What is a Virtual Field Trip?
Virtual Field Trips offer many affordances to classroom teachers. Teachers are able to connect with experts both locally and globally, engage with multiple viewpoints by investigating varied perspectives on an issue, and conserve money, time, and energy by using technology to mediate the field trip (Caliskan, 2011; Lukes,2014; Zanetis, 2010). Additionally, VFTs can encourage conversation and collaboration that connect students to broader ideas and contexts (Robinson, 2009, p.14).
Virtual field trips can be designed as fact-finding missions, giving opportunities for students to apply concepts or explore a primary information source. The term virtual field trip (VFT) encompass a wide variety of learning experiences that are "conducted virtually, over the internet and/or videoconferencing equipment, so that students can learn directly from experts in far-flung places without ever having to leave their classrooms" (Zanetis, 2010, p. 20). VFTs in the science classroom can include touring sites and museums, witnessing scientific experiments, watching live demonstrations, attending events and speaking directly with scientific experts (Zanetis, 2010, p. 20).
VFTs can be interactive, synchronous or asynchronous depending on the purpose of the experience. Inquiry is an essential element of science learning and different types of VFTs can support modelled, guided and independent student inquiry (Lukes, 2014). VFTs carry some affordances over traditional field trips such as allowing students to revisit a site multiple times and giving teachers the opportunity to design field experiences that are tailored to specific needs. VFTs also allow for students to visit places and meet people that would be impossible without the use of technology.
What types of virtual field trips are there?
Teacher created:
Teachers may choose to create their own virtual field trip if they cannot find the exact field trip they are looking for or do not have access to the technology required to support pre-designed VFTs. A well-planned VFT using PowerPoint with embedded links and images for students to explore in a guided-inquiry can be a very effective and low-tech learning experience (Lukes, 2014). For an example of teacher created VFTs visit EduScapes for lesson ideas.
Student created:
Having students create their own virtual field trip is a powerful learning experiencing that requires transfer and application of knowledge. After students have had experiences with VFTs, having them create their own is an excellent way to encourage students to apply and extend their knowledge of scientific concepts as well as develop technology skills (Lukes, 2014).
Connecting with field experts:
Technology can be used to bring experts into the classroom and allow students to interact with people that would be impossible otherwise. Many "talented educators from across the globe are willing to share their organizations' resources in an engaging and personal way" through VFTs (Zanetis, 2010, p. 20). Being able to hear, view, and interact with scientific experts is an engaging and powerful learning opportunity for students. Some organizations offer interviews free of charge, while others charge a fee. Boss (2013) encourages teachers to be persistent and use platforms such as SkypeClassroom and Twitter to find experts and organize interviews.
Pre-designed virtual field experiences:
Hundreds of museums, science centres, historical sites and similar organizations offer interactive VFTs for schools (Zanetis, 2010, p.20). Conceptual knowledge transfer is an essential part of scientific learning and is supported by being taught a subject in multiple contexts that encourage the flexible transfer of knowledge (Brandsford, Brown and Cocking, 2002). Pre-designed VFTs give teachers another way to encourage students to transfer their understanding to a new context, providing valuable assessment opportunities and helping teachers identify common misconceptions.
Virtual field trips can be designed as fact-finding missions, giving opportunities for students to apply concepts or explore a primary information source. The term virtual field trip (VFT) encompass a wide variety of learning experiences that are "conducted virtually, over the internet and/or videoconferencing equipment, so that students can learn directly from experts in far-flung places without ever having to leave their classrooms" (Zanetis, 2010, p. 20). VFTs in the science classroom can include touring sites and museums, witnessing scientific experiments, watching live demonstrations, attending events and speaking directly with scientific experts (Zanetis, 2010, p. 20).
VFTs can be interactive, synchronous or asynchronous depending on the purpose of the experience. Inquiry is an essential element of science learning and different types of VFTs can support modelled, guided and independent student inquiry (Lukes, 2014). VFTs carry some affordances over traditional field trips such as allowing students to revisit a site multiple times and giving teachers the opportunity to design field experiences that are tailored to specific needs. VFTs also allow for students to visit places and meet people that would be impossible without the use of technology.
What types of virtual field trips are there?
Teacher created:
Teachers may choose to create their own virtual field trip if they cannot find the exact field trip they are looking for or do not have access to the technology required to support pre-designed VFTs. A well-planned VFT using PowerPoint with embedded links and images for students to explore in a guided-inquiry can be a very effective and low-tech learning experience (Lukes, 2014). For an example of teacher created VFTs visit EduScapes for lesson ideas.
Student created:
Having students create their own virtual field trip is a powerful learning experiencing that requires transfer and application of knowledge. After students have had experiences with VFTs, having them create their own is an excellent way to encourage students to apply and extend their knowledge of scientific concepts as well as develop technology skills (Lukes, 2014).
Connecting with field experts:
Technology can be used to bring experts into the classroom and allow students to interact with people that would be impossible otherwise. Many "talented educators from across the globe are willing to share their organizations' resources in an engaging and personal way" through VFTs (Zanetis, 2010, p. 20). Being able to hear, view, and interact with scientific experts is an engaging and powerful learning opportunity for students. Some organizations offer interviews free of charge, while others charge a fee. Boss (2013) encourages teachers to be persistent and use platforms such as SkypeClassroom and Twitter to find experts and organize interviews.
Pre-designed virtual field experiences:
Hundreds of museums, science centres, historical sites and similar organizations offer interactive VFTs for schools (Zanetis, 2010, p.20). Conceptual knowledge transfer is an essential part of scientific learning and is supported by being taught a subject in multiple contexts that encourage the flexible transfer of knowledge (Brandsford, Brown and Cocking, 2002). Pre-designed VFTs give teachers another way to encourage students to transfer their understanding to a new context, providing valuable assessment opportunities and helping teachers identify common misconceptions.