A trip to Four Oaks Primary

We were recently showing some guests the finished immersive space at Four Oaks Primary. Halfway through our session a group of pensioners from the local community centre popped their head in during a tour of the new school. Gav decided to give them a full demonstration of the space to see what they thought.

It was great to see their reactions and to begin to see how the group could use the room. One idea was for reminiscence pieces to transport the group anywhere and at any time. We also saw that the space got our guests up and dancing (as per the picture above!). This would be fantastic for exercise work for the group. Everybody also agreed that our spaces are perfect for relaxation, people of all ages love our aquarium and beach themes!

 

Croxteth Primary Official Opening.

We had a fantastic time at the official opening of Croxteth Primary School last week. Firstly we were given a premiere of a performance with an ecological theme, we laughed, we thought, we clapped along! Then came full tours of the fantastic new building including the chance to explore the immersive space we recently installed.

The school had invited their local MP Stephen Twigg and Bishop James Jones of Liverpool and both praised the quality of the building and the quality of the young people who clearly love their new school. We are very proud to be a part of this amazing new school.

Our video shows a snippet of the people that came and visited the “Kaleidoscope Room” as the school have named our space. The music comes from the jazz band playing at the opening.

If you’d like to visit one of our spaces for yourself then just get in touch!

 

 

4D creative at the Opening Day of Croxteth Primary School from 4D Immersive on Vimeo.

Headteacher Update Article

Cathy was recently asked to write an article for Headteacher Update. In the piece she discusses how we can be more creative in the classroom and encourages teachers to use technology for inspirational lessons. You can either read the article over at Headteacher Update’s website or we’ve posted the full text below.

We’d love to know your thoughts so feel free to leave us a comment in the box below.

MAKING THE TIME TO BE CREATIVE – 14 JUN 2012

WHILE MANY OF US AGREE THAT A CREATIVE, BROAD EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL, THE PRESSURES OF TARGETS AND SATS OFTEN INTERFERES. CATHY CROSS DISCUSSES THE POWER OF IMMERSIVE LEARNING, CREATIVITY, THE ROLE OF BASIC TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW SCHOOLS CAN MAKE THE TIME

I am on a ship with a class of nine and 10-year-olds. As a champagne bottle smashes against the bow we hear the roar of a crowd. They are cheering wildly. Ticker-tape fills the air and thousands of jubilant faces wave us on. The adventure is beginning.

On deck, year 5 is excited. They are relaxing on loungers in the bright sunlight imagining what they will do on arrival into New York. But as the light fades there are footsteps. The noises get louder until we hear calls to abandon ship. Everyone rushes to the lifeboats. RMS Titanic has hit an iceberg.

As I sit in this classroom at St Christopher’s Primary School in Speke, Liverpool, I study the children’s faces. They are hooked. Surrounded by images of waves and ice projected on to the walls, they try to find their way to safety, a task hampered by the low lighting.

Suddenly one child points excitedly. He has seen a light flashing in the distance. Each pupil is asked to describe what it would feel like to have been rescued and then see the Statue of Liberty on the horizon. One boy tells me: “I feel guilty because I’m here and the others aren’t.”

This is the power of immersive learning. By immersive I mean a lesson that touches all the senses. Using large-scale imagery, stereo sound, lighting and found objects, the story is magnified, physically and emotionally, so it has a greater impact on the pupils.

But it is not just about projecting a picture of a ship on the wall. It is how you get children to interact and emotionally connect with that ship. And it is how a teacher can be inspired to come up with activities that bring the whole experience together.

Earlier I had watched this class teacher open the lesson with machine sounds. There was the clink of metal on metal, engine noises and the shouts of busy workers. Then images of Titanic’s construction filled the walls. Children passed round cold hunks of steel and wooden planks, touching the type of materials that went into building the colossal ship. They saw the horse and carts that pulled those parts and the sky-high scaffolding.

Suddenly the walls go blank and the sound of Titanic survivors recounting their experiences is piped in. I see the children’s mouths gape open as they hear the voices and see images flashing up of survivors huddling together on the deck of a rescue ship. They are then asked to write Marconigrams – wireless messages sent via radio waves, a little bit like texts or tweets. Children tell their families that they are okay and they are allowed to include one abiding memory of their trip in the message.

The next day I sit with the same year 5 class and their teacher but in a different room. They are desperate to board the ship again. “Are we going back into the room again sir?” “When are we learning about the Titanic next?”

