A new state-of-the-art classroom has been launched at Dublin City University designed to encourage more secondary school students to study STEM - science, technology, engineering and maths.
The Boeing Newton Classroom offers hands-on experience to transition year students using professional flight simulators.
"It's more interesting for kids when they are not stuck behind a desk in the classroom," said transition year student Yoana Petrova.
"I'm definitely the type of person who learns more when it is hands-on so I think this is a really good idea," she added.
Transition year student Max Morgenroth hopes to become a pilot.
"I've always been interested in engineering and science and I think it would be great to get more people involved," he said.
The flight simulators are programmed with educational modules covering areas such as maths, coding and renewable energy.
DCU students from courses in Aviation, Science Education and Physics have been trained to teach the modules to transition year students from all over the country.
"In DCU we have a course called Aviation Management with Pilot Studies and we are going to be teaching transition year students how to use the maths and science they are being taught in a practical way in the flight simulators," said instructor Jack Kenny.
The Minister for Education Norma Foley launched the new classroom today.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for our transition year students to avail of STEM opportunities and to see first-hand the innovation that can be captured," she said.
Newton classrooms are mobile and have been rolled out across Europe.
The one at DCU will be in place for the next three weeks.
It is fully booked but the university is hopeful that it will be able to launch a permanent classroom in the future.
