Some web-based activities and tools I could use in my classroom are:
- A Google A Day (http://www.agoogleaday.com/) – This site could be used to help students to learn how to search using Google better, by providing them with situations which they may not normally search for. This site could be used a quick 5 min task at the start of each lesson, to get students online and thinking.
- Trimble Sketchup (http://www.sketchup.com/) – Sketchup could be used in Yr 7/8 Tech Mandatory, allowing students to create 3D models of their designs, allowing them to be more creative with their designs that possible with pencil and paper. It also allows students who may not be good paper based designs to better express their ideas and designs.
- InstaGrok (http://www.instagrok.com/) – This site provides students with a visual representation of their search term, helping to highlight other connected terms, which the student can then choose to explore, whilst still being linked back to their original results. This could be used as part of a research gathering activity with students, helping them to better refine their search terms, to gather only relevant information.