Journal #1 - The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips - NETS 5

As a member of ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), I read Learning and Leading With Technology, an online journal published bimonthly that contains articles about the effective use of existing and emerging digital tools. I evaluated, reflected, and wrote Journal Reflections on this current research and professional practice on a regular basis. Teachers and researchers write articles in the journal sharing what is effective for educators using technology in the classroom in support of student learning. I summarized and evaluated the articles as well as posed and answered two questions relating to each article.

Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25443&DirectListComboInd=D

I love this online journal article! This topic is of great interest to me professionally as a future teacher and personally as a father of two young boys. I can definitely see a need for these virtual field trips (VFTs) in our classrooms and in my own home.

The author provides many useful web links for a variety of VFTs, both asynchronous and interactive. The possibilities for instruction are endless. It seems that there is a world of online teaching tools available to the teacher who is motivated to find them. Asynchronous VFTs are not delivered in real time. Examples are webpages about a particular topic, streaming video tours, and podcasts of a host presenting a photo collection. Many VFT aggregator sites exist that have compiled a collection of K-12 programs. Interactive VFTs are a medium that provides opportunities to enchant and engage students. The author notes that at first there is a period of adjustment when teachers and student talk to a screen, but then they get used to it and it becomes second nature. It helps with you have an educated, informal, animated, and exciting instructor making the virtual presentation to the students. A resource to check for content is www.cilc.org. Some interactive VFTs charge a fee, but some are free such as those from NASA. These VFTs are exciting and useful tools to enhance the normal instruction in the classroom, and I intend to utilize them in my future classroom.

Question #1: Have local schools replaced traditional field trips with VFTs?

Further questions come to mind. How many schools / districts in San Diego County have a codec for interactive virtual field trips? Does my sons' elementary school have a h.323 videoconferencing technology system or one that is compatible and, if so, is it capable of IP-based connections? How many teachers at this school use VFTs at all?

These are questions I do not yet have an answer to. After the school district returns from spring break on Monday, I will be asking these questions of the administrative staff and my sons' teachers. I have seen more on campus field trips whereas the students in previous years traveled outside of the school grounds. I spoke to a 5th grader's mother who said the school principal wants to reduce the number of field trips, but she did not know why. We speculated it was because of costs, but further research is necessary. This mother lamented the fact that students used to visit places like the science museum, but now outside companies are hired that provide "science experts" in white lab coats that come on campus. I have not heard from any other parents that VFTs are being utilized in the school, so I am curious to find out. If not, I plan on finding some teachers that I know there who would be willing to provide them to their students

Question #2: Can parents use asynchronous VFTs in their own homes for their children?

These tools are invaluable. I know I have tried to bring my sons to as many local museums, art galleries, animal parks and zoos, and other places of educational value. Without waiting for trips around the country or world, I would love to offer these tours of far away places to my children now. As a parent, I would love to use my projector and put them up on the wall for my family to view. With the budget cuts here in the state of California and around the country, I would think that more and more schools would opt to hold VFTs in the classroom rather than spend the extra money to travel outside of the classroom. Despite the many benefits of students leaving the school site to travel to other sites, the overriding factor in education today is often the cost of programs. VFTs are a great solution. Even if schools are not cutting back on outside traditional VFTs, teachers should be adding them to the instruction. Parents, as well, should be included in these VFTs and be offered the invitation of attending class when they are held. Many parents would, if able, use these VFTs in their own home.