Indigenous Georgian College students travel to Australia after unique virtual learning project
Aug. 6, 2024
Eight Indigenous Georgian College students recently returned from a two-week study tour to Australia. The experience complimented a first-of-its kind, collaborative, immersive virtual learning project with multiple postsecondary institutions meant to foster meaningful connections among diverse Indigenous communities.
Lauryn Edwards, a Georgian student in the Indigenous Community and Social Development program, was one of the participants who travelled to the University of Wollongong in Australia with other students and employees from Algonquin and Cambrian colleges in Ontario.
“This was a trip of a lifetime and one I will remember for a long time,” she said. “I love Australia wholeheartedly and it will forever be a second home to me for I now have new relatives and a family. This trip helped me grow so much as a person and showed me that my spirit and heart can grow even bigger.”
![Six people stand together in front of a forest of trees. A sign reads: University of Wollongong Australia.](https://content.georgiancollege.ca/wp-content/uploads/Six-Georgian-students-at-UOW_July-2024-1024x768.jpeg)
About 20 Canadian students from the three Ontario colleges went on the study tour, where they got to take a guided walk through the breathtaking Australian bush and hear stories from Indigenous Elders and rangers. They also attended a variety of guest lectures on topics such as history, culture, language, Truth and Reconciliation, traditional medicines and foods, and art, as well as participated in a whale watching cruise with First Nations experts and guest lecture on Indigenous whale stories.
At the end of the tour, students had the opportunity to present their own research ideas at a First Nations Collective seminar, gaining valuable academic experience in a culturally safe and welcoming setting.
![A group of adults stand or kneel on a pier next to a large body of water with buildings and a large bridge in the background.](https://content.georgiancollege.ca/wp-content/uploads/Multi-college-students-in-Sydney_July-2024-1024x768.jpeg)
In addition to the study tour, Georgian students were also part of an immersive virtual learning project that complimented the study tour experience. The project, called Indigenous Horizons: Indigenous student engagement through virtual reality learning and mobility experiences, was funded through the Government of Canada’s Global Skills Opportunity Innovation Fund, administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada.
Each Canadian college played a unique role to cultivate a virtual reality learning environment with the University of Wollongong before travelling to Australia.
- Georgian developed innovative, first-of-their-kind First Nations, Métis, Inuit and University of Wollongong virtual reality worlds, in which replicas of real places, historical artifacts and more were created. By expanding immersive learning technologies, students were able to participate in unrivaled learning experiences.
- Algonquin was responsible for completing the research component of the project, which was supported by its Applied Research and Mamidosewin Centre, and informed the virtual reality and curriculum development.
- Cambrian developed the academic curriculum and delivered a pilot course using the virtual reality platform.
Kelly Watson, Director of Global Engagement at Georgian College, said the partnership between Cambrian College, Algonquin College, Georgian College, and the University of Wollongong has been nothing short of transformative.