Free short course takes you on a journey of discovery through Thin Ice VR

In 1914, polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton led one of history’s greatest stories of leadership and survival. Over 100 years later, a groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) production using world-first technology is retracing Shackleton’s famous Trans-Antarctic expedition and highlighting the devastating impact of climate change over the past century.

The immersive virtual reality experience Thin Ice VR is produced by Adelaide’s award-winning studio Monkeystack, written and directed by Torrens University Australia lecturer James Calvert, and features modern adventurer and environmental scientist Tim Jarvis AM.

To coincide with the launch of Thin Ice VR, Torrens University is offering a free online short course with up to two hours of educational material.

Go behind the scenes

Throughout the course participants will be guided through five interactive lessons co-designed by Tim Jarvis AM and James Calvert, who will provide insight and knowledge, backed by science, and practical proven measures we all can take to help create a positive change for our future.

Sign up for the free short course here.

Inspiring this generation of change makers

Equal parts lessons in history, geography, creative technology and advocacy – the Thin Ice VR short course offers a learning experience for anyone seeking to further their knowledge and understanding of climate change and its impact on the Antarctic region.

“The biggest issue facing Antarctica currently, is really the effects of climate change,” says Tim Jarvis.

“You can’t protect Antarctica from Antarctica – you really have to protect Antarctica back here, where most of us live.”

The course provides the facts, insights and practical steps you can take to become an environmental advocate for our planet to create a sustainable and positive change for our future.

The course will enable participants to:

• Explore and examine the history of climate change over the past 100 years
• Gain an understanding of the scale of climate change in the polar regions and its impact on our planet
• Recognise the importance of environmental leadership and why it’s needed to combat climate change

Creative Technology as a tool for impactful storytelling

Participants in the course will gain an insight into the groundbreaking technologies used to create Thin Ice VR.

In exclusive behind the scenes footage, the short course showcases how the Thin Ice VR team recreated the Antarctic locations in realistic 3D, using multiple capture techniques including 360˚ video, photogrammetry and volumetric motion capture to turn images into virtual environments.

The short course is available now and is free to anyone. It is a fantastic resource for teachers to use in the classroom or for students to complete in their own time.