Internet Based Projects and Webquest

Over the last years, there have been advancements in technology, most of which have affected and changed the field of education. As Ledesma (2017) explains, "the digital tools that have become more interesting and popular are those that are available in the Internet and the World Wide Web" (p.1). This is why in this section of, I would like to explore two concepts that entail the use of websites: Internet based projects and Webquests. 

Internet Based Projects

Internet based projects are the ones that involve the use of internet over a series of lessons. (Dudeney and Hockly, 2007). According to the same authors, there are numerous benefits for the use of this type of project, for instance, they offer a structured way for teachers to incorporate the internet into the classroom, and, these projects usually involve group tasks, which may encourage interaction, collaboration and cooperative learning. Another benefit is that these projects can be interdisciplinary, offering a more "real-word" look. Last but not least, these projects should, ideally, foster critical thinking skills by means of providing the students with information they need to transform to achieve the given task.

Webquest

According to Dodge (as cited in Dudeney & Hockly, 2007) a webquest is "an inquiry oriented activity in which some or all the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet"(p.54).
There are two types of webquest; short term and long term. The first one takes place in a couple of classes, and students generally tackle significant amount of new information and make sense of it. The second type, long term webquests, might last a few weeks or even a term, and the difference with the short term version is that here students have to transform the information they acquire, turning it into a new product. 

Most webquest follow this structure:

1) Introduction: At this stage, the teacher should set the scene of the project and the overall theme of the webquest by introducing background information, examples or key concepts (Abdallah, 2021).

2) Task: Here the teacher indicates what students will need to do after they complete the quest. The task should be motivating, interesting, and anchored in a real-life situation. The final product may not necessarily be done with technology; it could be a presentation, a debate, a poster, among others.

3) Process: Here is where the webquest develops. That is to say, the teacher needs to give step-by-step instructions, as well as the corresponding links to websites they need to explore. (Ledesma, 2017).

4) Evaluation: In this part of the webquest, feedback or questions for self-evaluation can be included. This is why, "it is necessary to set a clear assessment criteria that reflects the purpose of the Webquest" (Ledesma, 2017, p.7).

5) Conclusion: The creator of the webquest writes here a closure for the project, usually accompanied by visuals or a reflection.

By clicking here, you can access my example of webquest, which was designed for teenage students (14/15 years old) with a B1+ level. It could be carried out in three lessons of sixty minutes.