A webquest na prática pedagógica do professor de línguas: um estudo de caso

Abstract

Digital technology is now part of everybody’s life, and by bringing it to the school environment is a way to bring the outside world closer to the school, as well as to train individuals to critically deal with new social technological practices. In this context, the present paper investigates to which extent training and learning focused on digital technologies can be a present-day theme experiencedby teachers and students that face the challenge of using digital technologies in their work environment. To understand this scenario, the general objective of this study is tocomprehend how the use of webquest can influence the pedagogical practice of teachers. Thespecific objectives are: (i) to investigate to which extent experiencing the use of webquest can contribute to the process of continuous learning for language teachers; (ii) evaluate how the webquest can assist the teacher in the process of teaching and learning; and (iii) to verify the implications of the use of webquest in the process of teaching and learning from the perspectives of teachers and the students. To support the research, the theoretical framework covers the following subjects: Applied Linguistics, Teacher Training, Teaching-learning Process in Digital Contexts and its Activity Theory. The research uses as theory to guide the study the Theory of Activity and as subject research three language teachers. Therefore at the end of the study, the methodology contemplated the qualitative and interpretative research, going through the application of a short training course on the use technological artifact webquest applied to language teachers, this is then followed by the analysis based on the precept of the case study supported by application of questionnaires semi-structured to teachers and students before and after working with the technological artifact and also supported by the principles and contradictions brought by the Theory of Activity, with the problematic of the changes to artifact used in teaching and learning. The resultsshow that the short training course allowed the teachers to carry out the pedagogical practice through the webquest, which has influenced the continuous training undertaken by those concerned language teachers and has provided opportunities for changes in the teaching and learning process, especially while working with students nurtured in the digital world. The results also draw attention to the Theory of Activity as an enabler to investigate the teaching and learning process, pedagogical practices and continuous education of the teachers which has allowed this paper to respond to the proposed research objectives.