Come behind the scenes and explore the amazing pictures collection at the State Library of NSW in this 5 part video conference series. Inspire your inner artist in these five, hour long interactive sessions. Each experience examines a different artwork from the collection, followed by a hands-on workshop where your students will create artworks using different techniques including perspective drawing, painitng, collage and 3D modelling to build their observational and art-making skills.
Book for one session or for all five, and best of all, it’s FREE! Pre and post visit notes complete the experience and outline curriculum links, and we encourage you to use this as a springboard for further art-making adventures: one school recently held an art exhibition in their hall for parents and students, showcasing all the artworks produced by their students during this VC series.
According to teachers who have participated, Art Around the Library is ‘a great way to easily get experts into your school’ and ‘a great way to bring history to life’. The next series will run on Tuesdays beginning week 2, Term 3. Bookings can be made at DART Connections.
NAIDOC Week is held in the first full week of July. It is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society.
Virtual Excursions Australia is presenting the NAIDOC Week Video Conferencing Festival. This event will run before and after the July school holidays for student across Australia. Please join the Australian Museum, Australian National Maritime Museum, State Library of NSW, National Library of Australia and Sydney Olympic Park for a series of fabulous events.
Derek from the Australian Museum presenting the Totems workshop
Overview: “To know the future we must first know the past” (Aunty Fran Bodkin D’harawal Elder). In this session of our Koori Classroom series, D’harawal knowledge keeper, Shannon Foster will guide students through the origins of NAIDOC – also part of her own family story.
Overview: To celebrate NAIDOC week Indigenous Programs Manager Donna Carstens will discuss the cultural significance of water to indigenous people. Water is integral to the everyday life of communities for survival, travel and play. Listen to a Dreaming story, examine an Indigenous artwork and build a canoe replica.
Overview: “To know the future we must first know the past” (Aunty Fran Bodkin D’harawal Elder). In this session of our Koori Classroom series, D’harawal knowledge keeper, Shannon Foster will guide students through the origins of NAIDOC – also part of her own family story.
Overview: In this special NAIDOC week art workshop students will explore Indigenous culture and art from various regions of Australia. In this lesson students will create their own Australian Flag by investigating their cultural heritage as well as that of Australia’s first inhabitants, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Overview: “To know the future we must first know the past” (Aunty Fran Bodkin D’harawal Elder). In this session of our Koori Classroom series, D’harawal knowledge keeper, Shannon Foster will guide students through the origins of NAIDOC – also part of her own family story.
Overview: In this special NAIDOC week art workshop students will explore Indigenous culture and art from various regions of Australia. In this lesson students will create their own Australian Flag by investigating their cultural heritage as well as that of Australia’s first inhabitants, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Overview: To celebrate NAIDOC week Indigenous Programs Manager Donna Carstens will discuss the cultural significance of water to indigenous people. Water is integral to the everyday life of communities for survival, travel and play. Listen to a Dreaming story, examine an Indigenous artwork and build a canoe replica.
Overview: The Indigenous Totems session is a practical workshop where students learn about lifestyles and beliefs of Indigenous Australians whilst creating their own totem. Concepts and culture will be demonstrated with real artifacts and aboriginal cultural material.
Overview: To celebrate NAIDOC week Indigenous Programs Manager Donna Carstens will discuss the cultural significance of water to indigenous people. Water is integral to the everyday life of communities for survival, travel and play. Listen to a Dreaming story, examine an Indigenous artwork and build a canoe replica.
Overview: Students explore Indigenous culture and art from various regions of Australia. Students investigate the traditional styles, symbols, materials and tools of Indigenous art around Australia. They use Indigenous art and cultural objects as a stimulus to create their own design.
Overview: To celebrate NAIDOC week Indigenous Programs Manager Donna Carstens will discuss the cultural significance of water to indigenous people. Water is integral to the everyday life of communities for survival, travel and play. Listen to a Dreaming story, examine an Indigenous artwork and build a canoe replica.
Overview: To celebrate NAIDOC week Indigenous Programs Manager Donna Carstens will discuss the cultural significance of water to indigenous people. Water is integral to the everyday life of communities for survival, travel and play. Listen to a Dreaming story, examine an Indigenous artwork and build a canoe replica.
