Planning a Virtual Field TripFor Dr. Pastore's Classes
50 points
Planning a Virtual Field Trip
For Dr. Pastore's
Classes
50 points
Raymond S. Pastore, Ph.D.
Bloomsburg
University
Your Mission is to create a Virtual Field Trip!
Internet information is dynamic and sometimes difficult to access from other sources. One of the most amazing and useful features of the Internet is that it provides instant access to current and updated information on specific events. For example, students can make decisions and determine the direction of their learning as they:
instantly access news events as they occur
observe the progress of weather patterns
monitor volcanic or hurricane activity
'live chat" with persons in various positions and professions
exchange email, pictures, and movies with students from around the world
participate in field trips and expeditions from the classroom
view "live cams" from all over the world
monitor stock market activity
dissect a frog online
The purpose of this activity is to help you bring the virtual nature of the Internet to your students through a virtual field trip.
A virtual field trip is a field trip to another environment, whether real or simulated, through the Internet. It is NOT just a visit to some pictures on a web site. Similar to a "live" field trip to a museum or nature center, a virtual field trip engages the student in an experience that one would not normally have in the classroom. The quality of a virtual field trip will very much depend on your creativity as a teacher and willingness to explore the web for appropriate content and web sites.
Most teachers create virtual field trips using any of the numerous virtual field trip sites that are available on the Internet. These sites vary a great deal in quality. Other teachers create their own virtual field trips by taking pictures and/or building a web site.
Some virtual field trip sites are designed to host interactive virtual field trips such as Expeditions Online. Other sites are less oriented towards the viewer, and the teacher must be creative in planning activities.
Don't base your virtual field trip on what is out there but on what your students need to learn. There are literally thousands of web sites dealing with virtual field trips through a wide range of topics! The links below will give you basic information about virtual field trips with many examples.
To find a virtual field trip for a specific topic, you may use the links on this page or you may use a search engine. Choose your TOPIC first, and then find a virtual field trip. Obviously, all topics that you study in the curriculum will not be suitable for virtual field trips.
Remember, the more interactive the virtual field trip site, the more engaged your students will be in your planned activities!
An Outline for Planning a Virtual Field Trip
Following are a list of questions designed to serve as guidelines and as a template for you to plan your virtual field trip. The questions are divided into five areas:
Title
Introduction
Directions
Resources
Summary
You should design this assignment in the same way you did your WebQuest.
Each area should contain information about particular aspects of the virtual field trip and be addressed directly to the students!
Save your virtual field trip as vft.html This file should link from and to your home
page.
TITLE
1. What is the name, grade level, and subject matter of the virtual field trip?
INTRODUCTION
1. What are the goals or objectives of the virtual field trip?
2. What will you do to prepare students for the virtual field trip? How will this coincide with your lessons? What lessons will be taught prior to the field trip?
3. How long (duration in periods and days) is the field trip? Will the field trip be part of the formal class time? How will time be allocated? Will the students complete the trip all at once or through an extended period of time?
4. What are the main questions that the student will answer as a result of the virtual field trip?
DIRECTIONS
1. What are the specific step-by-step activities or procedures that the students will participate in during the virtual field trip? What is the timeline for these activities?
2. Will the students work individually or in groups of 2, 3 or 4? Will the students collaborate? If so, when and how?
3. What will the teacher's role be during the virtual field trip?
RESOURCES
1. What are the names and addresses of all web sites that will be used for the field trip. What are other resources? 3 web sites minimum (use 3-part format)
2. How many computers will be available for this activity? How many students will be at each computer?
3. What supplemental materials or activities will be needed to make the virtual field trip more realistic? Examples of this are:
SUMMARY
1. How will students USE or APPLY the information that they find as a result of going on a virtual field trip?
2. What will your students do as a follow-up to the virtual field trip? What lessons will be taught after the field trip?
3. How will you evaluate the success of the virtual field trip?
4. What are some resources and activities for further study?
LINKS
(These can also be found at
Teacherworld.com
Digital and Virtual Field Trips
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic35.htm
This site offers one stop shopping for all you virtual field trip needs;
purpose, how to, and links.
eduScapes
http://eduscapes.com/sessions/virtual/index.html
Gives options to help explore, use, adapt, and create virtual field trips.
Electronic (Virtual) Field Trips
http://www.pitt.edu/~poole/VirtualFieldTrips.html
A resource which is rich in links to websites whose creators have provided an
exciting opportunity for learners of all ages to virtually experience our
wondrous world.
