Local kids set to have access to specialised subjects and teachers through New Learning hub

Gippsland students will be able to chase their dream job with a vital boost to the VCE program being rolled out in the region. Find out how.

David Mcgillivray, MacKenzie Nash and Tanya Chalmers: staff at Leongatha Secondary College who are excited to welcome a new initiative which will give students more chances to undertake specialised subjects.

Students from 15 schools across Gippsland are set to get access to more VCE subjects thanks to a Blended Learning Hub

The hub — featuring a wider range of VCE subjects and specialist teachers.— was a welcome boost to education in the region, Leongatha Secondary College assistant principal Tanya Chalmers said.

“It is still very new and we are still working out exactly what it will look like,” she said.

“But it will allow students to have access to these subjects as well as face-to-face time with a specialised teacher.”

The initiative will provide access to subjects including specialist maths, physics and politics.

Year 10 student Montana Kranen, who has a passion for politics, said the hub would allow her to more easily pursue her desired career path after school.

“When it is something you are passionate about you want to put more effort into it and that is hard when you are restricted in your options,” she said.

Montana said this model of learning would benefit lots of students as there was a face-to-face element to the learning experience.

“Sometimes there's just a little bit of potential in learners that can’t be unlocked until you have someone there in front of you to build that relationship with,” she said.

The hub will combine face-to-face and virtual learning and will run out of TAFE Gippsland at the Morwell campus.

It will be located alongside the Gippsland Tech School, and will operate as a campus of Virtual School Victoria.

LSC Year 12 co-ordinator David Mcgillivray said being able to build a relationship with a teacher would be a huge benefit to students taking on these specialised subjects.

“Right now if kids are going through virtual schools all correspondence is done over email and some kids struggle with that,” he said.

As part of their studies, students who are enrolled in a subject at the hub will be provided access to hi-tech equipment through the tech school, with the opportunity to benefit from resources, pathways and further study offered by the adjoining TAFE campus.

Schools across the region set to benefit from the blended learning initiative include Bass Coast Secondary, Drouin SC, Foster SC, Korumburra SC, Kurnai College, Leongatha SC, Lowanna College, Mirboo North SC, Neerim District SC, Trafalgar High School, Traralgon College, Warragul Regional College, Yarram SC, Sale College and Maffra SC.

Mrs Chalmers said she was hopeful the new initiative would encourage more students to either pick up or stick with more specialised subjects.

The new hub will be completed and begin accepting enrolments later this year, with course delivery to begin in 2024.

Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said the hub would make it easier for students to connect with their “dream” career pathway.

“We’re delivering better pathways and educational infrastructure to regional and rural areas across the state, ensuring local kids can Think Big when it comes to deciding a career pathway that’s right for them,” she said.