Immersive tech space transforms traditional learning

Sydney’s Knox Grammar School has recently installed a shared immersive learning space on its campus, making use of the latest technologies.

The goal was to create a future-focused classroom, with discussions held between Knox Director of IT Craig Whalland, the school’s ICT integration team and shared immersive space specialist Igloo Vision.

The school’s Immersive Learning Space is a bookable classroom environment, where teachers take their students to the school’s iHub for any lesson where they are seeking to offer students an experience beyond the traditional classroom walls.

“Knox Grammar set out to create an immersive learning space that was flexible, innovative and transformational for teachers and students. We wanted to encompass the latest presentation technologies that engaged students and captured their imagination. For this we required the expertise of Igloo Vision and projection technology from Epson,” said Mark Kelly, Knox Grammar School ICT Integrator.

Igloo Vision supplied and installed Knox Grammar’s very own ‘Igloo’, a purpose-built enclosed immersive space with 360° sound and vision.

“From a technical capability, Knox Grammar ICT and AV staff supported the calibration of the Epson projectors and linking to the school IT infrastructure. The rest was handled by Igloo Vision,” said Kelly.

For the Immersive Learning Space, Knox installed multiple Epson EB-G7400UNL projectors paired with ELPLU03 lenses.

“Firstly, Epson projectors are our campus standard for their ongoing reliability and high-level technical support. To futureproof the installation we wanted to ensure that all technologies used were scalable, particularly the projectors. The Epson G-series units allow us the flexibility to move from a short-throw to ultrashort-throw lens configuration when and if we wish to do so. Image quality and brightness were also key here and the Epson projectors’ brightness at 5500 ANSI lumens, together with their 4K image enhancement, certainly put them ahead of any other projectors,” said Kelly.

Igloo Vision was a critical component to the success of the Knox project. The company’s expertise and consultation meant that Knox has been able to realise its dreams for a new and innovative classroom, and ensure the technology is both scalable and will remain relevant in the future.

“Now that this unique classroom is complete, teachers continue to be amazed at the learning outcomes our Immersive Learning Space has helped them achieve for their students. Students enjoy the engaging surround sound and vision that captures their imagination and immerses them into situations as diverse as milk production on a dairy farm, how Tassal farms its salmon in Tasmania, being inside a raging bushfire or flying across the expanse of the Sahara desert,” said Kelly.

“Teachers can create their own 360° video content, access it from YouTube VR or set up the Immersive Learning Space where traditional 2D content is presented and viewed on up to five Epson projectors. Teachers can also access Google Maps for a student field trip to anywhere in the world. It is a truly unique learning environment where Epson’s excellent projectors play a hugely important role.”

Pictured: Knox Grammar’s Immersive Learning Space.