Using webQuests to teach English literature in Maltese secondary schools

Abstract

The use of ICT in education and specifically in the teaching of English Literature has become very widespread. This study investigated the teaching of English Literature in a Maltese classroom through WebQuests. In the first part of the study, the attitudes of English teachers towards the use of ICT in the literature classroom were investigated through semi-guided interviews. In the second part of the study, a WebQuest was implemented in the teaching of English Literature in a Maltese secondary classroom. A class of thirty students were introduced to a WebQuest designed specifically for this study and the students' feedback was collected through questionnaires. The results show that the use of WebQuests is a good opportunity for English Literature teachers to integrate ICT in their teaching. They can be a fun activity, provide opportunities for collaborative work and are an effective pedagogical tool for supporting students' learning of English Literature, as well as for increasing student motivation. The study shows also that there are barriers to the use of ICT in the classroom. These include limited access to internet in schools, lack of time constraints imposed by the syllabus and also a lack of teacher training in this area.