Web sites Links

Listed below are various websites which can give you much background information on design & technology.
 

CQU unit planner  http://www.unitplan.cqu.edu.au/unitform.php

Creating A Web Site For Your Students

Like any effective teaching plan requiring time and resourcefulness, it is no different when you create a web site for your students to access. However, if you have an extensive, well organized plan, the computing part is easy and getting easier everyday.

Internet Tools That Support On-line Project-Based Learning

In this tutorial, we'll discuss software applications that are leading the way towards a digital teaching and learning revolution.

New Forms of Communication That Will Transform Teaching and Learning

It seems as if every educational administrator is pushing teachers to use technology in their teaching. In fact, most K-12 and Higher Education Institutions that boast about their technology program only provide students, at best, with minimal technology skills.

PowerPoint In the Classroom

PowerPoint is a wonderful tool for learning in both a student and teacher-directed situation. It can add a new dimension to learning allowing teachers to explain abstract concepts, while accommodating all learning styles. Used properly, PowerPoint can be one of the most powerful tools for disseminating information ever known. Employed inappropriately, PowerPoint could potentially confuse students and make learning a difficult process.

Technology Integration Model For Teachers

The Nichols Technology Instruction Model attempts both to define the "computer literate" teacher and to demonstrate the two major philosophies underlying the use of technology in schools. One I have identified as "Teaching Technology." This is usually done by a computer specialist who teaches it as a subject called "Computers".

Using the Internet to Stimulated Higher Order Thinking: Enter the Web Quest

More recently, schools have discovered the Internet as a source which obviously breaks away from traditionalism. The question remains: Does digital/electronic access to information make a difference in fostering higher order thinking?

Using a Web site with Your Classes

So where do we begin? Before using any web site with students, you should make sure to thoroughly review it. In this tutorial, we will offer five essential considerations for you ponder before you use a web site with your students.

 

Using Computer Databases In The Classroom

This tutorial will discuss the use of databases in the classroom. We'll give you a few examples of how to use them and also talk about top database applications like Microsoft Access.

 

Visuals, Videos, and Multimedia - Why Use Them in Teaching?

The following overheads have been presented to many teachers and teacher candidates to sensitize them to the need for effective use of visual media. These serve as an overview of how visual media may be infused into the teacher's curriculum. Most often teachers use these without knowing why or how to do so. This brief tutorial provides a philosophy and structure for doing so.


Technology Education Federation of Australia

Visit this address to find examples of antique toys with wheels that you could use to support the work of Small Task 1 of "How fast should your buggy be?":
http://www.antiquetoy.com/donveta/
Visit this website and look at Unit IB 'Investigating materials' to see how you could use the textile tree to meet many of the art & design learning outcomes.
http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/schemes/art/
A scrapbook of illustrated examples of things that are hard to use because they are not well designed – a fascinating collection!
http://www.baddesigns.com/index.shtml

I always love the paper aeroplane stuff - design make and  appraise can be really creative.

