Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning and 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
Let me start by just saying "Wow!" Interactive virtual field trips (VFTs) are a fairly new technology that gives teachers access to primary resources which are beyond the school ground boundaries. It is an excellent resource in that it allows teachers to take their students on field trips, which often solidify what is learned in the classroom, without the logistical and financial issues that arise from true physical field trips. There are two types of VFTs. Asynchronous are usually prerecorded podcasts or experiments or narrations of a historical sites. Synchronous are real time interactive field trips in which the students and the instructor on the other side of the video recorder can communicate in real time. The students can actually talk to the instructor. The one catch is that the school district must first have an expensive video conferencing unit which is h.323 compatible and capable of Ip-based connections. I don't know what that means, but I'm sure that technological gurus do.
How could teachers integrate VFTs into their classrooms?
After teaching a particular lesson, the teacher could go on any number of websites in search of a reputable interactive VFT. Just like all lessons, students should have an understanding of what the presenter is going to speak about before the VFT is conducted. After the VFT, their should be a follow up lesson in which the teacher can check the knowledge of the student's to make sure that they all understand what was learned from the VFT. As a prospective Biology teacher, I'm finding myself so excited that I could just pee my pants over the possibilities for integrating this technology into my future classroom.
What reaction to VFTs can be expected from students who have never encountered this technology before?
I believe that students will be hesitant to talk to a screen at first, but after a short while, I imagine that the students will become comfortable with the idea to an extent that they will fully engage the presenter on the other side. Field trips are one of the highlight experiences for all students in schools because it is a chance to see how dry classroom content applies to the real world. This is a connection that is important for students to make if they are to fully engage in the material. Walking through a dinosaur museum or watching a shuttle take off in real time will surely stimulate student interest. The best learning takes place when students are excited about the content.
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