Overview: To celebrate NAIDOC week Indigenous Programs Manager Donna Carstens will discuss the cultural significance of water to indigenous people. Water is integral to the everyday life of communities for survival, travel and play. Listen to a Dreaming story, examine an Indigenous artwork and build a canoe replica.
Overview: This workshop focussing on the fascinating, but little known story of Aya-I-Ga, also known as Neighbour. Neighbour was the first Indigenous Australian to receive the Albert Medal for gallantry. This program allows participants to interact with the National Library of Australia’s presenters, original objects and photographs and is suitable for students in Years 7-10.
Virtual Excursions Australia is proud to support this event
NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920′s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians.
World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations’ key event for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years World Environment Day has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is celebrated in over 100 countries.
The theme for 2014 is Raise your voice not the Sea Level.
World Environment Day is an opportunity for everyone to realize not only the responsibility to care for the Earth and to become agents of change. Join the Australian Museum, National Maritime Museum, Taronga Zoo and the Powerhouse Museum in a 3 day festival recognising World Environment Day.
Overview:Join our intrepid groovy animal expert and media celebrity David Rabbitburrow to discover just how amazing these fascinating creatures are! Also investigate some of the threats to their future and what we can do to help.
Overview:Join our intrepid groovy animal expert and media celebrity David Rabbitburrow to discover just how amazing these fascinating creatures are! Also investigate some of the threats to their future and what we can do to help.
Overview:To celebrate World Environment Day the Australian Museum is participating in the World Environment Day video conference festival.The Catchment Health video conference explores some of the impacts facing our terrestrial and marine environments. This session looks at the importance of catchments and how everything we do on land has impacts in our marine environments.
Overview:Celebrate World Environment Day and adventure over to Taronga Zoo to learn more about the remarkable animals we share environments with around the World. This inspirational video conference will explore the plight of animals such as the Sumatran Tiger, Western Lowland Gorilla, Australian Sea Lion and our very own Corroborree Frog. All animals classed as endangered and in need of very specific actions from people to help their recovery.
Overview:Have you ever wondered what types of transport zoomed around our streets, railways and skies before motor cars, electric trains and planes? Come find out with Finn, our 20th Century transport enthusiast, as he transports you back in time to Sydney in the early 1900s.
Overview:To celebrate World Environment Day the Australian Museum is participating in the World Environment Day video conference festival. Bugwise explores the exciting and diverse world of invertebrates. Students will learn how to identify common groups of invertebrates and why they are important.
Overview:Put on your eco-designer thinking caps and take part in this hands-on workshop! Learn about ecological footprints and what it means to be sustainable. Meet Mr Airhead and teach him how to think sustainably using the 6 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Refuse and Rethink. Utilising ‘Rethink’ students complete a Lifecycle Analysis of a common product and come up with ways to reduce the product’s ecological footprint.
Overview:To celebrate World Environment Day the Australian Museum is participating in the World Environment Day video conference festival. Bugwise explores the exciting and diverse world of invertebrates. Students will learn how to identify common groups of invertebrates and why they are important.
Overview:Celebrate World Environment Day and adventure over to Taronga Zoo to learn more about the remarkable animals we share environments with around the World. This inspirational video conference will explore the plight of animals such as the Sumatran Tiger, Western Lowland Gorilla, Australian Sea Lion and our very own Corroborree Frog. All animals classed as endangered and in need of very specific actions from people to help their recovery.
Overview:To celebrate World Environment Day the Australian Museum is participating in the World Environment Day video conference festival.The Catchment Health video conference explores some of the impacts facing our terrestrial and marine environments. This session looks at the importance of catchments and how everything we do on land has impacts in our marine environments.
Overview:Join our intrepid groovy animal expert and media celebrity David Rabbitburrow to discover just how amazing these fascinating creatures are! Also investigate some of the threats to their future and what we can do to help.
Overview:Plastics are everywhere. It’s hard to imagine a life without using plastics. But the downside is that a lot of plastic enters the environment, where it will linger for hundreds of years. In the ocean, plastic moves into the so-called Great Garbage Patches. But why do these patches form? And whose garbage is where? What effect does the plastic have on marine life?
Virtual Excursions Australia is proud to support this event.
Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.
Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, Pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits.