Later, their class teacher tells me the children retain knowledge so much better once they have been immersed in the subject. This mix of high-tech and low-tech enhances their understanding about the impact of Second World War, deforestation in South America or life in Ancient Egypt. She believes that combining these different resources with the space to think and act out scenarios in a unique environment speeds up the children’s connection with a subject or theme.

It also provides pupils with a new environment, a den or safe space, where they can be who they want to be. The class teacher reports an increase in confidence and less fear of failure: “Pupils don’t have to feel worried about giving the wrong answer. It’s an interactive, enjoyable atmosphere and it’s really good fun.”

This “f” word is one that I’m particularly interested in. As a professional den-maker I help teachers transform classrooms in to new worlds. Somewhere children can explore, play and, above all, have fun. And because they are having so much fun they often do not realise they are also learning.

But I am not sure that fun fits in with the government’s plans for the new curriculum. Rigorous literacy and numeracy, yes. Learning the Kings and Queens of England in chronological order, yes. But what about the broader learning experience? What about having fun and taking risks?

What about developing a child’s creative skills so they can come up with new solutions, reflect and form opinions about big issues. These softer skills allow a child to interpret information, be adaptable and resilient to change and importantly, to enjoy learning.

My fear is that people at the top are no longer acknowledging creativity. This is then filtered down through Ofsted deliverables that put little value on the development of softer creative skills. And with these new developments, I can see the pleasure and fun being slowly squeezed out of learning.

The same goes for teaching. The government’s drive for core subjects will put a strain on teachers both in terms of stress but also motivation. If you are being pressured to focus unrelentingly on maths, English and science and to teach these subjects in a certain way then many teachers may lose inspiration. Hence why teaching these core topics using new ideas and resources that touch every sense is so important. Immersing children in a theme or subject isn’t only nourishing for them, it allows teachers to remain engaged and passionate about their work.

Mixing electronic gadgets and found objects is also a powerful way to work with children who have SEN. David struggles with concentration and engagement and has additional learning needs. But he had become really interested in space and was curious to know what it would be like to eat his sandwiches on the moon.

With the help of support staff, David built a cardboard rocket in class one day and decorated it. The teachers told him to bring a packed lunch the following day for a “trip”. David entered the classroom to discover the rocket in the centre and a moving starscape on the projection screens. As the teachers counted for lift-off, sound effects of the rocket thrust boomed from the deep bass of the surround sound system and the adventure began. The staff were amazed at David’s focus and excitement.

The other thing that sticks in my mind from this story is how empowered the teachers felt – using technology to give David such an unforgettable learning experience.

Those education practitioners were like many I meet – they described themselves as “not very technical”. Yet within a day they had developed a space idea for David and translated this into sound effects and projected imagery.

In contrast to our digitally fluent pupils, I often see a hesitancy and lack of confidence in teachers when it comes to bringing their subject alive with technology. One problem is accessibility. Making David’s cardboard rocket could be done right away. Scissors, glue, tissue paper, paint and a few boxes were all that were needed.

But without the roar of a rocket engine and a moving starscape floating around him, David would have just been sitting in a cardboard rocket. The audio, lighting and projection took the experience up a level and reached all his senses. It was the ultimate immersive backdrop to his space journey.

The fact is that some teachers are afraid of technology. So how can we boost confidence? The key is to keep it simple and intuitive. It’s not about expensive gadgets but straightforward electronic tools that are immediately understandable and quick to use. If a teacher takes a video they should be able to instantly use this for immersive learning. Or maybe they need to search for images on the internet in the middle of the lesson and then project them on to the walls of the classroom to explain a difficult concept.

Making technology immediate and simple like this also opens it up to all staff members rather than just the computer-savvy teacher who always gets lumbered with IT tasks.

Integrating high-tech and low-tech is hugely powerfully in terms of stimulating imaginative thinking and increasing pupil enjoyment. I am part of a ground swell of education practitioners in this country who are trying to champion the development of teaching and learning with creativity in mind. Technology is central to this campaign. Our aim is to make classrooms places of fun and play – not just spaces where children learn great swathes of knowledge by rote.

4D Teaching and Learning.

We recently launched our brand new Teaching and Learning offerings. Gav, our vastly experienced and all round lovely training practitioner, has developed a series of options that are aimed to increase creativity in your staff and school.

We offer a whole range of INSET training packages and creative workshops to ensure you get the most from your 4D Immersive Space. These are a great way to build confidence and maximise the potential of the space.

The Options…

So What Now? 

Exploring the basics of what you can do in a 4D Immersive Space and how it fits into your settings style. Experience a taster of creative immersive learning approaches and an introduction to our software, 4D create.

Content, Creation and Creativity.

