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On any given day, students at St Patrick's College can travel to ancient Rome or explore the intricate structures of a cell with the press of a button.
Known as the fourth wave of technological innovation, the school is one of the first in Australia to use the Lenovo Daydream immersive virtual reality headsets, and while once considered the sole realm of computer boffins, St Patrick's Digital Technologies Learning Leader Matthew McGee says virtual reality now sits comfortably alongside traditional learning.
"We are using virtual reality in all classes including English, science, geography and history where students can go on virtual field trips."
"It gives students a better sense of place and scales up the learning environment.
"Virtual reality also helps create an emotional connection with the information and gives it a context."
Year 10 English teacher Kate Rockliffe can testify to the learning benefits of VR, using the technology to help students engage empathetically with a Holocaust memoir in order to understand themes of humanity and inhumanity.
"After the initial 'wow' reaction, students quietly engaged with the VR, and upon reflection, were able to identify ways that this opened their eyes to the experiences of the victims of the Holocaust making those experiences within the memoir more engaging for students,” she said.
Virtual reality also helps create an emotional connection with the information and gives it a context.
- Matthew McGee
Mr McGee said the new technology was just part of the college's commitment to preparing students for a digital way of life.
"It's all about future-proofing our children for our changing society."
Embracing the STEM and STEAM revolutions, digital technologies are compulsory core subjects from Year 7 and embedded in all areas of learning.
Starting with robotics, 3D printing and coding, by the time students reach Year 12 they are able to include information technology and computer science in their course list.
"The school has spent a lot of time and money in the past two years building up resources in these areas."
Also on the timetable is drone education.
The college has mini drones which students not only learn to fly but also how to program with a view to real-world applications, and this practical element is a real imperative for the school.
"We look at how these technologies are being used in industry, in the workplace, in agriculture.
"In all areas we're exploring problems and solutions."
This new way of learning has also extended to the staff who undergo regular training and upskilling in order to take advantage of the new technologies available for information delivery.
"Education has changed a lot and there are more options now in how work is delivered," Mr McGee said.
"All students have a one-to-one device, either an iPad or a laptop, which opens up so many avenues for teaching and learning."
The college has plans to extend this technological environment further with the construction of dedicated VR and robotic rooms.
"We want to give our students the best possible future for employment and who knows what those jobs will be?"