TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-018-0350-1

ORIGINAL PAPER

Building Digital Literacy Bridges: Connecting Cultures and Promoting

Global Citizenship in Elementary Classrooms through School-Based
Virtual Field Trips
Stacy Delacruz 1

Published online: 29 October 2018

# Association for Educational Communications & Technology 2018

Abstract
Students deepen their content knowledge and collaborative skills as they interact with others across the globe. In order to deepen
early childhood students’ awareness and understanding of the world, teachers worked with their classes to develop and share
school-based virtual field trips. The researcher sought to (a) identify the steps to create a school-based virtual field trip, and (b)
understand how virtual field trips can promote global and/or content understandings. Qualitative results reveal that the steps taken
to create a trip varied by grade. Students were motivated to teach other students about their school and were able to learn about
different cultures. A variety of literacy skills were also utilized in the virtual field trips.

Keywords Virtual field trips . Multiliteracies . Digital literacy . Global education

There is a trend in the changing demographics of international
migration throughout the world. People living in a different
country from where they were born are international migrants.
According to the United Nations (2015), Bthe number of in-
ternational migrants worldwide has continued to grow rapidly
over the past 15 years^ (p. 1). Of those international migrants,
most were of working age, with a median age of 39 years old
(p. 2). Many of these working age immigrants move with their
families, and as a result the demographics of our schools are
changing.
In order to be future productive leaders of our society, our
students need to develop understandings of other cultures and
apply their knowledge to real-world problems. Elementary
educators play a crucial role in laying the foundation for a
child to thrive in an ever-changing, global society. When ed-
ucators promote global citizenship at such an early age, it
helps students understand the connectedness in our world.
The technology that students have access to allows classrooms
to build bridges and engage in conversations with one another
to promote the connectedness of being globally minded citi-
zens in the twenty-first century.
* Stacy Delacruz
stacydelacruz@gmail.com
1 literacies can be attained. While VFTs are well noted in the
Kennesaw State University, 585 Cobb Ave., Kennesaw Hall MD
0121, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
One way to build bridges is through cross-cultural partner-
ships. A literature search of cross-cultural collaboration using
virtual field trips in elementary schools generates limited re-
sults. The benefits of cross-cultural collaboration in elementa-
ry classrooms include; improved language skills, greater
classroom engagement, deeper understandings of issues from
multiple perspectives, and an increased sensitivity to mul-
ticultural differences (Cook et al. 2016; Excell 2016; Reva
2017; Riel 1994). Virtual field trips (VFTs) can be used as a
vehicle for embedding cross-cultural collaboration amongst
schools.
According to Lapp et al. (2012), Bfully functioning in the
21st century requires using new literacies that include the
skills, strategies, and dispositions necessary to adapt to chang-
ing technologies influencing all aspects of life^ (p. 367). As
the medium of message changes, literacy practices also must
reflect this change. As educators, we must advocate for the
nature and attainment of meaningful literacies and embed
these notions into classroom practices. Here, the nature of
meaningful literacy refers to a view which considers literacy
a culturally bound, dynamic, meaning-making practice
(Gover and Englert 1998). This practice leads to a sociocul-
tural view of literacy.
As students and teachers create and utilize school-based
virtual field trips (VFTs) within K-5 classrooms, meaningful
field of education, a gap in the literature does exist. A
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
literature search of school virtual field trips, yields zero
matches to that exact title. The closest equivalent involves
studies related to Google Expeditions (which are pre-made
guided tours).
A number of factors contribute to the limited creation of
school-based VFTs involving the help of students in elemen-
tary classrooms. As Hagood (2012) describes, Bteachers feel
excited and exhausted by the endless possibilities of ever-
changing technologies^ (p. 13). However, some teachers are
at a loss on how to create VFTs that involve their younger
students in the process of making them. What steps can be
taken to create a VFT while involving elementary students in
the process?
Another contributing factor is that platforms such as
ClassFlow (free online platform to host VFTs), iMovie (digital
storytelling software), and 3DVista (imaging software) can be
costly and/or time consuming for teachers to learn.
Elementary students might have difficulty navigating those
platforms as well. So much of the VFT literature relates to
teachers pre-making VFTs, so why is there a need to involve
