ASTRO 3D is committed to inspiring school students to study STEM subjects into senior secondary school and supporting teachers to explain complex astronomical concepts and theories on the origin of the Universe, which are covered in the Year 10 Australian Curriculum: Science (Earth and space sciences – The Universe contains features including galaxies, stars and solar systems, and the Big Bang theory can be used to explain the origin of the Universe – ACSSU188)
ASTRO 3D is developing an immersive, interactive virtual reality package that incorporates mathematics and digital technologies as well as science, that will assist student understanding of the data intensive science they can’t ‘touch’ and promote deep learning. It will allow the user to experience a scenario or environment that isn’t possible in real life.
This package will:
- increase student engagement in, and understanding of, the complex astronomical science on the origin of the Universe;
- have a strong emphasis on using the data through measuring, problem-solving and reasoning;
- support, enhance and extend the delivery of curriculum in the classroom by a focus on pedagogy and learning design;
- promote independent learning through problem-based scenarios using real data; and
- be developed for Oculus 2 headsets – an all-enclosed headset that has all of the required computing hardware on board so there is no need to be tethered to a computer.
The package will include activities where students can collaborate in a virtual world with others and complete activities through both direct instruction and discovery. They will be able to visualise and manipulate objects at both an atomic and astronomical level to promote embodied learning.
Teachers will also be supported through the provision of a range of teaching and learning resources that use the VR package as a central resource for a unit of work. The ASTRO 3D Education and Outreach team will also offer Professional Learning workshops on how to get the best out of the program.
When the package is released there will be two ways to access it.
- ASTRO 3D will have a lending library of class sets of the Oculus 2 headset. These can be lent to schools for a few weeks, thereby allowing teachers to conduct a unit of work.
- For those schools that have the Oculus headset, the program will be available on the Oculus store.
