On Wednesday 10 January, EKC Broadstairs College hosted an interactive workshop on neurodiversity that brought students from across East Kent Colleges Group together virtually for the first time. The event pioneered the use of cutting-edge digital technology in the Group’s new immersive classrooms to connect multiple College campuses.
The organisation of this groundbreaking session was a collaborative effort between the Colleges, spearheaded by EKC Broadstairs College. The workshop was delivered by guest speaker Dr. Chloe Farahar, PhD, a member of Aucademy, a group of autistic academics and educators.
The event saw Health and Social Care, Early Years, Psychology and Access students from across the Group’s College campuses in Ashford, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone brought together virtually to delve into the world of neurodiversity and autism.
The new immersive classrooms have been designed to facilitate cross-College collaborative learning and give students the ultimate learning experience with VR headsets, digital displays, and interactive tools. They can be used to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment using virtual and augmented reality technologies that allow students to explore virtual simulations that help to consolidate their knowledge and understanding of course topics.
Students participated in the workshop through a real-time video platform which allowed guest speaker Dr. Chloe Farahar, a specialist tutor on the National Autism Training Programme for NHS staff, to simultaneously engage with the classes at each campus.
The workshop focussed on developing an understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity and creating environments to accommodate neurodivergent individuals. Students learned about different kinds of neurodivergence and took part in a mindful stimming activity during which they considered the different types of self-stimulatory behaviour, such as repetitive movements or sounds, that neurodivergent individuals may use as self-soothing techniques.
EKC Broadstairs College looks forward to continuing this innovative, multi-campus approach to learning to deliver engaging and enriching live teaching experiences to students across the Group regardless of location.
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