elementary students in the creation process? Are there benefits
or challenges in doing so?
When students are involved in the creation process they
engage in authentic learning. This process teaches them not
only how to be consumers of media, but producers of media,
as well. The International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) standards released in 2016, were developed
to ensure that learning is a student-driven process of dis-
covery, exploration, and creativity. These standards em-
power students to be producers of content and media. The
notion of students being producers of digital content is also
reflected in the Common Core Standards (http://www.
corestandards.org).
When students generate essential questions (during authen-
tic learning) they can be involved in disciplinary inquiry
through the creation of VFTs. With guidance, digital tools
can be utilized to learn about the world they live in. The
teachers in this study, worked with their classes to develop,
create, and share school-based VFTs in order to deepen stu-
dents’ awareness and understandings of the world. This study
sought to (a) identify the steps teachers take to create a school-
based virtual field trips with their students, noting the benefits
and challenges of creating such field trips with their students,
and (b) understand how virtual field trips can promote global
and/or content understandings among elementary learners,
and cross cultural collaboration with other students.
The following sections will discuss the literature related to
international education, cross-cultural collaboration in
schools, and VFTs. This will be followed by a description
of the Multiliteracies Framework that was used to guide
this project. A description of the study will be next,
followed by the methodology, the data analysis, findings,
and conclusion.
429
International Education
Global education, as defined by the National Council for The
Social Studies (2016), describes strategies for gaining
knowledge of world cultures, understanding the historical,
geographic, economic, political, cultural, and environ-
ment relationships among world regions and peoples, ex-
amining the nature of cultural differences and national or
regional conflicts or problems, and acting to influence
public policy, private behavior on behalf of international
understanding, tolerance, and empathy. A complementary
approach to global education is known as international
education.
BInternational education encompasses studies of specific
areas or regions of the world as well as the in-depth examina-
tion of a single culture or some aspect of that culture, such as
its history, language, literature, religion, political organization,
economic system, or current issues^ (Kist 2013, p. 7). Cross-
cultural studies that use a comparative approach to examine
two or more cultures, also encompasses international
education.
We all want our students to thrive in this increasingly in-
terconnected and interdependent global society. In order to be
future productive leaders of our society, our students need
to develop understandings of other cultures and apply their
knowledge to real-world problems. Elementary teachers
play a crucial role in laying the foundation for this.
Becoming a Bglobally minded citizen^, a term coined by
Backhouse (2005), helps students understand the interde-
pendency of the world and its occupants, and the connec-
tions that exist between all living things (Stoner et al.
2014). It is important to support students to be globally
minded citizens since we live in a world where local and
global affairs intertwine.
Hartman (2015) suggests that global citizens must,
Bdevelop appreciation for common human dignity, empathy,
and the ability to be critically distant from one’s own cul-
ture and traditions^ (p. 74). Supporting global citizenship
doesn’t require a radical shift or transformation of the
curriculum. Instead, teachers need to develop an aware-
ness, leadership, humility, enthusiasm, and of course, a
willingness to support it.
Rather than being isolated individuals at school and work,
our society is connected socially and culturally. Technology
allows classrooms to build bridges and engage in conversation
with one another to promote the connectedness of being a
globally minded citizen. This notion can begin in elementary
school when students can develop knowledge to make their
communities and societies more inclusive and sustainable. A
global learning interchange can occur as teachers implement
multidisciplinary units, authentic project-based activities, and
virtual experiences embedded with international, cross-
cultural collaboration.
430
Cross-Cultural Collaboration in Schools
The term culture, can have many definitions. For the purposes
of this study, I define culture as the totality of ideas, customs,
skills, and arts that belong to a people or group (Dilek 2012).
The culture’s worth is reflected in people’s attitudes to-
wards the culture in which they belong. Each individual
who reacts to the culture he/she lives in, is a creator and
carrier of culture.
Despite these definitions of culture, Bsome people lack
awareness of their own culture or the effects it has on
other people^ (p. 360). Thus, as our children grow up in
