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



Dr. Bernie Dodge, says 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...". Webquests have been used in one form or another since the Web began to become popular and to be used in instruction with the arrival of the Mosaic browser in 1993. According to what I have read about it, I discovered that it 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.

          WebQuest activates the critical thinking of language learners. The way the task is presented in WebQuest and how it is divided into different parts to make students learn how to connect their ideas to find a certain requirement show this clearly. Also, the questions that students have to answer in order to complete the task requires them usually to do certain missions that requires higher level of thinking like information transformation, comparison and brainstorming. Answers of these questions don’t only rely on collecting information but also how to play with it in a way that suits the task’s requirement.

          Using WebQuest as a teaching tool in with language learners will make the students the main focus of the learning process and make their learning needs the first priority. Though, it is considered as a student-oriented activity in which the tasks are designed to suit their needs.

          The knowledge required in WebQuest activities is based on enquiry-oriented language use. Producing autonomous learners can be achieved by using WebQuest where involvement of students in achieving the required task and giving them the whole responsibility of their learning are main characteristics that can be noticed.

          Due to the complexity of WebQuest tasks, group work is required where each member can have a role and mission to do. Thus, it encourages the cooperative and collaborative learning in which learner learns that his/her knowledge has to be shared with others in order to achieve.

          Project-based learning (PBL) is a teaching method which provides students with complex tasks based on challenging questions or problems that involve the students' problem solving, decision making and investigative skills. As has already been mentioned, WebQuest tends to be a student-oriented teaching tool, supports inquiry-oriented learning and requires group work which all considered as the basis of project-based learning (PBL).

          All and all, WebQuest is a great tool to be used in TEFL/TESL field. It has many wonderful characteristics that make teaching language more interesting which consequently motivates students to learn and explore more.

Wordle for Edu401

My first experience in using Wordle was great.

How would I use blogs, wikis and delicious with my EFL students?

     Integrating new technologies in TEFL would be a very great helpful tool in order to make students more interested and encouraged to learn English. Some of these technologies are:

1-    Blogs:

     Using blogs would be so beneficial in teaching Reading and writing skills in TEFL setting.

Reading:

1-    I can ask my students to post texts related to what we are taking in the syllabus and each student should read two of her friends’ posts and write their opinion about it. In this activity, students will be excited to read what their friends have posted and giving their opinion will ensure that they read it carefully and understand it.

2-    I may post a certain reading material in my blog and ask my students to scan the article or text in order to find, for example, five new words for them. Then, they have to give their meaning, give examples about it and post that in their blog accompanied with pictures. This exercise will improve their scanning skill and expand their vocabulary in the same time.

Writing:

1-    Students may be asked to post a picture about a specific topic and write a description, opinion or a story about it. The same can be applied on a video and this will integrate listening skill too.

2-    Students can use blog for any topic we cover in the class that they have to write about it. Comments are required from classmates.

3-    When students write their comments on their friends post is also considered as a practice of writing because it will show how they express their opinion in organized way with a correct spelling and grammatical structure.

2-    Wikis:

     Generally, Wiki could be a very useful tool in collaborative learning which takes place outside the classroom. The class could have a Wiki page, for example in Wikispace, and start sharing the class activities and having class discussions on it. This page can be a reference for the syllabus content, study guidelines, extracurricular materials, assignments and class tasks.

     In EFL setting, there are many things we can achieve in teaching using Wiki like:

1-    Class can be divided into groups from the beginning of the course and each group will have its own Wiki page. There, the group members can share helpful materials about English skills related to the syllabus, exchanging ideas and opinions and solve their assignments collaboratively. Then, in the end of the semester each Wiki page will be assessed.

2-    We can create a Wiki page for each English skill, and post there related materials and have discussions. After certain period of time, students will be asked to write a report about what they have learned by going through these pages.

3-    Delicious:

1-    Delicious can be a helpful tool in letting students make their own dictionary of new vocabulary they are learning. That can be by putting links related to the topics we are discussing in the syllabus and they will tag it by the new learnt vocabulary. So, in the end of the course, tags will consist of all the new vocabulary they have learnt and they can refer to it any time.

