History and the Web

The Web offers a rich resource for primary history. Below is an attempt to categorize the materials available on the Web.

• General educational sites which will have some content relevant to Primary History:
   
  • Subscription services (e.g. AngliaCampus) contain materials for pupils and teachers in their "open areas";
     
  • Other general educational sites, (e.g. TeacherXpress, Topmarks, TeacherNet) allow the user to search for subject-specific and age-range specific materials on the Web.
    • Most are directories of approved sites for both pupils and teachers.
       
  • Web encyclopaedias (e.g. Encarta, Britannica Online, Wikipedia - note that the last of these, Wikipedia, is a 'wiki' site that can be edited by anyone; approach with caution.);
     
  • Child-friendly search tools, e.g. Yahooligans, BBCi
     
• History Education sites with content appropriate for Primary History:
   
  • Educational broadcasters - BBC and Channel 4
     
  • BECTa approved (replaces NGfL approved) sites, e.g.
    • The National Archives - Learning Curve
    • British Museum - Compass
    • British Museum - Ancient Egypt
    • Sainsbury's Virtual Museum
    • Virtual Victorians
       
  • School Web sites, e.g. Snaith Primary and Nettlesworth Primary
     
  • Links pages, e.g. History Links for Teachers, School of Education History Web Resources,  and National Curriculum History Website Guide (Spartacus)
     
  • Teachers' Resources, e.g. Nuffield Primary History and University of Exeter History Resource

• General History sites:
   
  • Commercial, e.g. The History Channel
     
  • Academic - some academic sites contain materials for general users - Tour of Egypt by the University of Memphis in the USA is a good example;
     
  • Sites by enthusiasts, e.g. Tudor England.
    • Sites by enthusiastic amateurs should always be approached with caution because content may not be entirely accurate.
    • Always check on the provenance of Web sites - in the same way as you would check on the publication date of a book and/or the background of its author.