Author: Lumination
Date: 17th Aug 2023
Supporting Young Learners with Lumination Learning Labs – through National Science Week and Beyond
Each year, National Science Week ignites a passion for scientific innovation and creativity for young learners across Australia. This year’s Science Week is focused on powering the next generation of groundbreakers and trailblazers, examining how emerging technologies are shaping the industry of the future.
This topic is very close to our hearts here at Lumination. We know all about utilising innovative technology in the classroom and how this technology is delivering the skillsets and experiences that young learners need to thrive in the workplaces of tomorrow. To support schools during National Science Week and way beyond, we are providing Australian educators with the resources they need to get the best out of this technology.
Lumination Learning Labs: Empowering Educators and Learners for a Bright Future
Our Lumination Learning Labs are transforming classrooms into laboratories of innovation and exploration. By harnessing future-focused technology, these Labs are helping students adopt the scientific and investigative techniques that provide real advantages when they enter the workforce.
Take a look at the technology at the core of these solutions:
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Virtual Reality
VR technology makes it possible to explore new concepts and capabilities in the classroom. We equip our Labs with immersive virtual reality (IMVR) kits, including devices and peripherals. We may also include handheld virtual reality (HHVR) headsets and devices within the Lab setup.
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Augmented Reality
AR technology brings simulated elements into real-world environments, ready for scientific examination and exploration. To achieve this within our Labs, we use smartphone and tablet integration as part of our VR/AR Education Kit. We also offer and encourage the use of Merge Cubes, which interact with various apps to transform the cube into a digital canvas for student creation.
Some of our lesson plans require the use of CoSpaces. This is an online application that supports learners in crafting 3D creations and using code to animate and explore these creations in a virtual or augmented reality environment. -
LeadMe
LeadMe is the classroom management software that keeps educators on course to create meaningful and fulfilling lessons with clearly defined outcomes. Teachers use LeadMe to deliver immersive experiences, working in alignment with the teaching resources and lesson plans found on the Luminaton Education Centre.
Building Skills for Future Careers
How do Lumination Learning Labs actually equip young learners with the skills they need for the workplace of tomorrow? How are VR and AR being used in the classroom? Let’s examine some examples of how this works:
Earth and Space Sciences
The Lab at Grange Primary School has been in use and making an impact on student learning outcomes. Students are using the Google Earth application to study the geographical diversity of Asia using our VR/AR immersive technology. Other schools are integrating BBC’s Home Spacewalk and Mars Odyssey into their lessons, bringing the realms of the galaxy to their students, inspiring future interest in space sciences.
Physical Sciences
Kidman Park Primary School utilises our Lumination Learning Lab to explore architecture, technology and sustainability, envisaging future environments and spaces. Using Skytropolis or Tiny Town, students are invited to use their imaginations, sparking their creativity, and think of the world in 2050. They are tasked to design a sustainable solution for a future town, city, farm or ocean environment, and to integrate technology, which allows humans to move forward in a smart, safe and renewable manner.
Students in our Lab schools are also integrating 3D modelling capabilities like Blocks into their lessons, using Gageteer to build chain reaction machines, and so much more.
Chemical Sciences
Teachers are using the HoloLAB Champions application within the Lumination Learning Lab, injecting fun and competition into mastering the essentials of working in a chemistry lab. Students utilise the experience to review concepts and prepare for examinations.
Nanome, an experience on the future of molecular design, also enables students to visualize, build and simulate chemical compounds, proteins and nucleic acids like never before, in a safe and collaborative environment.
Biological Sciences
Riverbanks College is using the Lab and its VR capabilities to explore the human body, venturing inside a cell with Journey to the Centre of the Cell or The Body VR. Girton Grammar School, meanwhile, is utilising the Lab to complete virtual frog dissections in a unit on amphibian biology.
From the Lab to the Field
We are very excited about how this is shaping up and how classrooms are turning into hubs of scientific innovation thanks to Lumination Learning Labs. As National Science Week brings a renewed focus on the future of Australia’s young scientists, we believe our Labs are at the forefront of translating classroom experiences in real-world, in-the-field capabilities.
- Our Labs are inspiring more students to pursue careers in science, with engaging and energising classroom experiences.
- Lab technology supports creativity, collaboration and critical thinking, which are vital skills in the workplace.
- VR and AR technology is already present in the workplace, not just in the classroom. Gaining a strong understanding of how this works is going to be crucial for young students.
Explore the Potential of Lumination Learning Labs
Want to learn more about what the Lumination Learning Lab can achieve within your school? Eager to discover how our team can help you build exciting experiences for students? Explore some of our case studies — like the exciting use of VR technology in geography classes at Kidman Park — or book your demo to see our solutions in action.