A Webquest for language teaching and learning

1
A Webquest for language teaching and learning

• Eniko Csomay
• pICT Fellow
• San Diego State University
• Linguistics and Oriental Languages
• January 2006

2
Learning Goals and Learning Outcomes

• A learning goal for the class (in line with
  programmatic goals)
• Critically review traditional, multimedia, and
  on-line language teaching materials in the light
  of the second language learning theories
  discussed (Linguistics 550 Syllabus)
• Learning outcomes
• A partial proposal to ask for funding in support
  of the use of internet-based teaching and
  learning materials. The partial proposal will
  include
• a) a critical review of web-based language
  learning materials for ESL/EFL learners (through
  analysis and evaluation of those materials in the
  light of current theories of listening
  comprehension), and
• b) one sample worksheet that incorporates the
  critiqued web-based materials, however,
  incorporates them using current models.

3
Assessment

• 2 measures of assessment
• rubrics to evaluate product (proposal)
• written feedback from students to evaluate
  process (steps in task)

4

• Motivation to choose assessment measures
• rubrics
• to evaluate the academic aspects of the task
  (e.g., critical thinking, materials development),
  i.e., to measure how well the learning goals are
  met through the learning outcome
• anonymous short feedback after completing the
  task
• to evaluate the pedagogical aspects of the task
  (e.g., the Webquest page, steps involved in
  carrying out the task), i.e., to measure how well
  meeting the learning outcomes is facilitated

5

• Conclusions drawn from assessment
• Exceptional student performance on the academic
  measure
• Overall positive response to the task and
  critique on two major aspects of the process
• quantity and quality of the preliminary steps
  involved before writing up the paper
• lack of specifics on the exact content and format
  of the paper

6
Modifications

• The steps involved in evaluating the websites
  will be streamlined by
• spelling out the pedagogical purpose of each step
  and making clear how each connects to the overall
  project OR
• reducing the number of steps OR
• doing some of the preliminary steps during class
  time
• incorporating both text AND graphic organizers or
  pictures into the Webquest pages to aid student
  comprehension of the various parts included in
  the process better.
• Specifics will be provided as to the format of
  the proposal

7
Reflections

• Expectations met
• general positive attitude towards the usefulness
  of the project
• Expectations NOT met
• quality of students academic performance
  superceded my expectations
• (I didnt think it would be so robust)
• critique on the steps involved in carrying out
  the project was unexpected
• (I thought that was the strongest part of the
  project)

8
Research ideas?

• How can I modify the elaborate step-by-step
  process without hurting the extremely favorable
  academic results? (e.g., which step(s) might be
  redundant?)
• How would the same project be perceived if not
  all aspects of it were on line? How would that
  influence the quality of the academic outcome?
• How would learning tasks need to be modified
  (i.e., what aspects/features) so that they are as
  successful when put on line as they are in the
  classroom or on paper?