Must Find a Good Virtual Field Trip
Review of: The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips By Jan Zanetis
I was so excited about this concept of virtual field trips. Students love watching videos! Engage some technology and they can go from distracted to enraptured. Disengaged students can become fascinated students when you turn on electronic media. Let's face it, they get sick of listening to the teacher drone on and on and on... So... show them a video or a slideshow! I thought to myself, "This is brilliant". I can't wait to explore what is out there!
Then I started perusing the sites that are linked in the article. I found: broken links, videos that would not do full screen view... Frustration, Anxiety, and Tension started to set in. There seemed to be so much potential. My hopes were so high! Yet, I found mostly disappointment.
Then I found one that worked! It wasn't everything I expected, but it was interesting. No videos or interactive media, but a neat little tour. Describing George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, this site has many pages for different parts of the estate and gardens. I went through the different parts of the tour. There are links to pictures and short stories of the different parts of the estate. There is the paddock, laundry, kitchen, etc.
Then I got to the "Dung Repository"... I nearly fell out of my chair laughing.
I think as teachers, that we have an obligation to be entertainers as well as educators. We can connect to students with electronic media and silliness. Students really enjoy technology. They really enjoy silliness. Anything that we can do to keep them engaged is beneficial.
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ReplyDeleteReconsideration #1:
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Melissa's post about the other article in this exercise I realized I made a few omissions in my own previous post.
Addressing NETS standard is important.
I also realized that I did not explore the benefit/cost evaluation relevant to Virtual Field Tours.
The ISTE NETS standard that VTFs most closely address would be #1 "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity".
Being able to visit remote locations in a multimedia environment is a powerful learning tool. Seeing far away locations inspires innovation and creativity.
This digital resource explores real world situations, such as the Mount Vernon.
There is enormous potential in synchronous and asynchronous VTFs for students to engage in collaborative learning.
Cost/ Benefit analysis is also highly encouraging. Virtual Field Tours offer a tremendous cost benefit to school economics. Presentation media of one sort of another is in place in many classrooms.
We just need to locate the appropriate material and make sure it works on the machines that we have.
I liked reading your blog!I was excited as you to hear that there were sites out there that you can go on a "Virtual Fieldtrip". You can go ANYWHERE in the world at ANY time and see ANYTHING! I love the idea...
ReplyDelete...and yes, I was bummed to hear that some of the links were dead ends, not full screen or broken links:(. I probabaly would not have tried all the sites because of the disapointment but I am glad to hear that you kept going and found something!-It may have not been the best but it was something to explore and like you said: it was interesting! (I must admit I am curious to visit the George Washinton Link).
I agree with your NETS, it will inspire learning and creativity (and be silly).One day,they may be able to go to the places they visit on the computer!
I too feel that it benefites the school, they will only have to pay for the internet and a presentation media to show it in the classroom to have the students go in the "Field Trip", instead of paying for each student to actually go.
tom- that last post was from Melissa(from class422)..somehow it didn't post my name
ReplyDeletefantastic idea with the art work!
ReplyDelete-melissa
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ReplyDeleteI forgot to post the link to the Mt. Vernon VTF. Here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mountvernon.org/learn/explore_mv/index.cfm//cfid/1825572/cftoken/32049685
Wordles are so much fun (and easy too). Neat way to enhance a post.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wordle.net/