http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/

There are more uses for rubber bands than simply making the drive belt for "How fast should your buggy be?". Look at this site to find out a wide range of uses for speciality designed rubber bands. Can you see where you could use some of the bands on this site in this unit?
This site has now taken over from the BBC Education site. Many interesting articles to peruse.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning
Visit this address and click on artists to find examples of automata produced by different artists Useful for "How will your beast open its mouth?"
To see a wonderful example of a crank in action click on Virtual Exhibition, Find the work of Carlo Zapata, click on the catalogue and then look at the Father and baby toy in full motion.
You can see a growing set of examples of moving mechanisms at this address; just click on education and then on the Geneva Wheel and the Crank.
http://www.cabaret.co.uk/start.htm
Visit this web site to find out about games of chance. (Useful for the "How do you like your toast?" and "Does this game stop you from being bored?" units.)
http://33rdwisconsin.civilwarmuseum.com/33articles/games.html
Visit this website to find a selection of nursery rhymes each with a picture and a read aloud facility:
http://www.childrenstory.com
Look at this site to find interesting examples of multiple window use:
http://www.chronogramcards.com/index.htm
Your class can find out about the real monsters cartoon show at this website. Useful for "How scary should a calendar be?"
http://www.cooltoons.com/shows/realmonsters
DATA is the national professional organisation for design & technology teachers.
http://www.data.org.uk/
You can read all the primary schemes of work on the standards site.
http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/schemes
Go here if you have lost your copy of the current National Curriculum Orders for Design & Technology.
http://www.nc.uk.net/servlets/Subjects?Subject=DT
Your class can view previews and trailers of the next Disney movie about monsters – Monsters Inc. at this website. Useful for "How scary should a calendar be?"
http://disney.go.com/DisneyPictures/monstersinc/
Visit this site to find out lots more about batteries. The FAQ section will make fascinating reading for able children.
http://www.duracell.com
Visit the Flashlight Museum – a site has fascinating examples of flashlights from the late 1800's and the first part of the 20th Century. Exploring this site would be an excellent extension activity for some children.
http://www.geocities.com/~stuarts1031/flashlight.html
Visit this website to find hundreds of examples of fridge magnets. You can browse by subject and order.
http://www.fridgedoor.com/
Visit this address to see examples of fridge magnets that come in two layers. These might help some children understand layers.
http://www.fridgedoor.com/davvendol.html
Fruit and veg for me! is an Australian site which is an excellent resource for food technology work.
http://www.fandvforme.com.au/homepage.htm
Visit this address to find over 20 other automata sites:
http://www.craftgallery.co.uk/links/pages/Automata/
Visit this web site to play the ancient Mayan game of chance Bul,

(Useful for the "How do you like your toast?" and "Does this game stop you from being bored?" units.)
http://www.halfmoon.org/bul.html
You can look at this website to find out about a company that produces pop-up books and advertising material. There is an email contact should you or your class wish to find out more.
http://www.hawcockbooks.co.uk/index.shtml
Visit this web site to find out about bread manufacture
 
http://www.hovis.co.uk/hovis/f_educate.htm
How stuff works is a huge and fascinating resource: look inside a combination lock, see animated gears and much, much more.

To find out how a three-way switch works add "/three-way.htm" to this address:
http://www.howstuffworks.com
This is a site where you can search by inventor or by invention – find out how the Etch-a-sketch works or the history of a zip.
http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/archive.html
 
 
Learn2 is described as an "ability utility". Here you can learn to knit, make paper aeroplanes and much more. There are tutorials and "learnlets" on a vast range of subjects.
http://www.learn2.com
Visit this site to find out about the possibilities of using Lego for designing and making buggies for "How fast should your buggy be?". The starter kits look particularly useful.
http://www.lego.com/legofinder/technic.asp
Info about garments made from Lycra at this site. Useful for textiles units.
http://www.lycra.com/
This is a commercial site with many animated clips with engaging and amusing commentary. There is also a lot of useful information about these choclate sweets and how they are produced, packaged and sold.
http://www.m-ms.com/
Visit this web site to find out the history of Marmite, (Useful for "How do you like your toast?" unit)
http://www.accomodata.co.uk/marmite.htm
Visit this site to find out about the wide range of pastry products produced by Mr Kipling.
http://www.mrkipling.co.uk
Visit this site to find out how Mr Kipling has developed individual packaging for his fruit pies.
 
http://www.mrkipling.co.uk/revolution/
 
Visit this website to view a poster on tropical fruit that you can buy on line if you wish.
http://www.gmushrooms.com/Posters/ExTropFruit.htm
Visit this website to find over 500 nursery rhymes which has a subject index, and alphabet index and a search engine:
http://www.collingsm.freeserve.co.uk
Visit this web site to find out the history of peanut butter. (Useful for the "How do you like your toast?" unit)

 
http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com
The Pencil Pages are full of background information about this very cheap and useful everyday product.
http://www.pencilpages.com
Visit this web site to find out about Newton's Law of Cooling. Click on Physics Dictionary and away you go. It's a great site for looking up all sorts of things.

