The first virtual and augmented reality smart-classroom in Melbourne’s west opened on Friday, October 27, at St Francis Catholic College’s Melton Campus.
The college is the first Catholic school in Victoria to install a Lumination Learning Lab where students will use virtual reality headsets instead of textbooks.
Projectors, safety rings, blackout blinds, viewing space and high-powered computers are part of the learning stations, providing students with the opportunity for immersive learning.
A team of staff have been trained to use the technology, which provides experiences directly linked to the Victorian curriculum.
Teachers can access resources, lesson plans and more to help them begin immersive learning inside the lab.
St Francis Catholic College principal Marlene Jorgensen said the school was passionate about providing equity and access to emerging technology and experiences for all students.
“Walking through an Egyptian tomb, exploring Rome, navigating outer space, delving inside a human cell and dissecting a virtual frog are just some of the experiences students will now have access to in their Lumination Learning Lab,” she said.
“We know this generation of students embraces and uses technology in every aspect of their lives. Books and whiteboards are still necessary, but this new smart classroom will challenge students to explore all possibilities and provide experiences that may otherwise be out of reach.”
Archie (grade eight) was one of the first students to try out a Lumination Lab and he is looking forward to many more opportunities to learn using virtual reality technology.
“My experience with the Lumination Lab was engaging and the control was easy to operate. Having full control of my environment helped immerse me in the topic, which was a virtual dissection of a frog,“ he said.