A greater examination of the opportunities our software 4D create can offer you. How to source elements and use them to enhance the space, quickly and effectively. Finding out what works, what has impact and how to involve young people in the process. How to create interactive content can also be part of any workshop where this is an aspect of your 4D Immersive Space.

Creative Thinking and Learning.

How to engage with all learning styles and recognising the characteristics of the creative learner, focusing on originality, imagination, having a purpose and adding value.

Creative Workshops & Masterclasses.

From storytelling to den making, drama workshops to bespoke creative sessions, we are developing a range of exciting sessions to inspire learners and colleagues.

Have a different course in mind? 

Just get in touch, we can design training sessions to meet your needs and intended outcomes.

The next steps... To book a course, call the 4D creative team on 0844 414 2595 or email us via our contact page.

 

St Kentigern’s Primary School visit 4D

[media url=”https://vimeo.com/43185039″ width=”640″ height=”360″]

Last week we welcomed a group of student journalists from St Kentigern’s Primary School to our offices. We are currently designing a 4D Immersive Space for the school and they asked if they could bring some pupils, staff and governors to investigate what we do!

Our teaching and learning expert, Gav, took control of the day and invited the journalists to explore the 4D Immersive Space at our office to get their initial reactions. The pupils then interviewed the lovely 4D team to really see what makes us tick. Finally we hit ‘play’ on our Newsroom theme so we could hear what our guests had learnt!

It was a really fun and exciting way to spend a Friday afternoon and we would happily welcome more journalists (student or otherwise) into our office any time!

 

Liverpool Echo Article

It was great to see our installation at Four Oaks Primary getting some coverage in the Liverpool Echo this week. Teachers and pupils alike are loving their new creative classroom!

Here’s the full article to read:

£8.8M ANFIELD’S FOUR OAKS PRIMARY SCHOOL USES SPECIAL 4D ROOM TO BRING LESSONS ALIVE

Tigers, pharaohs and Vikings have been let loose at the new £8.8m Four Oaks Primary school in Liverpool thanks to a special 4D classroom.

Four Oaks Primary, just a stone’s throw from Liverpool’s Anfield ground, has added the eye-catching visitors to its register via the special room which uses computer technology to bring lessons alive.

The school has moved into a new purpose-built premises on the former Adam Street playground in the heart of the Anfield/Breckfield regeneration area

And adding to the school’s “wow factor” the £80,000 room transports pupils through a host of breathtakingly realistic scenes ranging from an enchanted forest to a tiger-dwelling jungle.

Children have also been chased by Vikings and seen dolphins swim around them.

Even the room’s floor can be tweaked so pupils appear to be standing on sand during a look at the Egyptians, with hidden artefacts appearing between their feet as they moved around.

Headteacher Sara Howard said the children and staff “absolutely love” the room which was “worth every penny” and used across the curriculum.

And she said it was proving amazingly lifelike.

She told the ECHO: “During a mother and toddlers group the topic was the weather.

“The computer generated walls that looked like it was raining and one girl was so convinced it was real she put her umbrella up.”

The school’s new home is a far cry from its previous ageing base in Walton Breck Road which dated back to Victorian times.

Its playground includes 11 large wooden sculptures based on a story created by pupils, a games area, football pitch, summer house, allotments, music and drama areas, nature walks and African thatched shelters.

The school, which is open to the community, is also home to three of the city’s existing classes for specialist speech and language.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/06/13/8-8m-anfield-s-four-oaks-primary-uses-special-4d-room-to-bring-lessons-alive-100252-31168835/

Face-pulling workshop with Gav Cross!

[media url=”http://vimeo.com/42976058″ width=”620″ height=”360″]

Anyone fortunate enough to have passed by the 4D creative office last Friday must have been quite surprised by the all the commotion!

Perhaps the heatwave finally got to us or perhaps the office coffee was particularly strong, either way, we were all bundled into our fantastic demo space and treated to a ‘pulling faces’ workshop, delivered by our amazing INSET practitioner Gav Cross!

The purpose of the exercise was to get some emotive photos of faces for one of our new content packs! We got a great collection of photos and a few laughs out of the occasion so thought it would be nice to share a time lapse of the event.

4D create launch

[media url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhiQArXpOOc&feature=plcp” width=”100%”]

This week we have welcomed some of our current clients to our offices to check out our new software. Staff from Heaton School, The Grange, The TEN Centre, Wade Deacon School, Witton Park CLC and Harwood Meadows visited our demo space and were blown away by what they saw!

4D create is the result of many hours of development, programming and testing but we are delighted with the finished software. We now have a piece of bespoke software that is easy to use and super simple to programme meaning pupils and teachers can upload their own content and create their own immersive experience in minutes.