(Useful for "How do you like your toast?" and "How do you take your tea?")
http://physics.about.com/mbody.htm
The Film and Bag Federation of The Society of the Plastics Industry in America have a website for teachers which will test your knowledge of recycling issues, and give you some background information about plastic bags. Useful for the Year 5 activity "How could a carrier make the job easier"
http://www.plasticbag.com/index.html
Visit this address to see an alternative approach to producing a layered fridge magnet and click on Flex Image and click on Magnets.

To see how fridge magnets fit into the wide range of plastic goods that this business sells. Click on promotion items.
http://www.preview.com.au/Aboutus/aboutus.htm#anchor1048542
Visit this site to find images showing vehicle bodywork decoration for "How fast should your buggy be?" You can use it to produce a range of examples for your class.
http://racingimages.net/vehicles.html
Visit this website to find out about your local Sainsbury supermarket. There is a store locator that provides maps and you can email to find out about school visit arrangements.
http://www.sainsbury.co.uk
This is a brilliant site if you want to find out about food products. Go to http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/education/tasteofsuccess/Default.htm and click on Secondary. From there visit the Product Case Studies section of the site.
http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/education/tasteofsuccess/Default.htm
Visit this website and look at Unit 1C 'Sorting and using materials' to see how you could use the textile tree to meet many of the science learning outcomes. Warning: this site takes a long while to load because it is in frequent use!
http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/schemes/science
Visit this website for information about a wide range of software suitable for use in many curriculum areas across all key stages.
http://www.granada-learning.com/
Carol Barton is one of several modern artists who are developing pop-up books for adults. You can see examples of her work at this website.
http://www.snowfarm.org/carolbarton/
Visit this web site to find out about the history of the textiles industry in Britain. Useful for "What can you learn from a textile tree?"
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Textiles.htm
Stanley Tools – their website to see the full range of their products
http://www.stanleyworks.com/index.htm
If wire and wood are all getting too much, visit this site to find a book about paper automata:
http://www.tarquin-books.demon.co.uk
Technology Insight enhances technology education by "visits" to industry and see how products are designed and made:
• obtain an overview of the process of product development and manufacture and the individual and team contributions;
• "meet" the people involved and learn from them about the knoweldge and skills they have used in the process;
• be able to carry out follow-up activities in school that emulate those used in industry to develop further their knowledge and skills;
• be directed to other relevant websites;
• be able to ask questions by email.
http://www.technology.org.uk
Information about the new fibre Tencil from this website. Useful for textiles units.
http://www.Tencel.com/
 
Visit this website to find out about your local Tesco supermarket. There is a store locator that provides maps and you can email to find out about school visit arrangements.
http://www.tesco.com
Visit this web site to explore the world of textiles. Usefor for "What can you learn from a textile tree?"
http://www.textilesonline.org.uk/world.htm
The British Nutrition Foundation is a charity that provides independent scientific information on the relationship between food, nutrition and health. Their website is bright and colourful with a large education section including nursery and primary phases.
http://www.nutrition.org.uk/
The Design Council website has information about educational initiatives.
http://www.design-council.org.uk/
You and your class can find out about a long established jam manufacturer by visiting this site. Useful for What shape will your pastry be?
 
http://www.tiptree.com
Visit this web site to find out about the way toasters work by going to FAQs and clicking on How does my toaster work?