an evolving, global society, it is vital for them to under-
stand both their own culture and the culture of others.
Students can use technology to explore the cultures and
environments that each child of them has experienced.
This can also provide them with an opportunity to com-
municate with people in their different countries of origin
(NAEYC, 2012).
Young, elementary-aged students may not have opportuni-
ties to travel abroad and experience different cultures. Luckily,
the Internet has enabled them to participate in cross-cultural
online learning environments with the popularity of sites
such as Skype or Google Hangouts. Networks such as the
International Education and Research Network (iEARN),
Skype in the Classroom (https://education.microsoft.
com/skypeintheclassroom), the Global SchoolNet
(worldwide e-projects and online expeditions), and The
Wonderment (Project paths from around the world) are
great resources for teachers to find classrooms around
the globe with which to connect.
Teachers should consider the platform used for conducting
cross-cultural online activities. BA good platform needs to be
user friendly regardless of students’ cultural background, low-
cost for all participants, easy to manage and maintain from the
standpoints of both instructors and students, and fulfill the
needs of the teaching and learning requirements^ (Wang
2012, p. 63).
Although resources, platforms, and collaborative projects
for elementary students exist, the literature on the topic of
cross-cultural collaboration in elementary schools is slim.
Larson and Dwyer (2015) conducted a study in Dublin,
Ireland and Kansas, United States in which sixth-grade
students engaged in online literature circles. The results
of their study indicated that students were Bseamlessly
constructing a community culture, identity, and affinity
space^ (Dwyer 2016, p. 132). These students conversed
about issues related to their cultures, religions, personal
topics, and the education systems in their respective coun-
tries. Findings from this study indicated that students built
a community of inquiry that was inspired by multiple di-
verse perspectives across cultures and geographical
boundaries.
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
Virtual Field Trips
In recent years, multimedia presentations known as virtual
field trips (VFTs) have gained popularity. A Google Scholar
search for VFTs provides results for about 2000 entries.
Meyer (2016) defined a VFT as an Bopportunity for students
to visit other places, talk to experts and participate in interac-
tive learning activities without leaving the classroom^ (p. 23).
Furthermore, Granshaw and Duggan-Haas (2012) stated that
VFTs provide students with a journey without having to actu-
ally make the trip to locations that are impractical to physically
visit.
There are numerous benefits for taking a VFT compared to
a traditional field trip. First of all, VFTs break through some of
the barriers that may make traditional field trips difficult or
impossible to take. Some field trip sites are unsafe, not prac-
tical, or not economically possible. For instance, liability and
safety concerns may arise if a teacher wants to take a class trip
to a site such as the Amazon Rainforest. However, it could be
more feasible if done as a VFT. If a classroom was studying
about the Earth, and learning more about the equator, prime
meridian and zones studied from a globe and a map, a field trip
to the equator would enhance this experience. However, it
may not be economically possible to visit the Cuidad Mitad
del Mundo (the middle of the world, found on the equator) in
Ecuador, therefore taking a VFT of this site makes sense.
Although VFTs are popular, Bthere are few empirical stud-
ies of their impacts on student outcomes^ (Adedokun et al.
2015, p. 91). In one case study that involved preservice
teachers using VFTs with elementary students in the U.S.
and abroad, the results indicated that preservice teachers saw
curricular and learning benefits. One such finding showed the
expansion of cultural understanding through global exposure
(Delacruz and Shaheen 2014). First-graders in South America
learned about plants native in the Southeastern United States,
and how they are different from the plants they encounter. It
motivated them to want to build a VFT related to plants in
their part of the world.
These findings were similar to a geoscience VFT discussed
in another study. Results from this study suggest that a VFT is
a viable method for making instruction engaging and enjoy-
able, resulting in greater motivation to learn the content
(Bursztyn et al. 2015).
Pre-made types of VFTs already exist or teacher-made
VFTs can be created. Table 1 shows a list of pre-developed
trips. While using a pre-made VFT can be time saving, it
might still be a challenge for an educator to locate a VFT that
is customized for their students and the educational goals
teachers want to meet. This is why educators are opting to
create their own VFTs that are specifically tailored to their
curriculum.
Despite the benefits and popularity of VFTs, there is a gap
in the literature regarding creating and utilizing VFTs in the
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439 431

