one, ask questions and summarize what they find. This will help students to become autonomous learners.

Webquests tend to be student-oriented and collaborative, with students engaged in constructivist activities resulting in shared learning experiences and new knowledge based on enquiry-oriented language use and Web research skills.

Project-based learning (PBL), is one of the enduring approaches to education that supports the use of webquests, is focused on the learner constructing meaning and knowledge from an assigned activity. It gives a variety of learning styles and multiple forms of intelligence have a real world authentic orientation.

WebQuest is a great tool to be used in TEFL/TESL field. It makes teaching the language more interesting and enjoyable. I think I will use it with my future EFL students, because WebQuest promotes high-level thinking and problem-solving skills and that’s will help the students to explore issues, make them autonomous learners, and collaborate with each others.