Immersive 3D learning comes to Mount St Benedict College

Satellite imagery from NASA’s Digital Universe Atlas and other scientific resources was streamed into the AARNet Immersive Global Learning Environment (IGLEw) in real time at high resolution utilising the College’s new high-speed broadband network.

Girls from Years 7 through to 12 travelled the surface of the earth, visited ancient Egyptian temples and the International Space

Station, flew by planets and moons (even landed on Mars) and continued out into the Milky Way to the origin of the universe.

'The IGLEw experience takes the students to another learning dimension where they are living a concept rather than just being told or reading about it. They gain knowledge through experience - it makes learning real,'; said Stewart Duncan, Head of ICT.

For teachers, the IGLEw's educational content provided a way of presenting complex concepts in an easy-to-understand visually engaging learning environment.

Jane Easterbrook, Head of Science, said the IGLEw visit was a hit, not only with the girls and teachers, but also with a group of potential students who were introduced to the experience as part of the College's recent Open Day.

'Connecting to our new scalable broadband fibre has opened up a world of teaching and learning opportunities for Mount St Benedict College. Our high speed links with other education establishments and universities across the country provides the girls with access to real-world experiences that were previously not possible,' Mr Duncan said.