The Powerhouse Museum, The Australian Mathematics Trust and the Australian Museum are pleased to offer a series of session celebrating Pi Day. Join us on the 14 March 2014 to learn more about this amazing constant.
Overview: To celebrate what has become known as International Pi Day, the Australian Mathematics Trust is presenting a special video conference event for school children hosted at the Australian Museum
Overview: What do ‘Peter Piper’ and ‘Jack and Jill’ nursery rhymes have to do with maths and measurement? What are gills, bushels, pecks and the smoot? Find out in this special hands-on maths video
Overview: What do ‘Peter Piper’ and ‘Jack and Jill’ nursery rhymes have to do with maths and measurement? What are gills, bushels, pecks and the smoot? Find out in this special hands-on maths video co…
Overview: To celebrate what has become known as International Pi Day, the Australian Mathematics Trust is presenting a special video conference event for school children hosted at the Australian Museum
Overview: Celebrate International Pi Day with an exciting session on the inventor of the computer, Charles Babbage! Powerhouse Museum’s Principal Curator, Matthew Connell, introduces students to one o…
See the Pi Day website for other ways your students can celebrate Pi Day
Sea Week is the Marine Education Society of Australasia’s (MESA) annual education campaign to increase understanding and appreciation of the ocean and its living organisms.
The theme for 2014 is Sustainable Seas! Are there really plenty more fish in the Sea?
Human activities are putting pressure of the ocean and marine environments in many ways. Direct impacts like overfishing, chemical pollution and litter lower water quality and threaten wildlife. Less direct activities such as carbon pollution leads to climate change and ocean acidification. It is important to recognise that people have the power to make positive impacts on the ocean in their everyday decisions.
Join the Australian Museum, Manly Environment Centre and the National Maritime Museum in a week long festival highlighting our marine environments
There are a variety of sessions on offer with topics to suit every school.
The Australian Museum is bringing our scientists to you! This is your chance to come face to face with an Australian Museum scientist and ask your questions. Meet Mark McGrouther Collection Manager; Ichthyology (Fish) to talk about the collection and some of the exciting field trips he’s been on.
The Catchment Health video conference explores some of the impacts facing our marine environments. This session looks at the importance of catchments and how everything we do on land has impacts in our marine environments.
The Claws, Tentacles and Spines session explores the fascinating diversity of marine invertebrates. Join the Australian Museum to discover some of the amazing adaptations of these spineless wonders.
Australian Museum is bringing our scientists to you! This is your chance to come face to face with an Australian Museum scientist and ask your questions. Amanda Hay will talk about her research into the ecology of larval fishes.
To recognise Ocean Care Day on Sunday 1 December Virtual Excursions Australia is presenting Marine Day on Friday 6 December. Join us for a range of video conferences promoting healthy waterways and marine environments.
Participate in sessions from OceanWatch, Taronga Zoo and the Marine Stewardship Council and the Australian Museum. There are a range of topics to suit every school.
To recognise Ocean Care Day on Sunday 1 December the Australian Museum is participating in the Marine Day video conferences. The Catchment Health video conference explores some of the impacts facing our marine environments. This session looks at the importance of catchments and how everything we do on land has impacts in our marine environments.
Learn all about commercial fishing and the NSW seafood industry from those who know it best. Join Sydney fisherman Paul Bagnato and OceanWatch’s Brad Warren to get an up-close and personal view of an important local industry that puts food on our plates and export dollars in the bank. Paul and Brad will also discuss the marine environment, sustainability and how fishing is managed.
Meet the Experts brings Australian Museum scientists to you! This is your chance to come face to face with an Australian Museum scientist and ask your questions. Mark McGrouther the Collection Manager; Ichthyology (Fish) will talk about the collection and some of the exciting field trips he’s been on.
The Claws, Tentacles and Spines session explores the fascinating diversity of marine invertebrates. Join the Australian Museum to discover some of the amazing adaptations of these spineless wonders.
Taronga Zoo and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) have teamed up to educate students about healthy marine life, sustainable seafood and how their choices matter. We are holding FREE teacher video conferences to informally introduce the 2014 student based project.
YES 2013 LIVE LAUNCH: Meet The Hon. Robyn Parker MP, NSW Minister for the Environment and Heritage as schools across NSW present innovative and inspirational examples of sustainability in action
9:30am – 10:30am on Wednesday 23rd October, 2013 Book your seat in the front row at the 2013 Youth Eco Summit!!
