By Goya Dmytryshchak
Immersing students in a “zombie apocalypse” to learn physiology has earned an Armstrong Creek resident a nomination at the ‘Oscars of Education’ in the US.
Educator researcher Chris Lillico devised a gamified approach to teaching human physiology, developing the Uni-Apocalypse Project.
“We’ve been engaging the students to learn physiology in a unique manner and that’s based upon immersing them into this story, Uni Apocalypse, whereby everything that you’ve heard and seen about zombies has come true,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there’s an apocalypse and in order to save ourselves we’re trying to put together a series of super soldiers to go out and kill the zombies.
“Our university is presently surrounded and … some of the lecturers have turned so vital knowledge has been lost with them. We need that knowledge in terms of things like the muscular system, the nervous system, the potential for a vaccine, etcetera.
“We’re calling on the students to then find that knowledge for us.”
The Uni-Apocalypse Project was shortlisted from nearly 1500 entries for the Reimagine Education Awards, a global conference dubbed the ‘Oscars of Education’.
Mr Lillico said the irony of teaching a subject based on a virtual zombie pandemic while literally living and working during the COVID-19 pandemic was not lost on him or the students.
“In some ways, the timing was perfect because the university was delivering online learning to students located off campus,” he said.
“From my perspective, like Einstein said, imagination is more important than knowledge – it’s really true because the former drives the latter.
“When you start using your imagination in learning, you’re developing a lifelong love for learning.
“I truly believe that the youth of today are the game changers of tomorrow.”
