A review of SketchUp for web, free software for home education.
by Mark Wells
SketchUp was mentioned in passing by a friend who was looking for a solution to 3D print a part for his motorcycle. Not long after that I was lucky to hear a university educator give a presentation about digital technology in the classroom. He discussed virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality where he uses Sketchup as part of the design strategy. It seemed that SketchUp wanted me to know about it.
SketchUp is a 3D modeling computer program for a wide range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, film, and video game design.
Browser-based SketchUp for Primary and Secondary schools signed up with G Suite for Education
It was quick to get a satisfying sense of making an object and playing with the settings to get a variety of textures, colors, and shadows with the inbuilt visual effects.
There are plenty of instructional videos either within the browser app or through the SketchUp website account to access SketchUp campus learning modules.
To get started you just need your HEA edu.au email to sign in, part of the google features with your account allows educational access to the software with your web browser. https://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-for-schools
Follow the ‘get started’ dialog where you can choose student access to automatically launch the application in your browser where you need to choose ‘sign in with google,’ following the google sign in procedure, the application will begin at the home page, ready to create 3d.
Mark Wells is an HEA member, home educating father of 1 amazing daughter and AV technician for events of all kinds.
SketchUp has a wide variety of applications for education - how to make a cell model is just one of many instructional videos available on the SketchUp website: https://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-for-schools