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Teachers often ask how to use digital materials in their EFL lessons more systematically. Internet-Based Project Work and Webquests provide structured solutions for this challenge. Digital resources have become essential in modern language teaching because they're easy to access, inexpensive or free, and can meet different student needs.
According to Dudeney & Hockly (2007), an Internet Based Project is "a natural progression from using individual web pages and websites in the classroom" (p. 44) and "a structured way for teachers to begin to incorporate the Internet into the language classroom". On the other hand, Bernie Dodge (Dudeney & Hockly, 2007, p. 54) claims that a webquest is “ an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet.
Since these two approaches to integrating web resources into classroom instruction appear similar, several distinct characteristics set them apart:
Offers more flexibility than webquests and encompasses activities from basic tasks such as creating poster displays about celebrities to advanced research assignments where students investigate topics and share argumentative perspectives through reports or discussions (Dudeney & Hockly, 2007, p.45).
Requires teachers to organize just four essential elements: topic, task (what information students must gather), web sources (chosen sites for student exploration), and final product (the project's ultimate goal) (Dudeney & Hockly, 2007).
As it was defined earlier by Dodge, webquest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet. (Dudeney & Hockly, 2007, p. 54).
There are two types of webquest: Short-term webquest whose instructional goal is related to knowledge acquisition and integration. It is designed to be completed in 1-3 class periods. Long-term webquest whose instructional goal is related to extending and refining knowledge. It takes between 1-4 weeks in a classroom setting.
A Webquest has to include six main sections:
Introduction: Sets the stage and provides background information.
Task: The central activity or problem students must solve.
Process: Step-by-step instructions for completing the task.
Resources: A curated list of websites to be used.
Evaluation: A rubric or scoring guide to assess the final product.
Conclusion: Summarizes what was learned and encourages reflection.
Teachers must carefully evaluate materials before incorporating them into lessons, as web 2.0 content presents reliability concerns since "not all the material found online can be considered accurate or reliable" (Ledesma, 2017, p. 2). Despite this limitation, web 2.0 platforms offer significant advantages by enabling students to "interact with each other and create their own material to be posted online" (Ledesma, 2017, p. 1), which promotes critical thinking as learners transform information rather than simply reproducing content from static sources (Dudeney & Hockly, 2007). Internet-Based Project Work and Webquests capitalize on both traditional web 1.0 resources such as "online dictionaries and encyclopaedias and most institutional websites where users can find information but cannot interact with it" (Ledesma, 2017, p. 1) and interactive web 2.0 content. This dual approach supports authentic, communicative language use while fostering meaningful interaction among students.
If you click on the botton below, you will find an example of Webquest. The topic is PLURILIGUALISM: How English words are part of your daily life. It has been designed for 15-year-old EFL students in 3rd year secondary school.
References:
Abdallah, M. (2021). Computer-Assisted Language Learning for 4th Year EFL Student Teachers. Assiut University.
Dudeney, G. & Hockly, N. (2007). How to Teach English with Technology. Pearson.
Ledesma, P. (2017). Basic Uses of Web Resources for Project Work.
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