Cobden Technical School principal Rohan Keert said when the state government announced most students would learn from home, teachers sent hands-on classes home with the theory usually learned throughout the year.

"There's only a finite amount of online theory they can do," Mr Keert said. "

Since then the school has found ways to keep students in younger years engaged in hands-on work, after sending bolster wood models of a homestead and LED light kits to dozens of junior students' homes.

"It's very important to acknowledge kids are spending lots of hours sitting down and staring at a screen," Mr Keert said.

"We are looking at our wood works material budget and we aren't spending it in the classroom so we are spending some of it sending materials home."

He said the school was also asking students what home-based craft projects could be done, and sending them on "scavenger hunts" to find discarded timber or tools that could be used in their next project.

"We are also creating virtual furniture in 3D with Google SketchUp," Mr Keert said. "We can't make it with a saw and wood, but we can make it in 3D."

The school told teachers to prepare four weeks of content students can learn at home.

Beyond that Mr Keert some subjects would need to return to hands-on lessons soon or the year be extended longer, particularly for older students undertaking automotive, building and construction and hair and beauty certificates.

"The more complex the demonstration of the skill is, that's when it can't always be done online," he said.

"We can quite comfortably deliver online learning for all of the VET subjects, but beyond (four weeks) some will struggle without getting their hands on tools."

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