Table 1 Pre-developed Virtual

Field Trips Website Address Content Covered Appropriate
Grade Levels

http://googletreks.org -Science, math, social studies, Primary Grade-

https://education.microsoft.com/
skypeintheclassroom
http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/trip.html
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
b40052d2-202a-4fee-bf6f-5e63f91e9936/
b40052d2-202a-4fee-bf6f-5e63f91e9936/
http://www.earlychildhoodeducationzone.
com/virtual-field-trips/
language arts, art, music, and High School
physical education topics
are addressed.
-Enabled by Web 2.0 tools,
GoogleTreks allows students to
synthesize information in one easy-to-use
map that places additional information in
one central location.
-Connect with classrooms around Preschool-High
the world. School
-You can also find, view, or
host VFTs within science,
social studies, math, literacy,
the arts, and physical education
-Art, history, science, museums Preschool-
Grade 5
-Construction site, hardware Preschool-
store, recycling, bank and Grade 3
money, and baking and
measurements
-Virtual tours of historic places Grades 4-12
around the globe (The Louvre,
The White House, etc.)

elementary classroom. Most references made to VFTs in re- Theoretical Framework

search are content based in high school or college science
(Adedokun et al. 2015; Lei 2015; Meyer 2016). Young peo-
ple are becoming technologically aware as they take advan-
tage of learning apps, electronic games, and attempt to locate
information. While technology access varies greatly accord-
ing to geographic location and socio-economic status, re-
search does show that Bdeveloping countries’ response to
technology utilization and implementation has been steadily
on the rise^ (Edutech 2012). Since students tend to be en-
gaged in literacy learning when they are able to use devices
such as laptops or tablets (Sessions et al. 2016), it seems
fitting that teachers can challenge them to help create VFTs,
using such devices. It all begins with the content and story
they wish to communicate.
As Moore and Derman-Sparks (2003) contended,
BStorytelling is a lively way to capture a child’s curiosity
about others and it is a wonderful way to invite people from
other cultures into your classroom^ (p. 5). Storytelling is
evolving in the current time through emerging technologies.
Digital stories are popular in today’s elementary classrooms
and can be used as a tool to embed into school-based VFTs, to
tell a school’s Bstory^.
Leu et al. (2013) proposed a dual level theory of new liter-
acies. This study utilizes the theory of lowercase new liter-
acies. This theory explores the new literacies of multimodal
reading and new technologies (Karchmer-Klein and Shinas
2012; Serafini 2012).
Within the last two decades, multiliteracies Bhave emerged as
a result of new communications and an increasingly global
culture in which cultural and linguistic diversity is more and
more the norm^ (Provenzo 2011, p. 10). These multiliteracies
were examined in this study. A pedagogical framework de-
scribing four interrelated dimensions in multiliteracies was
developed based on the Children of the New Millennium pro-
ject (Hill 2004). The Multiliteracies Map Framework, as
shown in Fig. 1, was utilized in this study.
As the framework shows, there are four interrelated dimen-
sions of multiliteracies. The functional dimension relates to
technical competence and ‘how-to’ knowledge. The meaning
maker dimension focuses on the purpose and the form of text
to make meaning. Within the critical analyser dimension, stu-
dents critically select appropriate technology for a task. They
also understand that what is told in a story and studied is
selective. Finally, the transformer dimension involves learners
using what has been learned in new ways and situations.
Within this study, teachers and students were functional
users as they selected and used equipment and moved between
mediums to create VFTs. The various classrooms thought
about the purpose of the text and connected prior knowledge
as they viewed other VFTs. Students had to make critical
decisions about the type of technologies they used, but they
also engaged in critical discussions as they compared and
contrasted their school to another. Teacher and students were
432 TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439

