My assignment was to create a Webquest using software on the internet for that purpose. Due to the limitations of my internet access recently (dialup!!!) I opened an existing Webquest and used it as a template, modifying it so that the only thing that exists from the original is the last author's name. The original Webquest was a chemistry webquest exploring the periodic table, while mine is a physics webquest exploring scaffolding learning on the states of matter and the fundamental forces of the universe. The point was to update the students' information above the material available in any high school textbook while introducing them to reliable science news available on the internet.



You can view my Webquest at Bill's Webquest.



What did I learn about Webquest?



First, the concept is excellent. I have made lesson plans that incorporate all aspects that you use in a Webquest, but this is the first time I've been exposed to the actual Webquest capabilities, and I am enthusiastic.



Second, there is a lot of Webquests available, but unfortunately they vary greatly in subject quality and detail.



Third, Webquest is incredibly slow, which can be frustrating. Most of my activity on Webquest was done via dialup, and I expected that to be slow, but there really was not a lot of improvement moving to a fast satellite condition. I had to upload some pictures and moved to the FSU site to do so, and it still took several minutes for 44 k in uploading. Each move to a new screen takes several minutes of lag before the actual screen starts loading, and then the loading can take anywhere from 15 seconds to 3 minutes. I hope this is an area that gets some improvement as they move on.



Overall, this is a tremendous resource for teachers, and I will use it a lot.