Virtual Field Trips Levels the Playing Field for All Students

With school budgets taking another hit this year, it is no wondering why there is not enough money in the classroom budget to take field trips these days. A few innovative teachers have not allowed this misfortune to interfere with their classroom field trip plans. These teachers have learned to take field trips without leaving their class rooms and the students love them plus obtain the same educational benefits they would if they had actually visited the place physically. And to top it off, this innovative field experience is a lot less expensive then taking the actual field trips.

Utilizing videoconferencing technology and the classroom's available computer resources these teachers have taken field tripping virtual. Virtual field trips can take any subject, to an entirely new level of understanding and educational experience for your students. On a virtual field trip students can interact live with other students in far away location. They get to observe news breaking events as they are happening and analyze the information first hand while making predictions and suggestions and get immediate feedback. Through virtual field trips, the learning comes live to the classroom and the students which cause them to come alive.

Today's students go home to Xboxes and iPods, they are multi media children. A flat printed document does not stimulate their creativity and thinking. It is important to develop and incorporate innovative and exciting practices which captures their attention, makes learning fun, channel their creativity, and challenge them, because there is so much stimulation outside the classroom to compete with. Virtual field trips do that by giving them the ability to travel around the world without a passport. They get to dialogue face to face with other cultures on current issues and events, go on virtual author tours with the writers of the books they are studying in class, and actively participate in all kinds of analytical and critical thinking skill builders without leaving the classroom.

There are a number of different ways to facilitate a virtual field trip. Some libraries and museum host distant learning departments which will work with the area school and create customized curriculum and specific tours. Some schools use videoconferencing systems which are able to be carted to each classroom or are housed in the schools media center. Guy Lodico, director of technology for Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District in New York takes a low tech approach. Utilizing available Web 2.0 tools, Skype free video conferencing service, and a low cost Logitech webcam he has devised a system practically any teacher can use to bring virtual field tripping into nearly any classroom. Lodico's low tech virtual fieldtrip system does not possess all of the bells and whistles of the higher priced Tandberg and Sony systems found in schools media centers but it does the job well at a greatly reduced cost.

Whatever type of system is utilized to establish the videoconferencing part of the virtual fieldtrip is insignificant compared with the increased student achievement that is experienced whenever the field trips are well integrated into the classrooms curriculum. Virtual fieldtrips is one way to make sure no child is left behind. Integrating all learning modalities (visual, auditory, and kinetic), every participating student is attentive, engaged, and absorbed in what is happening. Even the most challenged learners stop gazing out of the window and get involved. Virtual fieldtrips definitely helps learning.

Here are some website you can visit to learn more about virtual field trips and begin introducing them to your classroom.

Virtual fieldtrip video samples can be viewed at the Two-Way Interactive Connection in Education - www.mdvideoprod.com/twicevid.htm

Video Content Providers Database host virtual fieldtrip content developed by zoos, museums, and other content providers - www.vcconentproviders.org/searchprogram.php

AT&T offers a list of virtual field trips through Knowledge Network Explorer at - http://kn.pacbell.com/wired/bidconf/adventures.html

Global Nomads Group provides resources to help facilitate virtual fieldtrips with students and classrooms around the world. Visit them at - www.gng.org/programs/index.html

Virtual fieldtrips levels the playing field for all. Even students who do not excel in traditional classroom environments seem to come to life on virtual fieldtrips. The dialogue and interchange between the multi cultural environments is invaluable. The kids really learn from each other.

Resource: Field Tripping goes Virtual - Instructor - September/October, 2009

Tags: virtual field trips, classroom instruction, k-12 teachers, k-12 learning technology, students and teaching