Sunday, April 11, 2010

Journal #7 – The Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips - NETS I, IV, V



Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. L&L—Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25443&DirectListComboInd=D

For students, field trips can be an exciting break from day-to-day classroom activities and a memorable, real-world experience. Lately, local field trips have become less common as travel costs have steadily risen over the past several years but today we have other options. Virtual field trips (VFTs): field trips that are conducted virtually, over the Internet and/or videoconferencing equipment, so that students can learn directly from experts in far away places without ever leaving their classrooms. VTF’s can involve touring a historic site, witnessing scientific experiments or processes at museums or organizations, watching live demonstrations in the field, attending folk festivals or other events, and much more.

Asynchronous VFTs are not delivered in real time. They are basically websites that include text, audio, or video resources about specific topics. Another type is on a websites called: www.efieldtrips.org.
This organization hosts electronic field trips with four main parts: the Trip Journal, the Virtual Visit (a streaming video), an Ask the Expert tool, and a hosted Web chat. Interactive VFTs are synchronous, real-time experiences in which students in one location learn from informal educators in another location, such as a museum, historic castle, or organization such as NASA. These take place over the internet . As of right now, approximately 300 museums, science centers, historical sites, and similar organizations that offer interactive VFTs to schools. Using the videoconferencing interface, students can interact with the experts to get a real-world angle on the topic they are studying. The experts are usually trained and adept at adjusting to the students' level of comprehension. Students usually have no problem adjusting to interaction with an on-screen instructor, and, in fact, often find the experience engaging.

The lessons, which are usually based on national standards, also often include materials targeted to the students' area and grade level as well as classroom activities for students to do before and after the interactive VFT. VFTs do remove the barriers between your classroom and those far-away people and resources. It may seem a little strange at first to be talking to a TV, but once students get engaged in lively discussion with those on the far end, the technology becomes invisible, and the classroom walls disappear. Look for interactive VFTs led by known experts and reliable organizations that use credible primary sources as the key focus of the lessons Interactive VFTs often have a fee. But when compared to the cost of a real field trip, and considering the value students get out of them, many schools have decided to work these costs into existing fee structures or to add VFT funding to their budgets. If cost is a major hurdle in getting started, many content providers, such as NASA, also offer excellent free programs.

Would I use VFT’s in my classroom?
It would really depend on the cost and the school I work at. I feel that students sometimes need a hands on learning experience so if I am able to actually take my studnets to a specific field trip near by, then I would prefer that over VFT’s but if cost is too much then I would definitely use VFT’s.
How would I use VFT’s in my classroom?
Again the cost is always a factor in schools now but I would try to incorporate VFT’s as much as possible that will help increase my students learning. Again the material of the VFT would have to pertain to what I am teaching and help inhance my students learning in order for me to use it. I would do plenty of research and try to get my students more involved in the material to make learning fun.

1 comment:

  1. Here's a site that I think you and your readers will appreciate. It is called MEET ME AT THE CORNER, Virtual Field Trips for Kidss (www.meetmeatthecorner.org)
    It is a series of free educational kid-friendly pod casts for children 7-13.
    Each show comes with links to fun websites and a Learning Corner questions and activities about the topic. Please take a moment and review this site for your readers.

    ReplyDelete