You can also see toasters from 1900 to 2000 by clicking on the Cyber-Toaster Museum.
 
http://www.toaster.org
This is the website linked to the TV programme. Go to their website and type "technology" into the search box. This will bring up a selection of useful stories.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tw
There is a brief but fascinating history of toys at this site; useful for "How fast should your buggy be?"
http://www.moah.org/exhibits/archives/toys.html
To see how computer technology is being used with traditional pop-up books, look at Archive section of this site and read the article 'Pop-up books meld real with virtual'
http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/
Visit this website to find a wide range of recipes using tropical fruit:
http://www.tropicalfruitworld.com.au/store/welcome.cfm
Visit this site and click on the TTS shopping site. Use the search engine to find the different sorts of card you could buy for example.
http://www.tts-shopping.com/
To find out more about the many different uses of Tyvek look at this web site. Useful for "What can you learn from a textile tree?"
http://www.tyvek.com/
This website provides some interesting examples of pop-up books produced for children.
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/rbx/popup.html
This site gives literally hundred of images of different sorts of vehicles.
You can use it to produce an image board for your class for "How fast should your buggy be?
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Vehicles/VEHICLESMASTER.html
This website provides some interesting examples very contemporary pop-up books. You can share the images with your class.
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/popup/contemp.html
The design & technology hub on the Virtual Teachers' Centre has useful links to curriculum resources and OFSTED reviews of design & technology teaching. Go to the web site and select Design and Technology.
http://vtc.ngfl.gov.uk
If you or members of your class become interested in animation then this website provides guidance on drawing cartoon characters.
http://www.warnerbros.com/kids/learntodraw/index.html
On this website you can find the reasons lots of people give for liking their favourite fruit as much as they do. You can use this to help children in your class see written descriptions of varying quality! You could get your class to email the site with their reasons for liking a fruit.
 
http://www.otan.dni.us/webfarm/emailproject/fruit.htm
To find out about different types of weaving looms, look at this website. Useful for "What can you learn from a textile tree?"
http://yarnatwebsters.com/weaving.html
Visit this web site to find out about the manufacture of margarine – just type "margarine" into the search engine and press return.

Useful for "How do you like your toast?"
http://www.rudimentsofwisdom.com/

Technology Education in Education Systems
around the World
Board of Studies NSW Index page
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/
South Australian Technology Curriculum Web Site
http://www.nexus.edu.au/TeachStud/technology/index.html
New Zealand
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Curriculum/technology/techcont.htm
Scotland
http://www.sccc.ac.uk/
The national curriculum of England and Wales
http://www.dfee.gov.uk/nc/index.html
An index of developments in educational standards in technology (mostly US states)
http://putwest.boces.org/StSu/Technology.html
Technology for All Americans
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/TAA/TAA.html
British Columbia
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/


Professional Associations

World Council of Associations of Technology Education (WOCATE)
http://www.thueringen.de/wocate/ind_br.htm
The Technology Education Federation of Australia (TEFA)
http://www.ash.org.au/teachers/tefa/
The International Technology Education Association (ITEA)
http://www.tmn.com/Organizations/Iris/ITEA.html


Journals, Magazines and Television Programs

Popular Mechanics
http://popularmechanics.com/
Discover Magazine
http://popularmechanics.com/
Journal of Technology Studies
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTS/
Journal of Industrial Teacher Education
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/jite.html
Journal of Technology Education
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/jite.html

 
Journal of Vocational and Technical Education
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVTE/index.html
Journal of Japanese Society of Technology Education
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JJSTE/index.html
The Technology Review
http://www.techreview.com/


Museums, Government Bodies, Universities, etc.

The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
http://www.phm.gov.au/
College of Human Ecology, Cornell University
http://www.human.cornell.edu/
French National Museum of Arts and Crafts
http://www.cnam.fr/museum/
Office of Technology Assessment (US Congress)
http://www.ota.nap.edu/
Loughborough University (UK) Department of Design and Technology
http://info.lut.ac.uk/departments/cd/
Media-Lab at MIT
http://www.media.mit.edu/
DesignSpace at Stanford
http://gummo.stanford.edu/html/DesignSpace/home.html
The Queensland Department of Primary Industries
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/