Education Foundation Partnership and Learning Lab Launch

[superquote]”The Learning Lab is an exciting project that gives companies and partners a great chance to showcase their products, services and innovative work, as well as connect up with leading educators from across the UK”[/superquote]


Last week Ben and Cathy were invited to the launch of the Education Foundation’s Learning Lab at the Hub in Westminster.

Set up by Ian Fordham and Ty Goddard, the Education Foundation is a new cross-sector think tank and it’s aims are to help shape education policy and work towards creating exceptional schools across the UK. Continue reading “Education Foundation Partnership and Learning Lab Launch”

Huffington Post 4D blog

[superquote]”When the teacher is talking about the industrial revolution he touches a button. The lights dim and the sound of a hundred noisy weaving machines fills the air…”[/superquote]

Cathy has been blogging again, this time for the fantastic Huffington Post! It’s been really enjoyable recently to start to discuss issues we feel passionate about in the education sector and to show how 4D Immersive Spaces really are changing the way pupils are learning.

You can read and comment on Cathy’s blog over at the Huffington Post website or read on below…

Classrooms shouldn’t be standardised: Why these four walls must inspire

I love making dens. Give me some string, a sheet and a few bamboo sticks and I can knock up another world in minutes. Somewhere to play, have fun and make up your own rules. But den making isn’t something I do just for my own children. Every week I go into schools and help pupils and teachers transform classrooms into war-torn towns, cavernous Egyptian pyramids and enchanted forests.

We’ll need many more enchanted classrooms if the government gets its way with ‘identikit’ schools. Following a major review of education capital by Dixons retail boss Sebastian James last year, Michael Gove announced a standardised design policy. All new schools will be built to a uniform set of drawings, prompting criticism of a dull, ‘flat pack’ approach that may leave schools devoid of any character.

A few weeks ago Building magazine reported that schools delivery body the Education Funding Agency had toned down this policy, replacing standardised school plans with more ‘base-line’ design guidance. Whatever is decided on school design, a significantly reduced funding pot means that future classrooms will be far less bespoke and much more like the thousands of other education buildings across the country.

This is all very well in financial terms. But as schools finally get the refurbishment projects they have been crying out for since the days of Building Schools for the Future (BSF), will they have to sacrifice ‘sparkling’ classrooms for tidy ones?

By sparkling I mean a learning space that excites and inspires children. Somewhere they can’t wait to go into. Maybe it’s a room with surround sound. When the teacher is talking about the industrial revolution he touches a button. The lights dim and the sound of a hundred noisy weaving machines fills the air.

There is the whir and hum of repetitive work and then someone is shouting – a worker is injured. The lights come up and the sound stops. A heavy spindle of cotton thread is passed around the group. Each child holds the spindle and describes how it must have felt to work such long hours at their age in a busy and often dangerous mill.

This classroom and its interesting mix of low and high tech resources had helped Year 4 see, hear and touch the industrial revolution from a completely different angle. They couldn’t believe the conditions children were working in. Their understanding was enhanced and they wanted to know more – a response the teacher might not have got had he not morphed their classroom into a 19th century cotton mill.

Months ago I worked with 10 and 11-year-olds to build a rainforest den in their school hall. The teacher was able to project a landscape of trees and vines on to the walls. Each child painted an animal or bird to live in the forest and then recorded the noise their creature makes. The teacher piped these sounds into the hall. Green lighting showed we were in the depths of the jungle.

The next day the students went back to their room and everything had disappeared. Images of trees graced the walls but the creatures they had spent so long creating had gone and so had the animal noises. They got angry. They asked questions. Why have their animals vanished? What is going on? Where have they gone?

The discussion turned to deforestation and suddenly the walls were filled with images of destroyed forests, logs being towed away and manmade fires. The sound of chain saws got louder and red lighting created an intense atmosphere.

The children were furious. The den they had painstakingly created had produced an emotional connection between them and the subject. It has sparked their imagination and they wanted to find out more.

This is the power of turning classrooms into dens. Both examples show how education spaces can transport children to different locations and times. In seconds they can become unique environments, making learning fun and dynamic.

But this isn’t just about the students. Teachers need to feel inspired and motivated too. They should have the tools to experiment with fresh ideas and this will raise teaching standards and help schools to stand out, be that to parents, inspectors or prospective students.

As a teacher said to me recently, “you think about teaching from new angles if you’re planning next week’s lessons sat on a bean bag with waves lapping at your feet.”

Verified by MonsterInsights