Thursday, April 22, 2010

Journal 7: The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips (NETS I & V)

Zanetis, J. (2010, March/April). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/L_L_March_April_2010.htm

Local field trips have become less common due to the steady rise of travel costs over the past few years. Virtual field trips (VFT) are “the best of both worlds”. Virtual field trips allow students a break from the day to day classroom activities. These trips are memorable and also cover the curriculum in the student’s minds. Another great thing about virtual field trips is that it can take the students to any place in the world. Virtual field trips are conducted virtually, over the Internet and/or video conferencing equipment. This allows students to learn directly from experts in far-flung places without ever leaving their classrooms. What is interesting is that there are different types of virtual field trips. There is the Asynchronous VFTs are websites that include text, audio, or video resources about specific topics. The Interactive VFTs real-time experiences in which student in one location learn from informal educator in another location, such as a museum, historic castle, or organization (like NASA). The Interactive VFT does use the h.323 videoconferencing technology. One should know that ones school district may already have videoconferencing units that they are unaware of. VFTs have many benefits for students of all ages.

Would you consider using VFT in your classroom?
I would with out a doubt use VFTs in my classrooms. I think that VFTs are a great way to get students interested in the topic one is teaching as well as a way to break from the every day classroom activites.

Which VFT do you like ?
I like the interactive VFTs. It has an actual expert talking to the studetns about the topic, place of interest. Also student get to interact with the person leading the tour/trip. If students ask questions they can be answered right away.

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