Journal # 7 NETS 2 & 5

Journal # 7: “The Beginners Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips”

Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37.
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This article is about the option of online distance learning that schools are providing, replacing the typical field trip. In todays world, field trips cost money, a thing schools, and everyone for that matter do not have. Students are missing out on unique learning opportunities to enhance their education. These new virtual field trips have enabled students to do so with out the cost. Two types of field trips are available, interactive and non interactive. The non interactive are websites that include text, audio and visual learning tools. The interactive ones are in real time and give the student the opportunity to interact with others. I believe this article is very informative and opened my eyes to new possibilities for my future classroom. and even for myself!

Can a virtual field trip replace the experience you have in person when you take a regular field trip?
No, not totally, but it is a cost effective option. There are things that you experience in person that cannot truly be felt through a screen. This is a great way to give underprivileged students opportunities to see and experience new things. The downfall is, you must have a computer. Not everyone does. It also can be a bit time savvy. A field trip in real life takes up a whole day, where as a virtual field trip can take up only one class period.

Is it really that easy to get assistance to get started if your school does not have the equipment?
It seems to be easy, but nothing is. Why are more schools not participating if it was so simple? Not many companies are willing to set up the interactive VFT and demo it without payment. It claims to be cost effective but if I were to wish to implement this in my school or classroom, I would need a more detailed cost break down and more information on how to obtain grants to pay for the program, because lets face it, the CA school system just isn’t willing to put out right now.