Resources

EdNA - Education Network Australia
http://www.edna.edu.au/EdNA/
Curriculum Corporation
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/tech/index.htm

This website has been developed to extend the book
Linking the Learning Areas - Technology Education
The Technology Education Index
http://www.technologyindex.com/
The Technology Education New Zealand website
http://www.sunsite.net.nz/orgs/tenz/
The Media Literacy Project of the University of Oregon
http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/HomePage
Not Just Cows: A Guide to Internet Resources in Agriculture
http://www.snymor.edu/~drewwe/njc/
History of Computing
http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/index.html
Your house
http://www.raia.com.au/html/your_house.htm
A teacher resource kit developed by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects to help with Built Environment Education.
Welcome to Plasform
http://www.ansonic.com.au/plasform/
A curriculum program which introduces a range of new materials and processes to teachers of design, technology, and industrial arts at upper primary to Year twelve level. It enables students to experience something of the scope and diversity of modern plastics.
How Stuff Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com/

Learn about how things work in the world around you
.

 

A Home among the Gum Trees: The story of Australian houses
 
Winner of the Children's Book Council 1998 award for information book. This book is about interesting homes and houses that are particularly Australian in design, construction or setting. Building styles start with simple, environmentally available m ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
A K Peters
 
An independent US publisher dedicated to publishing high-quality science and technology books. Suppliers of robotics titles such as RugWarrior Pro - an expandable, programmable, mobile robot kit. The following titles are of particular interes ...
Date Submitted: Sunday, 30 May 1999
An Electric Generation: Teacher's Resource for Primary S&T
 
This kit aims at helping the community to better understand electricity and the benefits of its safe and wise use. Ten tasks are set for students, with each task clearly defined, and task outcomes and assessment stated, eg. design and present a promo ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
Ask Jeeves for Kids
 
A natural language Internet search engine for children, Jeeves even checks spelling! Typing in "how does a raydeo work?" will prompt a spelling check with a list of alternative words like radio, roadie, and rodeo listed. The corre ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
Australian Libraries Gateway
 
The Australian Libraries Gateway (ALG) provides information about Australian libraries, their collections and services - a tool for other users as well as library professionals.

ALG is useful for primary techology learning areas because it:
* ...

Date Submitted: Monday, 24 May 1999

Bright Ideas: Design and Technology
 
Although this book has been written to support teachers introducing the National Curriculum in the UK, it provides a useful starting point for any teacher seeking ideas for teaching Technology to primary students. The tasks are linked to themes which ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
Built Environment Education (BEE)
 
This program delivers information and curriculum resource materials on the built environment. It also provides teacher workshops, special projects such as Architects in Schools and the Your House kit - ways to focus teaching o ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 24 April 2000
Canned Food Information Service
 
CFIS supports the Australian canned food industry and its suppliers of tin plate and steel cans. It provides practical, up-to-date information to consumers of canned food, from mealmakers to professional cooks, educators, students and health professi ...
Date Submitted: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
Carrots, Kites and Traffic Lights: Upper primary technology
 
Gardening, kite construction and urban design are among 5 units that highlight the relevance of technology in our daily lives and demonstrate the effective implementation of technology programs. The book presents a variety of ideas and clas ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
Cartooning & Creative Thinking
 
Explores the use of humour as a strategy to develop creative thinking skills. Cartooning is represented in the form of one-off gags. This style essentially combines drawing and humour generation and is a foundation for exploration of animation throug ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
Centre for Alternative Technology
 
CAT is an educational charity concerned with the search for globally sustainable and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life. CAT resources present positive and practical solutions to environmental problems, such as "Can I really p ...
Date Submitted: Monday, 3 May 1999
CLICK! Computers and Learning in Classrooms: K-6
A Professional Development Resource for Teachers

 
CLICK! will assist teachers in using technology effectively in the K-6 classroom to enhance learning. It is a CD-ROM developed at the University of Melbourne by over 100