2-    Each a certain period of time, a group of students will be asked to share videos or articles links related to covered topic on Delicious and the rest of the class have to go over it. Then, a class discussion will take place about posted links. This activity will improve student’s reading, listening and peaking skills in a very interesting way.

3-    Delicious also can be a reference for any link students feel that it is useful in learning English generally or specifically.

     These are some of the ideas in the usage of these tools in teaching English. Of course, over days and with being more professional in using them, we will discover more interesting and exciting ideas.



Reflection on the three weeks‎

     For the past weeks, I learned in the course Edu401 (Educational Technology) many new interesting things. I learned that technology doesn’t refer only to computer and projector which is the typical understanding for this word, but it surprisingly refers to any tool used to perform certain function in daily life in different areas. Starting with introducing us to the Web world and how it can be beneficial in the field of education was the real entrance for me in educational technology world. I learned how to create a class group like we did in Yahoo group and how it effects class communication and activities. I also created my first academic blog which was very exciting. More interestingly, I learned about using new things like Wikispace and Delicious, and how we can integrate them in teaching. In addition, during the past weeks we read two articles related to technology field which are Normalization, and Digital Natives and digital immigrants. These two articles introduced me to new interesting concepts which I think will encourage me more to explore the technology world.

     Finally, I should say I was worried about how I would achieve in this course but over days I am feeling that I can achieve well Insha’Allah. Still, there are many new things to learn and I can’t wait to know what it will be.



‎"Application of Bax Normilasation in Saudi Arabia: The how!"‎

Stephan Bax argues that, "Our aim should be to attain a state of `normalisation' in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated"

Summery:

     Briefly, this article discussed the issue of CALL how it was, how it is now and how it will be. Firstly, the article discussed the three phases of CALL that were identified by Warschauer and Healey which are: behaviouristic, communicative and integrative. Then, it argued about these phases’ historical clarity, communicative phase’s validity and integrative phase’s rationale to be called like that. Thus, Stephen Bax suggested in this paper an alternative analysis of CALL, giving a new three concepts that he considered as more reliable and valid which are: restricted CALL, open CALL and integrative CALL. Finally, Bax talked about (Normalisation) which refers to the stage when the technology becomes invisible, embedded in every day practice. He presented its stages in CALL and suggested some steps in order to make CALL reach normalisation stage in teaching field.

1.

Basically, Bax has proposed three steps to achieve normalisation in CALL. First of all, clarifying the main goal wanted from normalising CALL, setting key stages in order to achieve this goal and adjust involved details in a way that makes what we are doing suitable for our purposes and context.

2.

Accordingly, one question must be asked: How we can achieve normalisation stage in CALL in the context of Saudi Arabia? Well, in order to do that we should consider what Bax has suggested and apply it to our Saudi context. First, we have to put a clear organised plan that clarifies certain stages that education must go through to reach our goal which is normalisation of CALL. After these stages are set, application turn will come and day by day we can reach the final stage. As we see now, Saudi education is going through many changes and technology is embedded more in daily practice. Starting from the blackboard and chalks and reaching the use of computers and smart boards. So, if integration of these new technologies is studied in organised way with avoiding of random application, that will helps a lot in accomplishing our goal with less effort and time. Second, we have to consider many things and small details that might be unnoticed but have a great deal in making this change happens, for example, acceptance of the use of new technologies among learners and teachers, cultural appropriateness and constant observation of stages progression. Finally, every step is wanted to be made toward being more civilised, leaving developing world to be as a developed world requires much effort, time and carful study. We can achieve normalisation as long as we work hard and seriously to do it.

Our Goal is :

to move from traditional class

to more developed one

Here is Maryam again

Hi my lovely classmates. Welcome to my blog page. I hope we can enjoy this course together and learn more about it. I'm waiting for your comments and opinions for all what I'm going to post here.

^_^

Maryam Bantan