Fig. 1 Multiliteracies Map

Framework. Note: Retrieved
from: Hill (2005). Multiliteracies
and the early years: Evaluation of
mapping multiliteracies. A pro-
fessional learning resource.
Reprinted with permission

transformers and they implemented what was learned through the participants and they are able to tell their stories and describe
VFTs into other aspects of the curriculum. their views of the reality, when a case study approach is used.
Having considered the rationale and framework for creat-
ing and implementing VFTs in the classroom, we now turn to
Participants
the content and structure. Previous VFTs were created by the
author’s undergraduate teacher candidates in literacy methods
Convenience sampling was used to select participants across
classes. These VFTs were based on content areas, standards,
the globe. Three teachers were recruited through the social
and topics such as weather, community helpers, The Civil
media platforms of Twitter and Facebook. The three partici-
War, the economy, and the parts of a plant. Teacher candidates
pants came from Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Ohio, USA. The
spent 10 weeks interviewing, filming, and organizing their
teachers abroad were completing student teaching, while the
VFT and used the platform of Glogster EDU for storage.
Ohio teacher was in her ninth year of teaching.
They interviewed Bexperts^ and Bmuseum curators^ and
The preservice teachers in Ecuador and Costa Rica had
shared parts of a place related to the content area they were
little technology experience. They had not taken any specific
teaching. Interactive websites, literacy activities, and related
course related to instructional technology within their under-
books were also shared on the VFT. A student friendly guide
graduate program. The preservice teacher in Costa Rica did
also accompanied the VFT in order for them to be shared with
have experience using MovieMaker and iMovie while in-
teachers across the country.
volved in a previous field placement. The preservice teacher
In Fall of 2014, based on feedback from audience partici-
in Ecuador had no prior experience with digital storytelling
pants at national conferences suggesting the use of real stu-
software. Both teachers learned the history behind each of
dents in schools across the world, this study was formed. The
their schools abroad through the development of the VFT.
author held time at the conclusion of her presentations to
An introductory letter (see Appendix A) was sent to each
brainstorm future research ideas with our session participants.
teacher at the start of the study. This letter introduced the
These participants discussed the idea of creating VFTs to learn
teachers to the previous VFT study and provided them with
about other cultures. Many of the audience participants were
helpful organizational tips and ideas as they created their own.
excited of the prospect of students creating VFTs to exchange
This letter was meant to provide assistance, but the teachers
and learn about other students in different parts of the world.
were free to be creative with their own ideas.

Method
The case study method was selected in a desire to derive an in-
depth understanding of the case, set within real-world contexts.
Yin (2003) based the case study approach on a constructivist
paradigm. As Searle (1995) contends, constructivism involves
social reality. The researcher can better understand the actions of
Data Collection
Over a 5-month period in 2015, data was collected in the form
of VFT artifacts and Skype interview sessions with teachers.
The researcher used semi-structured interviews and checklists
during the Skype sessions with each teacher. Rubin and Rubin
(2005) posits that a semi-structured interview Ballows depth to
be achieved by providing the opportunity on the part of the
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439 433

interviewer to probe and expand the interviewee’s responses^

(p. 88). Additionally, checklists were used to ensure the re-
search questions were discussed. The interviews were 1 hour
in length and were audio recorded and transcribed.

