It can become frustrating to use SketchUp if users still are unsure of how to complete basic tasks. They can find ways to make this process enjoyable - but this is where setting students up with the basics becomes crucial. Because of this flexibility, students can build what interests them. The clear layout makes it easy for students to use, and it gives them power over what they create. It's engaging and will likely intrigue students. Overall, SketchUp is a great tool for facilitating student learning. The more robust version, SketchUp Pro, is free to teachers but will cost students. The basic version, SketchUp Make, is free.

Plus, designs can be shared and browsed in the 3D Warehouse.

SketchUp has a strong community - including a lot of educators - on whom to rely. And if questions arise, it's simple to find an answer. When building a model, users can type in the dimensions desired for the structure. SketchUp is structured to be user-friendly - there are shortcuts for changing tools, lines and points will snap into place when hitting a midpoint or another important position, and lines and dots change colors to align with other, previously drawn shapes. Users begin with a simple template but can build whatever they like from it. It's a great platform for demonstrating learning, designing solutions, and illustrating concepts. Once you're comfortable with the basics, get creative SketchUp can be used in just about any classroom, and there's no limit to what can be built - from small to large scale and from basic to intricate. While it's user-friendly as far as digital design tools go, students and teachers will need to watch the introductory videos to get a handle on how things work. SketchUp is a 3-D design tool that can be connected to any content area and is a nice mix of simplicity and complexity.

Sketch up schools