Virtual Class Field Trips

An amazing technology I would like to see implemented into public education is virtual

field trips in classrooms. The point of a field trip is to take your students outside the classroom

and give them hands on learning. For example, when teachers take their classes to the zoo of

course they want the students to have a good time while they are they, but more importantly they

want their students to learn while they are at the zoo. Often times teachers will give lessons on

the different animals at the zoo, and their habitats so when students see the animal at the zoo they

can apply what they have learned. Virtual field trips will allow teachers to take their students a

huge step past the zoo and into outer space if they wanted. According to Leila Meyer in her

journal Students Explore The Earth And Beyond With Virtual Field Trips she states, Virtual

field trips are more high tech, with students experiencing other places on the globe in three-

dimensional virtual reality, exploring outer space or under the ocean and video chatting with

experts in real time (24).

The process of a virtual field trip is not as complex as it may seem. If a teacher wanted

her class to take trip to outer space the teacher would have to get in contact with NASA who

offers a number of virtual field trips. Once NASA gave the okay the teacher would set a date and

time for when his/her class will have time to take the virtual trip. The field trip works as a live

stream, where the class can see the astronauts, and the astronauts can see the class. More than

likely the school already has most of the technology to vacillate the live stream. Often teachers

will have the stream going on their computer and project the streaming onto the projector screen

for a bigger picture. Because it is becoming more and more popular teachers no longer have to

think of their own field trip to take their class to because there are already trips set out for

teachers to take if they are too busy to create their own.

 I believe this will have a huge impact on education because you are able to do so much.

Instead of teachers lecturing hours on planets, or other countries they can actually take their class

there. This make the lesson more engaging for students, and demands the students attention. The

best part is you do not actually have to take your class outside of the classroom. Too often when

classes go on field trips they get too caught up in the having fun part, and not in the educational

lesson that is being offered to them. This will cut down on the distractions, and allow students to

retain the lesson that is being given to them. Another reason I think this is a great add on to the

classroom is because it simply allows teachers to take their students somewhere they would have

never been able too. For example, a Spanish class can actually visit a Spanish speaking country

and be able to not only see how they live, but also be able to talk to them.

Virtual field trips not only affect education in a way of field trips, but also school as a

whole. If a students is sick and cannot be in school for weeks, this can allow the students to be in

class from home. The students will be able to hear and see what is going on in class, and not miss

out on any important information. When I go into deep thought about it I wonder if this

technology will ever replace actually getting up and going to school. Will there ever be a time

where it is just a teacher at home in front of a screen teaching twenty to thirty students who are

also at home in front of their screen.

Overall I believe virtual field trips is the best technology for students because it adds

something to the public schools that is not already there. With so many budget cuts students no

longer take field trips like they should, and miss out on hands on information. Students will no

longer have to learn about the solar system in a book and from lectures because now they can go

there and see it for themselves. Students will also be able to talk to professionals in certain fields

which makes it easier to have special guest speakers in the classroom.

 Citation

Meyer, Leila. Students Explore the Earth and Beyond with Virtual Field Trips. The

Journal. Vol 43, p22-25. 2016. Web

Norris, Emma, et al. "Virtual Field Trips as Physically Active Lessons for Children: A

Pilot Study." BMC Public Health, vol. 15, no. 1, Apr. 2015, pp. 1-9.
Clinical Research; Studies from University of Sydney Add New Findings in the Area of

Clinical Trials and Studies (Virtual Field Trips as Physically Active Lessons for Children:

A Pilot Study)." Health & Medicine Week (2015): 4760. ProQuest. 22 Mar. 2017 .

what TO DO: Students at Willard Elementary School in Ridgewood, New Jersey, took a once-in-

a-lifetime trip under the sea with Jacques Cousteau's grandson, Fabien Cousteau, last spring. The
younger Cousteau re-created his grandfather's legendary adventure by living in the world's only

underwater marine laboratory for a month.

Teacher John Altieri found out about the opportunity to Skype with Cousteau during his mission.

As a result, first-, second-, and fifth-grade students at Willard connected with Cousteau and

learned what it was like to work in the underwater lab. Students even witnessed marine life right

outside the window of the vessel. They had plenty of questions to ask, especially because their

teachers had shared books about Jacques Cousteau.

Altieri says it's possible to connect with experts in all fields, even if they're not Jacques

Cousteau's grandson: "The scientists we've spoken with over Skype are sometimes just as excited

as the kids!" Follow Skype in the Classroom on Twitter (SkypeClassroom) for similar

opportunities.