Data Analysis

Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently. The inter-

views were conducted at the conclusion of the study via
Skype. They were recorded and transcribed. This study imple-
mented three facets of data analysis including, data condensa-
tion, designing displays, and drawing and verifying conclu-
sions (Miles et al. 2014). First the researcher simplified the
interview transcripts through shorthand codes, then a matrix
was formed that displayed the various categories/themes of
information gained, and finally conclusions drawn from the
study underwent member checks. These conclusions were
verified by the participants to ensure accuracy and trustwor-
thiness of the findings. The common themes included: VFTs Fig. 3 Kindergarten VFT from Ecuador
take 2 weeks to create; VFT creation depends on technology-
readiness level; VFTs support reading, writing, speaking, and classroom utilized VFTs to promote their global and/or con-
listening; VFTs are authentic ways of learning about cultures. tent understandings.
A content analysis approach was used to examine the VFT
artifacts. Patterns and themes were sought from the VFTs in
Ecuador VFT in Kindergarten
regard to the framework in this study and to address the first
research question.
A student teacher in Ecuador created a VFT with her kinder-
garten classroom. She was placed at an international school
where instruction occurred mostly in English. Her class
Results consisted of 16 English Language Learners, all of whom were
from Ecuador and were native Spanish speakers.
Three VFTs are profiled here based on the country/grade The student teacher scaffolded the process of creating a
levels of the classrooms. Within each classroom, the steps to VFT with her students. First, she posed the question BWhat
create a school-based VFT are highlighted. After each descrip- would you want other students at another school to know
tion is a discussion of how the students in that particular about your school, classroom, and yourselves?^ They started
434
to make a list of things (using Padlet) they wanted other kids
to know (Fig. 2). Once the list was made, the teacher snapped
specific pictures (of what they had referred to) throughout the
classroom and school.
Before she began to organize the pictures into a digital
movie, she showed the kindergartners a VFT from Costa
Rican students. She purposefully showed it at this point be-
cause she wanted students to get an idea of what the final
product would look like. However, she chose not to show it
at the very beginning of the project because she did not want
to stifle their own ideas and creativity as they decided what to
include in the project.
Next, she organized the pictures using the app, Little Bird
Tales on the iPad, as shown on Fig. 3. Students could create
artwork or upload pictures to each page in Little Bird Tales.
Then, they added text and recorded their voice to each page.
Finally, the final project was emailed and shared with others.
Little Bird Tales website says they commit to protecting chil-
dren’s privacy. This app does not knowingly collect any per-
sonally identifiable information on the platform from persons
under 13 years of age (www.littlebirdtales.com).
With relation to the second research question regarding
how VFTs can promote global and/or content understandings,
the students in Ecuador made many connections. They noted
similarities in the climate, language, food, and uniforms that
the students presented in the Costa Rica VFT. They noticed
differences among the architecture of the school, the places of
the school, and interests of the children.
They also re-affirmed their thinking as they discussed the
language. Although the Spanish language was a commonality
for both Ecuador and Costa Rica, there was a bit of variation of
Fig. 4 VFT brainstorming web
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
the Spanish dialects used in each country. The teacher noted,
BThe kindergarteners noticed that in Costa Rican Spanish the
children used usted in addressing others.^ They said, BThose
children are saying it wrong! It should be tu or vos^. This
prompted the discussion on how there can be different variations
in the same language. The teacher reflected, BThe fact that my
children experienced this firsthand, by hearing other students in
another country, is something that will stick with them. It’s not
like they read it in a book and will forget about it^.
Students practiced oral reading and fluency during this
VFT project. The teacher stated that she asked the students
what they wanted to say about each picture, while she typed it
out. The kindergarteners would have to read it back so she
could record their voices, so students practiced reading their
Blines^ beforehand to build fluency. English Language
Learners who were not as proficient in speaking tended to
have shorter lines to read.
Overall, the student teacher commented, BI think school-
based virtual field trips are great ways for students to learn
about different aspects of the world without leaving your
classroom. There are so many different technology platforms
out there that can be used to create a VFT from a Powerpoint
to a Glogster, and it caters to all different ages. I will definitely
be using VFTs in my future classroom!^ (student teacher,
personal communication, May 2015).
Ohio VFT in Second Grade
A second grade teacher in Ohio created a VFT with her class. She
was in her ninth year of teaching at a Title I school, which was
located in suburban area. Most of her 19 students were from the
area with the exception of two English Language Learners.
This teacher used the VFT from Costa Rica as a model to
