Training students across NSW can sometimes pose a challenge for NSW DPI Tocal College's online Adult Education and Schools Program.
However, the introduction of the Tocal Virtual Farm allows students with limited access to agriculture enterprises an insider's look at how it all works.
Tocal College's CB Alexander campus is based at Paterson in the lower Hunter of NSW.
The 2200 hectare property is home to six commercial and demonstration farming enterprises including beef, sheep, bees, dairy, poultry and horses.
The enterprises are used for teaching resources for the College's on-campus students.
With the addition of the 360-degree Virtual Reality Farm video series these enterprises can be shared with external students and schools.
Virtual reality headsets help bring the videos to life by immersing viewers into a farm environment in the comfort and safety of their classroom or home office.
the introduction of the Tocal Virtual Farm allows students with limited access to agriculture enterprises an insider's look at how it all works. Virtual reality headsets help bring the videos to life by immersing viewers into a farm environment in the comfort and safety of their classroom.
Videos can also be enjoyed without headsets.
With a simple rotation of a tablet or phone, or a click of a mouse an entire 360-degree view can be seen.
This provides students with a real feel for the working environment.
The video series stars each farm manager describing their enterprise, giving students a look at each farm and what's involved in making it work.
Additional information regarding the natural resources and climatic trends that are so important to each farm are also available to students and teachers to build the bigger picture.
Detailed information about each enterprise's annual data and operations allows teachers to use the farms as case studies.
This helps to give students an opportunity to develop decision making skills or understand the factors that affect how food and fibre are produced.
The Tocal Virtual Farm - including the virtual reality videos - is freely available online for teachers and students to access throughout their studies.
The virtual reality videos will also be on display at this year's Tocal Field Days in the NSW DPI tent from May 1 to 3.
