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

I took long time to understand what is wequest and how can we as learners take benefit from it because it is something new for me and I have never heard before.

 

 According to the creator of Web quest it is defined as : an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet. Web Quests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. I see many advantages of using a web quest in classroom such as, integrating technology into the curriculum, including appropriate links to the subjects, multiple sources of information, students are more autonomous, different and interesting way of learning, etc. Web Quests are also a wonderful way of capturing students' imagination and allowing them to explore in a guided, meaningful manner.

 

The teacher's role is to design a good and attractive Webquest which is appropriate to the students and to their levels. On other hand, most of the work depend on the students. They will be working in groups to accomplish their tasks on the Webquest and divide the work among each other. They have to become experts on a certain topic and share this information with their group. It is a time where they can learn something important, but they get to show off their creativity and their ability to work with others. The questions posed to students require more than just finding and spitting back information. They must take the information they research and transform it into something else. Often students have to evaluate a variety of information sources that contain multiple opinions.

 

As a teacher , I will use the webquest with my student after I make sure that they really understand it , see its value and like it. This because WebQuests contribute to increasing student motivation When students are motivated, they are likely to put in more effort, and their minds are more alert and ready to make connections, and help them to be a collaborative learner. In my opinion the new useful teaching methods will attract the students to the courses, will help them to be interested with their studying. So , if the students will enjoy, learn, and work on webquest, I will use it definitely.