her class. She then gave her students a Brainstorming Web, as
shown in Fig. 4. The students were excited because prior to
Fig. 5 Custodian interview questions
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
Fig. 6 VFT Glogster
the VFT, her students had completed an author study about
Mike Thaler and the Black Lagoon series. This series of books
highlights various faculty and staff within the school called,
Black Lagoon. So the Ohio students were making connections
to the different staff members at their school, while thinking of
text-to-text connections. Students worked independently to
brainstorm different rooms, teachers, activities, and programs.
The class came back together and completed shared writing to
complete the web. They organized their information by cate-
gory. Any additional concepts associated with those categories
were then extended upon. For example, students mentioned
that they went to the clinic, and other schools may not have a
clinic they could go to when they were hurt. The clinic was
inside the main office, so the teacher added an extension bub-
ble to office on the web.
One of the pertinent issues they were facing was the
fact that they would be getting a new school. This would
be their last year in the old school before it was
demolished and a new school would be build in its place.
So within the brainstorming web, they were sure to add
this as a fact they wanted to cover. This conversation
about how they would address the new school in the
VFT led to questions of the history of their current school
and the town. As students began researching the informa-
tion, one pair worked on finding maps and historical in-
formation on their town.
The students were paired by mixed ability. Names were
labeled on the web to show which partnership would inter-
view the staff members. Students went through the writing
process as they developed a set of interview questions, as
Fig. 5 shows.
Some of the interview questions that students asked includ-
ed; What is your favorite thing about our school? How do you
help our school? What makes our school unique? How long
have you been a principal? What is it like being the principal
of our school? The student teacher then took each pair around
to meet with the administrators and faculty/staff members for
435
their interview. She video recorded each interview. All video
clips were collected and reviewed by each partnership. Some
groups required additional Btakes^.
After all the videos were complete, the entire project,
shown in Fig. 6, was organized onto a Glogster page (http://
edu.glogster.com). This Web 2.0 tool allows you to create
interactive, online posters that combine text, audio, video,
hyperlinks, images, and attachments and share these
electronically, with others.
As the Ohio students viewed the other schools’ VFTs they
made connections to geography, maps, weather, clothing, and
culture. These conversations generated additional questions
that the students wrote down to ask the students.
Reading, writing, and speaking skills were also practiced
with the VFT project. Students had to complete individual
writing on the initial web, then they worked in pairs and took
turns writing information/questions about the area of the
school with which they became experts. Word study was nat-
urally embedded during all writing activities as the teacher
helped students make connections with word patterns they
had been studying. Also, students had to read their questions
during the interview, which integrated speaking skills.
Overall, the teacher commented that she would love the
opportunity to create another VFT, now that she has an idea
Fig. 7 Costa Rica VFT food clip
436
Fig. 8 Costa Rica VFT climate clip
of how the process works and now that the brand new school
has more technology available, as well.
Costa Rican VFT in Fourth Grade
A student teacher worked with her twenty-three students in
Costa Rica for a 20-min period before lunch for about 2 weeks
to create their VFT. She was placed at an international school
where instruction occurred mostly in English.
After describing the project to her students, the student
teacher let the students work in groups of six to brainstorm.
The students shared several items/locations they thought were
important to share about their school and the student teacher
wrote them on the whiteboard. After getting all the locations
and ideas they wanted to include, she drew table numbers
(with 3–4 students each) and let each group select what they
wanted to work on.
Following the assigning of the areas/ locations, the student
teacher helped the students write their scripts. They did this as
part of their writing workshop, and the teacher would circulate
around the room to confer with groups. Soon after the writing
process was complete, they started filming. Many students did
voice overs due to the poor sound quality when trying to
record, so those students were allowed to go around the school
and take the pictures they needed on their personal iPad. They
then sent the pictures to the student teacher’s iPad where the
video was kept, using iMovie.
Again, it was during the conferring time in writing work-
shop, when the student teacher worked with small groups and
did their voiceovers. During this time, other students went and
took pictures, while others practiced reading their scripts,
while some groups filmed speaking parts with the collaborat-
ing teacher. To make the process go more quickly, the student
teacher put all of the clips, pictures, and videos together to
form the final video. VFTs food and climate clips are shown
in Figs. 7 and 8.
With relation to how VFTs promoted global and/or content
understandings of students in Costa Rica, the teacher men-
