Scotch Reports Issue 178 (December 2020)

TORRENS PARK CAMPUS
No Change Without Change
It has been shown time and again that the
best ideas come from those who are not
constrained by tradition or convention.
Our focus in the development and use of
technologies in our classrooms is to break
down the barriers that inhibit their use.
A phrase I often find myself repeating is,
“there is no change, without change.”
We embrace new technologies in our
teaching and learning and give students
opportunities to be on the cutting edge
of educational evolution. We currently
find ourselves in the midst of the
global development and uptake of XR
(Extended Reality). With Virtual Reality and
Augmented Reality already in our classes,
it won't be long until we are able access
and harness the full power of Mixed Reality
- where VR and AR combine. The digital
and real worlds are becoming seamlessly
merged, leading some to believe that it
won't be long before we are living in a
world more virtual than real.
This year the Digital Technologies
Team have been exploring emerging
technologies and building capacity
among students and colleagues. We have
researched, collaborated, documented,
and made invaluable connections with
both industry leaders and tertiary
institutions. In conjunction with the Digital
Advisory Panel, is already bringing exciting
and innovative EdTech into our classrooms
and allowing for the necessary rich
exploration and experimentation of new
ideas in this time of rapid change.
Recently a group of of students entered
the Young ICT Explorers Competition,
bringing their innovative concepts to
life with the power of technology. This
included a programmable teddy bear
coded to provide comfort to small
children isolated in lockdown, an antibullying
device loaded with features, and
a fully-functioning bushfire alert app
created to enable easy access to all types
of Australians during bushfire season.
These concepts demonstrate how our
students are always searching for ways
to connect their skills in technology with
compassionate causes.
Looking outward continues to be an
important part of our philosophy.
Scotch continued to broaden its
network this year by making connections
with some very special industry experts.
A few months ago, we were thrilled to
host Old Collegian Sasha Baranikov (‘02)
as she inspired students from Years
5 to 12 with her personal story about
innovating in the entrepreneurial tech
arena. Sasha is currently the COO of the
Space Technology company Fleet Space;
a truly cutting-edge industry. If you
have a unique opportunity for students
to learn, we would love to hear from
you too.
Another important technology that is
innovating in not only education, but the
world, is A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). This
year has been a milestone for students
leveraging the power of A.I. in their
learning. Our students Ellie, Daisy and
Bridget (Year 7) were the SA State Final
champions in Microsoft’s A.I. for Good
Challenge for their idea of removing
the need of harmful shark nets with
an alternate A.I. solution. Their ideas
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