Alcohol and other drugs virtual reality resource

Lesson content

The lessons have been designed to:

• reflect best practice alcohol and other drug (AOD) education
• align to the WA Curriculum. 

The lessons have applications across various learning areas, including health and science.

Links to Year 9 Syllabus

Health and Physical Education:

• Healthy and active communities
  • Impact of external influences on the ability of adolescents to make healthy and safe choices relating to: alcohol and other drug use (ACPPS092)

Science:

• Science Understandings
  Biological sciences
  • Multi-cellar organisms rely on coordinated and interdependent internal systems to respond to changes in their environment  (ACSSU175)

Lessons

Two lessons have been developed:

Lesson 1: The brain and its functions

This lesson covers:

• the brain structure, including a focus on lobes and functions
• the developing adolescent brain
• the limbic (reward) system
• the broad impact of alcohol and other drugs on the brain.
  

Lesson 2: Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol

This lesson covers:

• stimulants (caffeine, nicotine and alcohol) and their effects on the brain 
• the neurobiology of addiction
• neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to adapt and change).

Caption: Screenshots from the virtual reality lessons

Lesson activities are designed for a 60-minute session, including a 15-minute virtual reality experience.

Activities can be adjusted to suit your school needs.

The resource will be available for schools to borrow during 2025. When you borrow the resource, you will receive:

• virtual reality headsets with controllers and charging accessories
• a ‘teacher resource’ package.

Evaluation outcomes

Twenty public and non-government schools in regional and metropolitan WA participated in the AOD Virtual Reality project from September to December 2023.

346 student survey responses were received across 20 schools. Results showed a high level of engagement with the delivery method.

Caption: Results from the AOD Virtual Reality project student survey 

Interviews were conducted with 20 teachers from 17 schools, from the Perth metropolitan and 3 regional areas.

Caption: Results from the AOD Virtual Reality project teacher survey 

Criteria for use

This resource is best used to complement existing AOD education.

Schools that incorporate the resource into their programs will be supported to inform parents and the school community, and to encourage conversations about alcohol and other drugs to extend learning beyond the classroom.

We can provide guidance on this as part of the resource package.

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