Tuesday, April 12, 2010
Journal #1 The Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips
Zanetis, J. (2010, March/April). A Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning & Leading with Technology , 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/L_L_March_April_2010.htm
This article was very interesting to me since I’ve never heard of Virtual Field Trips. The idea of using the Baseball Hall of Fame to calculate statistics is a unique way for students to retain the information that has been taught and use it in a practical and fun way. Having the opportunity to travel through a VFT to different parts of the world or through our own country may be the only possibility some students will ever have to experience this. Using a VFT is a great tool for teachers to have and for students to see what they’re studying as opposed to looking at pictures in a book. Learning about the Space Shuttle is wonderful, but having the ability to interact with an expert at NASA will give students a completely different point of view than doing a report.
Questions:
How would using a VFT enhance teaching and learning?
One example is, when studying rain forests in 1st grade, taking a VFT to the Amazon to see a rain forest would bring learning to life. Students could actually see the animals that live there, experience the different levels of the rain forest, and hear the sounds that are created from the environment. There are so many benefits to this type of field trip that incorporating them into a curriculum would greatly enhance the learning students would have and engage them in a new way of instruction.
Where do I find videoconferencing equipment for my school?
Zanetis recommends starting with the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (www.cilc.org). School districts typically have a technology coordinator and they should be contacted to find out what equipment is available through the district.
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