An article in USAToday titled "No Permission Slip Needed" discusses the concept of virtual field trips and interviews some teachers and students who have taken the trips. The field trips not only can take students to places like the solar system and the human body, foreign countries and faraway oceans, but it also can connect students with current events. The article discusses how one class visited New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and was able to see what the people there were experiencing. Lance Ford, when interviewed about virtual field trips, said, "It really is the opportunity to bring the world to our students, because our students can't go to the world." This is so true. In the traditional classroom, learning was limited to books and lectures, and the occasional trip to a nearby location. With virtual field trips, however, a new dimension to teaching and learning has been added. The classroom becomes more exciting, more varied, and more educational. Students can experience things never possible and are able to better understand what they are learning. I think this technology is so exciting! Not only can students learn more but they can connect more with people all over the world. It gives them a broader view of the world than what they experience every day. I think it will make students more open to people that are different from them because they are able to interact with other students all over the world! It would be fantastic if all schools could have this technology. So often upper or middle class schools, filled with students who may have some exposure to a world outside their own, are the only schools that can provide this technology. Schools with poorer students, who have very little access to the rest of the world, are usually unable to afford this. It would be greatly beneficial to explore ways to provide poorer districts with the ability to take virtual field trips.
To visit this article go to
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-01-29-virtual-field-trip_x.htm
2 comments:
I think that you made some excellent points. I always thought of virtual field trips as a way to see tourist or historical destinations or educational places such as zoos and museums. It's great that virtual field trips can connect students with current events such as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I like that you also mentioned that virtual field trips, "gives [students] a broader view of the world than what they experience every day". I also liked the financial positives that this kind of technology provides, especially to lower class students. I agree that more research is needed in order to provide this type of technology to poorer school districts. I also think it would be great if students could get involved with a place after taking a virtual field trip. For example, after taking a virtual field trip to New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina, students could brainstorm ways to help or provide some type of relief to students in New Orleans.
Excellent job! I definitely agree that this access to VFTs should be given to all students, whether upper, middle, or lower class. I think that VFTs are an awesome opportunity for students to even view topics of discussion over and over again. In addition, students could be tested on the material on VFTs. This way, their studying habits would be more fun, easier, and technologically advanced.
In addition, VFT's are a great help to students with all different learning styles. Students can listen to the audios, watch videos, see pictures, or use their kinesthic skills by clicking on buttons.
I think VFTs are of value mostly to those who have a difficult time listening to lectures in class or listening to tour guides on the field trips. Students whose minds wander can have access to the learning materials on VFTs at their own convenience.
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