Dissolving distance with digital lesson delivery

More than 35 secondary school students, based up to 200km apart, are coming together on a weekly basis to study courses such as economics and mathematics without physically leaving their classrooms.

The use of video-conferencing technology at six secondary schools is quietly revolutionising education throughout the Great Southern, with the completion of new facilities to enable this due this month.

Visiting Katanning Senior High School today to see the program in action with Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls, Education Minister Liz Constable said it was gratifying to see teachers using innovative approaches to benefit students.

Dr Constable said the program, which was in its second year, allowed specialist teachers at any one of the schools to deliver lessons to students via video-conferencing.

"This is such an exciting and beneficial use of technology and I am delighted to see it being used in this way," she said.

Schools taking part in the initiative include Mount Barker Community College; and senior high schools at North Albany; Albany; Denmark; Katanning and Narrogin.

The Minister said it was often the case in country areas that only a handful of students at each school were interested in studying certain subjects.

"When small groups of students join together through video-conferencing, a whole class is created," she said.

"This allows them to take subjects they might otherwise have to study through distance education or not at all.

"It also allows teachers to keep up their skills and network with other teachers and administrators throughout the region."

Dr Constable said the possibilities for future use of the program were endless.

"Next semester, it is planned to offer WACE revision courses to students who aspire to go on to university," she said.

Minister's  office - 9222 9699