Last updated at 10:21, Wednesday, 18 July 2012

FROM witnessing the sights and sounds of the First World War trenches, to travelling around the human body – these experiences are being brought to life for students through 3D.

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Students at Furness Academy are taking learning to another level in the school’s new Active 3D Learning Suite.

The Barrow secondary is the first in the North West to open the cutting-edge Gaia Technologies facilities.

The £50,000 suite includes a wall screen measuring 4.5 metres by 2.2 metres and students use Active 3D glasses for the amazing view.

The suite is based in a temporary building at the academy’s South Site and will have a dedicated space in the academy’s new build in September 2013.

3D is being used for a host of innovative activities, including the recent virtual gallery for the GCSE and BTEC art exhibition, student drama pieces using the First World War trenches setting and groups creating their own 3D content such as producing short films. Even this year’s sports day was being filmed in 3D.

In maths x and y axis graphs can also be featured in 3D, making for an easier understanding by the students.

The school will be working with Gaia Technologies to develop more content.

Helen Walker, the academy’s director of innovation, said: “It’s very exciting. It’s taking students to places they can’t go, back in time, inside the human body, into space.
“The potential is starting to dawn on us. We feel we are just scratching the surface.”

Year nine and year 10 media students are working with Miss Walker to assess the value of 3D to learning and to develop the facilities and future content.

Year nine media students, Steffan Lomas, Ethan Vial and Ryan Clarke, all 14, said they are impressed with how the facility gives subjects depth and dimension.

Ethan, who thinks the biology content inside the human body is particularly good, said: “I think it’s great. By looking at a page in a book it just shows you where something is happening, this actually shows you how it happens.”

The media group are exploring the development of apps and working on a year book which can have interactive content through the likes of smartphone technology.

This year there were 170 students from years nine to 11 with GCSE and BTEC with art work to display. The art department felt the 3D suite was an ideal resource to exhibit the large amount of art in style. 3D viewers were given the feeling they were walking around a professional gallery with the students’ paintings mounted on the walls.

Art teacher Clare Silver, said: “The virtual gallery is an innovative and exciting way to celebrate the success of Furness Academy art students. The art department is delighted with the effort and quality of work from students this year. They have worked with commitment and determination and should be proud of their achievements.”

Bethany Beswick, 14, a year nine, art student said: “It was good to see an exhibition like that. I like the way our art was in a gallery. I was surprised when I saw my work.”

First published at 10:13, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk