Resource website reviews: ecokids, republicofcode

In this blog post, I will explore and review two websites that I consider suitable for teaching aspects of the Australian technologies curriculum. My first website will focus on:

Design and technology

  • Examine and prioritise competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations in the development of technologies and designed solutions to meet community needs for preferred futures (ACTDEK029) – Year 7 to 8 Australian Curriculum.

www.ecokids.ca is a terrific website brimming with information and activities that move toward educating children on a more environmentally sustainable future. Boasting a wide variety of activities, games and information for children, this website explores different issues regarding sustainability and addresses many ways children can help and contribute. All of the information is packaged into fun, easy to understand subheadings that include: recycling, biodiversity, and climate change, just to name a few. Children are provided with easily digestible information about a number of environmental issues around the world and are encouraged to contribute to a better future.

www.ecokids.ca discusses causes and solutions for an expansive list of issues and even invites comparison and cause between older technologies (including safe disposal) and new (such as renewable energy). Intuitive and educational, this website opens with two entry point options: students and teachers). Making it a useful tool not only for children to explore, but for teachers to apply to appropriate activities within the classroom.

Children can play educational games, get homework assisting information, ask questions, enter contests, and learn the many ways they can take action in moving toward a more sustainable tomorrow. A fantastic website for teachers and students alike that will provide hours of fun and useful information.

Digital technologies.

  • Investigating how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of a product or system (ACTDEK011) – Year 3 to 4 Australian Curriculum.
  • Explore how technologies use forces to create movement in products (ACTDEK002) – Foundation to year 2 Australian Curriculum.

3DS max is a piece of 3d rendering software created by Autodesk. It allows it’s user to create, animate, and render a vast variety of three-dimensional shapes, ranging from basic stationary models (such as a simple sphere), to advanced moving environments (such as those seen on Toy Story/Ice Age etc). Physics and force reaction play an instrumental role in creating movement within this software. Such movement is assisted by plug-ins such as ‘reactor’, a physics-based plugin that helps determine material characteristics and force application. Reactor allows the user to dictate surface, density, and even gravity – giving the rendered products a lifelike response.

www.republicofcode.com is a website brimming with a range of information and tutorials offering (amongst other things) step-by-step instruction on how to apply 3DS max and reactor in order to play around with and learn the relationship of forces and how they affect a host a materials. Although seemingly advanced, www.republicofcode.com simplifies the process and could be used as an effective teachers assistant in getting students started with this intriguing piece of technology that harbours both creative and practical application (Autodesk also provide rendering software for a variety of pre conceptual object rendering). Furthermore, younger students not ready for such in-depth use could still be considered. A teacher could apply the knowledge from this website to render a variety of different reaction scenarios on a smart board, having the children play an active role in which variables to change before each render such as making the rolling ball heavier/lighter/rougher/wetter etc.

Such a website possesses valued learning tools for students of all ages. This involves: following instruction, critical and creative thinking, and expression, and opens the door to an aspect of technology with assured future application.