Expeditions Online
http://www.nationalgeographic
An excellent resource from the National Geographic Society
Fabulous Field Trips
http://www.geocities.com/perkinshome/fieldtrip.html
A hot list of grades school age virtual field trip in one spot.
GALAPAGOS GEOLOGY ON THE WEB
http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/Galapagos.html
This virtual
field trip takes a look at the geology of the Galapagos Islands.
Glencoe Online: Teaching Today
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/33
Discusses purpose and importance of virtual field trips and provides ideas.
Gotta Get out of Class with
Virtual Field Trips
READ
http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech071.shtml
An easy to read online article
from Education World
Go to Madagascar
http://www.greatestplaces.org/book_pages/madagascar2.htm
A virtual field trip to Madagascar
Grand Canyon Explorer
http://www.kaibab.org/grand.htm
This website allows you to explore the Grand Canyon
Guidelines
for Virtual Field Trips
READ
http://surfaquarium.com/IT/vftguide.htm
Excellent guidelines for the do's and don'ts of virtual field trips
Home Sweet HomeSchool
http://home-educate.com/fieldtrip.shtml
This site links users to virtual field trips guiding students around the world
to many continents and historic places.
Homework Spot
http://www.homeworkspot.com/fieldtrip/
An archive of virtual field trips.
Hot list of Virtual Field Trips
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listvirtualgr.html
Need to spice up that old lesson?...check out these great virtual field trips...
Houghton Mifflin: Geology Link
http://college.hmco.com/geology/resources/geologylink/fieldtrips.html
Allows user to select virtual field trips based off of which country and region
they are inquiring about.
Info Today
http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/sep01/stevenson.htm
Helps guide users to discover and create their own virtual field trips.
Internet 4 Classrooms
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/vft.htm
Gives insight and ideas on virtual field trips.
LEARNZ
http://www.learnz.org.nz/
This is an online education program for students in New Zealand state, private
and integrated schools.
Middle School.net
http://www.middleschool.net/curlink/virtual.htm
This is a hot
list of virtual tour and field trips created by teachers for teachers.
NoodleTrip
(for a fee)
http://www.noodletrip.com/
A virtual field trip search engine.
The "OOPS" Virtual Field Trip Page!
http://oops.bizland.com/vtours.htm
This website has many destinations for exotic locations to museums across the
country.
Saskatoon East School Division No. 41
http://sesd.sk.ca/teacherresource/virtualtour/virtualtours.htm
This site lists general resources of virtual field trips as well as online tours
and museums.
Stromboli online- Virtual excursions
http://www.swisseduc.ch/stromboli/virtual-excursions/index-en.html
This site allows you to virtually tour volcanoes around the globe.
The Surfaquarium- Innovative Teaching - Virtual Field
http://www.mathesonline.com/VirtualFieldTrips.html
All kinds of virtual field trips are listed on this site.
The Teachers Guide
http://www.theteachersguide.com/virtualtours.html
Gives virtual tours of exhibits and museums.
Tech Trekers
http://www.techtrekers.com/virtualft.htm
Provides a large list of many possible virtual field trips.
Virtual Dissections, Labs, and Field
Trips
http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/virtual.html
The National Health Museum Resources Center virtual dissections, labs and field
trips that are science related.
Virtual Field Trip
http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/40/field.html#
Offers links to dozens of virtual field trip.
Virtual Field Trips
http://www.virtual-field-trips.com/
This is a great place to start on how to use virtual field trips to enhance the
educational experiences and a list of trips to take.
Virtual Field Trips
http://www.vickiblackwell.com/vft.html
This website is
a resource for the creating, the using and the finding of virtual field trips.
Virtual Field Trips at Tramline
http://www.field-trips.org/vft/index.htm
Match Tramline's virtual field trips that address
National Standards.
Virtual Field Trips
http://www.oswego.org/staff/cchamber/webdesign/virtual_fieldtrips.htm
Virtual field trips to prepare students for actual ones.
Virtual Field Trips
http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/fieldtrips2.htm
Lists categories and subjects of virtual field trips.
Virtually Hawaii
http://satftp.soest.hawaii.edu/space/hawaii/virtual.field.trips.html
Links to a virtual field trips around each of the Hawaiian Islands.
Virtual SchoolHouse
http://www.ibiblio.org/cisco/trips.html
This site has links to several virtual field trips and online museums.
Virtual
Sites
http://www.virtualfreesites.com
Allows you to search for a virtual field trip
Yahoo Travel- Virtual Field Trips
http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/travel/virtual_field_trips
A hot list of virtual field trips from Yahoo.