Colleen O'Rourke

Colleen O’Rourke is a pioneering Australian educator whose twenty-year career has redefined what digital learning can look like for all students, especially those who are neurodivergent or require additional support. As the Digital Technologies Specialist and Leader of Digital Innovation at The Hills Christian Community School in South Australia, she teaches students from Reception to Year 10 while leading transformative curriculum innovation that integrates technology, nature and wellbeing.

Working in a school with a high cohort of neurodivergent students, Colleen saw an opportunity to rethink how digital learning could better align with students’ strengths, interests and diverse ways of engaging. This led to the development of the Nature-Nurture-Network curriculum, an approach that blends digital systems with natural-world exploration through IoT, XR, AI, robotics, drones and real-world sustainability challenges. Students learn coding, AI, data and design by studying plants, rivers, ecosystems and swarm intelligence, uniting their digital learning with the natural world. 

This approach has produced exceptional outcomes. Action research conducted in partnership with universities and global innovators shows improvements in student engagement, creativity and overall learning confidence. Students themselves have reported stronger emotional regulation, and student sentiment towards Digital Technologies, along with their appreciation for nature and caring for our planet, has deepened. The programme has also fostered growth in teamwork and leadership, with many neurodivergent students emerging as confident digital leaders and collaborators. 

Colleen’s innovation extends far beyond her classroom. She leads international VR pen pal programmes that connect students with peers in Central Australia and, soon, Japan, New Zealand, the United States and Italy, enabling virtual cultural exchanges and collaborative environmental storytelling. Her students are also building a ten-year VR archive documenting the restoration of the Onkaparinga Valley River – a project now showcased across Australia. 

A nationally recognised educator, Colleen has received a major national teaching award that has expanded her influence across the country. She serves as Vice-President of EdTechSA, delivers professional learning for the Australian Independent Schools Association, collaborates with the Australian Institute for Machine Learning and the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and hosts events such as Tech4Sustainability Day, where students present award-winning AI, robotics, XR and sustainability solutions.  

Her commitment to global citizenship is embedded through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which underpin all units, from pollinator coding in primary years to VR river science addressing SDG 6 and SDG 14. Students act as citizen scientists, environmental stewards and global collaborators.  

Colleen also contributes to international education initiatives, with her work now featured in globally shared case studies, including a recent AI education video used by educators worldwide. 

If awarded the Global Teacher Prize, Colleen plans to distribute the Nature-Nurture-Network curriculum free to schools worldwide, expand global VR/AI classroom networks, and build inclusive, culturally informed tools for neurodivergent learners.