Task Based Teaching
(The Web Page Task)
The Web Page Task (WPT) is an example of task based teaching. In the WPT there is an overall task which is divided into five sub tasks that all have to be completed for the overall task to work, thus imposing a high degree of responsibility on each of the students.
When the WPT is completed each of the students should have a personal web page account with e-mail. In future projects the students can then use their web pages to tell about themselves and describe their training at the college. All of which can be used for opening a window to the rest of Europe.
How it worked:
Prior to starting the WPT I let the students work with a CD-ROM made for language
learning; "the A to Z of Computers" combined with a textbook
"Computers" from the Usborne Young Scientist. Screen shots
from the program. Adobe Acrobat
Reader (which is free) is needed to read this document.
When I felt that the students all had a basic knowledge on computers (including
vocabulary) I introduced them to the Internet. More specifically I gave them some
addresses with links to "technical colleges" in Ireland and the UK. The students
then had to write a short report on vocational training in Ireland and the UK. The
students handed in their reports on diskettes which made it possible for me to hyperlink
their errors to explanations in html format, i.e. the students could read about their
errors on the Internet.
Finally the students were ready to proceed to the WPT: The students were given the overall task brief: "The Web Page Task has been completed when each student in the class has created a personal web page with headline, graphics, text, links, and a link to the student’s personal e-mail account.".
When I was certain all students understood the main task they were divided into five groups titled:
- Getting an E-mail account, (Documents: E-mail account)
- Getting a web account, (Documents: Getting a web account)
- File transfers with FTP, (Documents: File transfers with FTP)
- HTML programming, an on-line tutorial. (Documents: HTML programming)
- How to get graphics and other web elements for a web page. (Documents: How to get graphics)
Each of the groups then received the sub task with instructions on how to complete the work, a time schedule, and some language exercises. I wrote the administrators from Hotmail.com and Xoom.com for permissions to use texts from their webpages - both places told me I was welcome to use their texts.
The members of each of the groups became consultants for the other groups and during the WPT each group gave demonstrations and instructions on their task and finally helped the other students complete their work. Gradually the jigsaw puzzle came together and the web pages took shape.
What was accomplished:
- The students worked with a real life task learning English as a foreign language while completing personal web pages.
- The students learned about the Internet and computers using a CD-ROM written specifically for that purpose.
- Computer science lessons were integrated in the English as a foreign language lessons
- The students’ motivation increased as they could see the reasons for using the English language
- Finally, the web accounts will in future be useful for working with European relations.
Documents given to students:
Contact for further information:
Kent Andersen
E-mail: ka@ots.dk Web site: www.languages.dk
Odense Tekniske Skole
Risingsvej 60
DK 5000 Odense C
Denmark
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Number of visitors since April 4th 1999: Last edit of this page: 21-12-10