The Future of Education

It’s common knowledge that nowadays students are greatly interested in everything connected with modern technologies in general and computer and internet in particular.  So, naturally, wisely integrating the internet into course curriculum can contribute to the increase of student motivation. This can be particularly effective for language learning as students will be dealing with authentic language materials and real life situations. However, taking into account the fact that there is a questionable educational benefit in having learners surf the net without a clear task in mind and realizing that not everything that can be found in the World Wide Web can be considered a reliable source of information, it is important for the teacher to clearly set the task, correctly filter the information and lead the students into correct direction. Therefore, one of the best models of the internet integration into course curriculum can be the model of WebQuests first developed by Bernie Dodge, professor of Education at San-Diego University, USA (Dodge 1997).  The model can be particularly effective when teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP), as quests can be tailored according to the area of students’ specialization, which will allow students to combine their special interests with language learning. WebQuests employ constructive approach to learning and can

·         organize active inquiry- oriented activity both individually and in groups.

·         develop creative thinking and problem solving skills

·         encourage critical thinking skills including comparing, classifying, deducing etc.

Web quests can cover only a single academic discipline, or comprise several interdisciplinary areas. Thus, for instance, during a language learning course, some issues related to their major may be explored by the students in the form of web quests.

In this paper I’d like to illustrate the effectiveness of interdisciplinary WebQuests directed at developing reading, listening, writing and speaking skills of ESP students at YSU. The model can be easily adapted to any particular discipline and can serve as an inspirational aid for the language teachers and motivational tool for the students.