Volume 8, Issue 1 (March 2026)
IEEPJ 2026, 8(1): 0-0 |
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Naderi N. (2026). Investigating the Impact of WebQuest-Based Instruction on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension and Its Relation to Their Critical Thinking. IEEPJ. 8(1),
URL: http://ieepj.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1096-en.html
URL: http://ieepj.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1096-en.html
Department of English Language Teaching, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran , Ngin.ndr76@gmail.com
Abstract: (62 Views)
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of WebQuest‑based instruction on EFL learners’ reading comprehension and to examine the relationship between reading comprehension and critical thinking (CT).
Methods: This study adopted a quantitative quasi‑experimental and correlational design. Following the administration of the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), 60 upper‑intermediate EFL learners from the IELTS Academy Language Institute in Tehran were purposefully selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. The intervention was conducted over five weeks, consisting of ten instructional sessions. Reading comprehension was assessed using standardized IELTS reading tests from the Cambridge (2020) series administered at pre‑test, immediate post‑test, and delayed post‑test stages. The experimental group received instruction through five online WebQuests designed to enhance reading comprehension, while the control group received conventional instruction. Learners’ critical thinking was measured using Ricketts’ (2003) Critical Thinking Scale. Data were analyzed using independent‑samples t‑tests and correlational analysis.
Results: The results showed that learners in the WebQuest‑based instruction group significantly outperformed those in the control group on the immediate post‑test of reading comprehension. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the immediate and delayed post‑test scores, indicating stability in learners’ reading performance over time. In addition, correlational analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant relationship between learners’ post‑test reading comprehension scores and their levels of critical thinking.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that WebQuest‑based instruction is an effective approach for enhancing EFL learners’ reading comprehension and is positively associated with the development of critical thinking skills. Overall, the study highlights the pedagogical value of integrating technology‑enhanced, inquiry‑based materials into EFL reading instruction.
Methods: This study adopted a quantitative quasi‑experimental and correlational design. Following the administration of the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), 60 upper‑intermediate EFL learners from the IELTS Academy Language Institute in Tehran were purposefully selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. The intervention was conducted over five weeks, consisting of ten instructional sessions. Reading comprehension was assessed using standardized IELTS reading tests from the Cambridge (2020) series administered at pre‑test, immediate post‑test, and delayed post‑test stages. The experimental group received instruction through five online WebQuests designed to enhance reading comprehension, while the control group received conventional instruction. Learners’ critical thinking was measured using Ricketts’ (2003) Critical Thinking Scale. Data were analyzed using independent‑samples t‑tests and correlational analysis.
Results: The results showed that learners in the WebQuest‑based instruction group significantly outperformed those in the control group on the immediate post‑test of reading comprehension. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the immediate and delayed post‑test scores, indicating stability in learners’ reading performance over time. In addition, correlational analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant relationship between learners’ post‑test reading comprehension scores and their levels of critical thinking.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that WebQuest‑based instruction is an effective approach for enhancing EFL learners’ reading comprehension and is positively associated with the development of critical thinking skills. Overall, the study highlights the pedagogical value of integrating technology‑enhanced, inquiry‑based materials into EFL reading instruction.
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Educational Psychology
Received: 2025/11/29 | Accepted: 2026/01/6 | Published: 2026/03/1
Received: 2025/11/29 | Accepted: 2026/01/6 | Published: 2026/03/1
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