This content is located in CAPS under Internet Technologies: Communication for Grade 12.

Understanding the typical features of web browsers equips students with the foundational knowledge necessary to navigate and use the internet effectively. This topic introduces practical concepts such as caching, browser add-ons/extensions, adblockers/pop-up blockers, and private browsing. These concepts are central to optimising web browsing experiences while maintaining safety and efficiency.

To make these concepts engaging and relatable for your Grade 12 classroom, here are practical ways to teach each feature:

Bookmarks, History, and Home Page Settings

Begin by explaining how bookmarks save web pages for quick access. Ask students to create bookmarks for their favourite websites or educational resources. Demonstrate how to organise these bookmarks into folders. Pair this with exploring the browser’s history, teaching them how to use it for revisiting previously accessed sites. Lastly, show how to set a home page that meets their daily needs, such as an educational portal.

Classroom Activity:
Challenge students to create a “study dashboard” in their browsers by bookmarking key resources and setting a study-related website (e.g., Khan Academy or DBE online) as their home page.

Caching

Caching temporarily stores data to reduce loading times. Explain this with an analogy: compare caching to saving frequently used items in a bag instead of going back to a storeroom every time. Show students how to clear their cache and explain situations when this is useful, like resolving website errors or freeing up space.

Activity:
Conduct a “cache race” by asking students to open the same web page with caching enabled and then disabled, timing each instance to see the difference in speed.

Add-Ons/Extensions

Browser extensions add extra functionality, like grammar checkers (Grammarly) or note-taking tools. Demonstrate how to search for, install, and manage extensions responsibly. Discuss how extensions enhance productivity but may also introduce risks, such as slowing browsers or collecting unnecessary data.

Classroom Idea:
Let students explore the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons and install one extension that could aid their studies. Afterwards, have them share how the extension benefits their daily tasks.

Adblockers/Pop-up Blockers

Discuss the role of adblockers in improving browsing experiences by blocking intrusive ads. Simultaneously, stress the importance of supporting ethical web practices, such as whitelisting educational websites to ensure their sustainability. Show students how to enable pop-up blockers in their browsers to prevent unwanted disruptions.

Practical Demonstration:
Compare the browsing experience on the same website with and without an adblocker. Highlight how pop-ups can sometimes carry malware to underline the importance of blocking them.

Private Browsing

Private browsing, often called Incognito Mode, prevents the browser from saving your history or cookies. Use relatable scenarios, like searching for surprise birthday gifts, to demonstrate the utility of private browsing. Highlight that it doesn’t make users anonymous to their internet service provider or block all tracking.

Hands-On Exercise:
Ask students to use private browsing mode to search for something, and then close and reopen their browsers to confirm no history was saved.

Broader Discussion: Internet Safety

Tie these features into a broader conversation about online safety. Discuss how tools like adblockers and private browsing can help protect privacy, while emphasising the limitations and risks associated with misuse.

Collaborative Activity:
Organise a class debate: “Is private browsing truly private?” This will encourage critical thinking and application of their knowledge about the internet.

These activities provide a hands-on and contextual understanding of web browser features, making them practical and relevant for students’ everyday use.