Exerts below are from Nanci's blog post for Peel Bright Minds. Read in full here.
A week ago, I wouldn’t have included plant cell exploration on my to-do list. Nor (if you’d asked me), would I have expected middle-class or climate change to become terms I could associate with rap music.
But science and words are catalysts for change, and my family and I have been immersed in both, all weekend. Quantum Words Perth changed my perspective on more than one topic, and provided my children with unique learning experiences they won't forget anytime soon.
On Friday morning, we explored the inside of a plant cell, through the magic (okay, science) of Virtual Reality. It’s official – a bit of early morning microtubule organisation is a great way to start the day. Karina Price, from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, developed this immersive sub-microscopic VR experience, which has impressive applications in STEM education. I had a short turn (in between my children’s long turns), and I was blown away by the innovative concept. My kids would have spent the entire day learning about plant cell biology, were it not for the lure of festival panels and science discussions!
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The third and final Cool Jobs #2 guest was Karina Price, creator of the Virtual Reality Plant Cell Suite. Karina is a scientist, who has chosen to move into the field of science communication. She worked as a Scitech presenter (dream job alert!) before moving into her current role. Karina designs and implements immersive educational experiences, such as the Virtual Reality Plant Cell Suite, and a jumping castle plant cell. She showed us how immersive learning in STEM (using VR) can enhance student comprehension. No surprises there, but I especially liked how Karina was able to demonstrate this... using PlayDoh, of all things!
If you're an educator, you might like to check out Karina’s work, and book a Virtual Plant Cell experience for your own students.