The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips
Hi Class,
I had actually never heard of this idea before but it makes complete sense. Due to the cost and efficiency of actual field trips schools have significantly cut down on the amount of field trips they take. Unfortunately when they do take field trips they are simple, in the near vicinity, and inexpensive. This does not allow for a great field trip experience and limits what the student can learn and the teacher can teach. With virtual field trips anywhere is possible. They have Asynchronous field trips which are not in real time. Meaning they are websites that one can access to view videos, pictures, and facts. The idea I was most excited about was Interactive field trips that take place in real time over video-conferencing in which the students can visit museums, etc., and take a virtual tours with experienced and knowledgeable educators. This is a perfect solution to costly field trips and still has all the same advantages. It takes learning to a deeper level and allows students to become excited and engaged by education. When I become a teacher I hope to be able to utilize these kinds of resources in my classroom.
Thank you,
Brooke Gerrard
Hi Brooke,
ReplyDeleteI agree that virtual field trips make a lot of sense because they make expensive and inefficient places feasible for students anywhere. To think that students today can tour places across the nation and even abroad is an amazing tool for teachers to bring their curriculum alive. Having a real-time guide sounds like it would really bring the location to life; places and facts are so much more memorable when you have an enthusiastic docent or narrator who can point out details you would never get from a book. There must be so many small locales (specialized museums or collections) that would become accessible to students interested in niche areas.
Melissa
Hey Brooke,
ReplyDeleteI think these interactive field trips and video confrencing is super exciting. This is great technology that will make any classroom at any grade level (even college!) come completely alive. My only concern is this type of technology taking the place of real physical field trips -- because, coming from someone who has been on many field trips in my K-12 academic career, these trips are irreplaceable. The memories and learning from the field trips I took stick out in my brain and are glittering learning experiences. So, while I believe this to be a great technology tool for teaching, I do not think that it should replace real field trips.
Cheers,
Marina