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| YES! to Virtual Field Trips |
This article was about Interactive Virtual
Field Trips (VFTs) and how your school would benefit on having this type of
technology available to the students.
The author Jan Zanetis was in the teaching arena for 20 years and she is
not only a big advocate for Interactive Videoconferencing (IVC), but she has
also co-written two ISTE books about the topic. Jan really expresses the benefits of VFTs and
the opportunities it has for engaging students.
First let me explain what a Virtual Field Trip (VFT) is and what it
looks like. There are two types of VFTs
and they are asynchronous and interactive. Asynchronous VFTs are websites that
have text, audio, or video resources that are about specific topics. One
example the article gave was a streaming video tour and/or having a host that
is podcasted to talk about a collection of photos. The other type of VFT is interactive and
these take place in real time. What is
neat about Interactive VFTs is that the students are able to interact with real
experts and ask questions on the spot. Many
places are taking advantage of this type of technology including science
centers (NASA), hundreds of museums, and many experts who will take your
classroom to a historical site to study. The only hurdle in getting this type of
interactive technology going at your school is that you must have access to
large group videoconferencing equipment and this can be pricey. There are grants and financing options for
schools who are interested, but research has shown the overall costs to having
these types of field trips out way the expense for actually going outside of
school grounds. Not only that but you’re not limited to your local area. With
these type of field trips you can visit anywhere in the world and get real
expert knowledge on any topic your studying.
Personal Connection
Conclusion
In conclusion, this article taught me
about a new technology I never thought of to use in a classroom. The possibilities on how we can learn are
endless and it helps when the borders are stripped away. The end of the article explained what steps
were needed to bring this technology to your classroom. Step one is to locate
or get access to videoconferencing equipment. Step two is to access quality content (per
grade level/ subject area/etc) and register for a program. One reliable
resource for quality content that was provided was (www.cilc.org).
Implication
This article aligns with the second NET
standard ‘Communication and Collaboration’ for student learning. This article
was about giving students the opportunity to not only visit, but also communicate
with experts from around the world in real time. Giving the students the chance to better
understand not only the subject material, but also develop a ‘cultural
understanding and global awareness’ of things outside their everyday community.
This gives each student a new angle of looking at the subject material and
support individual learning.
Below is the APA reference for this article:
Zanetis, J. (2009, March). The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips. Leading and Learning with
Technology, 37(6), 20-23. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from ISTE.org.
Hi April,
ReplyDeleteI read about the VFT's this week as well, and I completely agree with you in regards to them. After reading the article, I too am convinced that they are a very beneficial tool that all teachers should consider using. I love that the interactive VFT's allow students to communicate with experts from all over the world in real time, thus simulating a real world experience. You brought up a valid point when you said, "This would be really beneficial especially for those of us who grow up in small towns where the nearest city is over an hour away." Personally, I didn't grow up in a small town, so this thought never even crossed my mind while reading the article. It's true though, because students who do grow up in small towns would be at a disadvantage for traditional field trips because of traveling time and expenses. With VFT's, every student can be included and have the chance to experience real world things that they are learning about in class. It's amazing! VFT's provide a whole new world of educating and learning. I am definitely a big advocate of them and I can't wait to learn more about them when I start teaching. I think that they are a wonderful alternative to traditional field trips!
-Madison Pelzel
Good Evening April,
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of Virtual Fieldtrips. With schools having to cut their budgets fieldtrips of course are one of the first things to go. In order to enhance a students learning fieldtrips I believe are important. They need to see passed the four walls of their traditional classroom and outside their box of reality and learn what else is out there. To have th opportunity to talk with someone half way across the world in another country or across town and learn something new is a wonderful experience for students. I look forward to learning more about these and being able to implement them in a classroom one day.
See you Tuesday,
Sheila