'HOT SPOTS'
A few searches using appropriate search strings will no doubt bring up the same sort of sites that I came across.
The best place for details about the HOT SPOT theory of J Tuzo Wilson is the USGS. This is the source, for example, of the excellent map below:
Click to enlarge.
J 'Tuzo' Wilson was involved with the development of the hot spot theory. He also developed the idea of transform faults at mid-oceanic ridges, and developed this further when he noticed the patterns of volcanoes in the Pacific.
The Hawaii CENTRE FOR VULCANOLOGY has some useful materials on HOT SPOTS (not surprisingly..) - has some good stuff on the aging of the volcanoes.
How can 'hot spot' volcanoes exist in the middle of a plate ?
Wilson noted that at certain locations, there were island arcs which followed a similar pattern in different parts of the Pacific.
Fancy making a model of the sea floor with a shoebox and some sand ? Of course you do. Download a scheme of work with some ideas from this UCLA EDUCATION site.
Some useful POWERPOINT presentations at THIS SITE. Thanks to R D Hall.