This is a unique opportunity to meet the NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage and make your live appearance CENTRE STAGE at the 2013 Youth Eco Summit.
Participating schools will engage in a facilitated discussion on contemporary aspects of sustainability before being joined by The Hon. Robyn Parker MP who will hear from selected primary and secondary schools around NSW, reporting on sustainability initiatives, innovations and achievements in their schools and communities.
All sites connected into the video conference will be appearing in real time on the massive Event Screen at the heart of YES – so hundreds of people onsite will be able to see and hear you!!
The session will progress as follows:
9:30am Meet & greet with discussion on sustainability principles and practice
9:50am Welcome to Country
9:55am Welcome to YES 2013
10:00am Minister’s address
10:05am State of Sustainability (6 schools around NSW will report on sustainability initiatives in their local area)
10:20am Wrap-up & YES Launch
We are working to connect some interstate and overseas schools into this session as well – This will be a memorable connection not to be missed so BOOK NOW!!
Meet Virtual Excursions Australia content providers in a series of teacher Professional Development video conferences on Monday 15 July. These Professional Development sessions connect you with a panel of content providers. The sessions are designed to enable you to ask your questions about video conferencing content and technology.
These Professional Development sessions are being run as a follow up from the ITEC 2013 being held on 10 & 11 July. ITEC 2013 will feature national and international educators, innovators, researchers and industry leaders in the field of interactive and real-time technologies and techniques. Presentations will focus on technologies and programs that facilitate the delivery of rich content and the sharing of expertise and experiences across the network and directly into places of learning. See the full ITEC 2013 program.
Members of Virtual Excursions Australia (c) Opera Australia
During these 45 minute sessions you will join members of Virtual Excursions Australia to share your experiences with video conferences, tell us how we can better meet the needs of your students or ask us questions about our content or technical issues.
On Monday 15 July there are sessions throughout the day including:
ITEC 2013 features national and international educators, innovators, researchers and industry leaders in the field of interactive and real-time technologies and techniques. Presentations focus on technologies and programs that facilitate the delivery of rich content and the sharing of expertise and experiences across the network and directly into places of learning.
Keynote Speakers include:
Dr Kate Cornick
Kate Cornick is the General Manager, Health and Education at NBN Co, the company rolling out the National Broadband Network. In this role Kate is working with the health and education sectors to drive adoption of broadband applications and services that will result in improved services to consumers. From 2009-2012, Kate was the inaugural Executive Director of the Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES) – an interdisciplinary research institute established at the University of Melbourne focused on broadband applications, including in health and education.
Graham Smith
Graham Smith has been inventing and exploring new forms of telepresence, robotic, virtual reality and media technologies since the early 1980’s as both a university researcher, entrepreneur and artist. From 1992 to 1996 he directed the VRAAP program (Virtual Reality Artist Access Program) at the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto which explored the effects virtual technologies may have on society.
Anita Kocsis
Anita Kocsis is Head of Design, Society and Culture in the Faculty of Design and Co Director of the Design Factory at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. Anita’s creative, commercial and academic achievement spans a design and technology nexus evidenced by intermedia exhibitions and launches in commercial and public Institutions. Anita’s articulation across research and teaching focuses on how design can facilitate the multilateral process of meaning construction that unfolds between industry, content providers, design & audiences.
Aaron E. Walsh
Aaron E. Walsh is Director of the Immersive Education Initiative, a non-profit international consortium of universities, colleges, research institutes, consortia and companies that work together to define and develop open standards, best practices, platforms, and communities of support for virtual reality and game-based learning and training systems. In 2007 he was named one of the forty most innovative people in the Information Technology (IT) industry by Computerworld, the premier source of news and analysis for the IT industry.
This conference will be of interest to:
Content Providers, Museums, Galleries, Libraries and Cultural Institutions.
Book for one session or for all five, and best of all, it’s FREE! Pre and post visit notes complete the experience and outline curriculum links, and we encourage you to use this as a springboard for further art-making adventures: one school recently held an art exhibition in their hall for parents and students, showcasing all the artworks produced by their students during this VC series.
Anita Kocsis