tioned how history understandings were gained as a result of
this project. BThe students actually had to do a good bit of
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
research regarding different academic areas related to the
school. For instance, one group was responsible for talking
about the location and history. They discovered facts not orig-
inally known to them, and others learned these facts when we
played the virtual field trip.^ (student teacher, personal com-
munication, May 2016).
The Costa Rica students were intrigued by the Ohio VFT.
They noted similarities and differences amongst the town in
Ohio and their city in Costa Rica. Climate was another topic of
discussion. Although the students in the Ohio VFT mentioned
the wind and rain, the Costa Rican students inferred that it
must be cold there too, as the students wore heavy winter coats
outside. This prompted science connections as the students
had been studying plants and animals, and therefore the teach-
er integrated the content as students compared and contrasted
the plants and animals they might see in Ohio compared to
Costa Rica.
Students worked on collaboration skills and the writing
process as they worked together to write scripts to help pre-
pare them for their segment. This coincided with minilessons
in writing related to writing complete sentences and editing
their work.
The student teacher mentioned, BAfter creating this field
trip, I would create another one. It got the students excited in
technology, excited to show off their school, and they were
excited to learn about other schools around the world. I loved
the suggestions given about what to include, that really helped
guide me throughout the making of this virtual field trip.^
(Student teacher, personal communication, May 2015).
Discussion
In this discussion, I connect the results of the study back to the
research questions and theoretical framework. The purposes
of this study were to identify the steps teachers take to create a
school-based virtual field trips with their students, noting the
benefits and challenges of creating such field trips with their
students, and (b) understand how virtual field trips can pro-
mote global and/or content understandings among elementary
learners, and cross cultural collaboration with other students.
With relation to the steps and tools teachers used to create
school-based VFTs with their students, it is noted that they
used different platforms. New literacies were implemented as
classes organized VFTs on varying platforms and included
Web 2.0 tools and technology. Some teachers utilized
Glogster EDU, while others used Wikispaces. VFT clips were
made in iMovie, Little Bird Tales, or on the video function on
the iPad.
New literacies can also be multimodal and invoke
multiliteracies. These principles of new literacies provide the
framework for analyzing the VFTs that teachers created and
implemented. There are modalities of meaning within new
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
literacies that include written language, oral language, visual
representation, audio representation, gestural representation,
and spatial representation (Kress 2003). VFTs also explore
issues of multimodality as readers Battend to visual images,
structures, and design elements in addition to written
language^ (Serafini 2012, p. 27).
Within the Multiliteracies Map Framework, VFTs integrat-
ed all four dimensions as students created and viewed others.
They were functional users and critical analysers as students
moved between mediums and utilized cameras, videos, Web
2.0 tools, iPads, and other devices. Students were meaning
makers as they connected to previous knowledge regarding
these tools, devices, and the content being discussed in other
VFTs. Finally, they were transformers as they produced new
text using Glogster, iMovie, and Little Bird Tales.
Each of the three teachers identified the steps in which
school-based VFTs were created. However, the technology
readiness of the learners and time constraints played roles in
these steps. These differences highlight challenges in the time
and technology needed to create a VFT. As the Costa Rican
student teacher noted, BIf I could have figured out a way, the
students could have edited and put the virtual field trip togeth-
er in the end, because they enjoy iMovie so much. However,
due to time, and the fact that it was on my iPad, it was just
easiest for me to put the movie together.^ (student teacher,
personal communication, May 2015).
Teachers first posed the question, BWhat would students in
other parts of the country/world want to know about our
school?^ From there, the teachers led their students in the brain-
storming piece of the VFT. The kindergarten teacher used Padlet
to record her students’ thoughts on places or people that
they might want to include in their VFT, whereas the second
grade teacher used interactive writing and a topic web to list
her students’ thoughts. Once the brainstorming was com-
plete, teachers paired the students up to work with partners
to develop interview questions or sentences to match the
people or places around the school. With the assistance of
a classroom helper, the students took pictures or video re-
corded their interviews with experts around their school.
The teachers then either worked alone or worked with the
students to edit and compile the video segments into one dig-
ital story or to post separate, shorter clips on www.Glogster.
edu. These digital stories or Glogster links were then shared
with teachers in different countries. Teachers can utilize
Twitter or the Global Education Network to find global
collaborators. The teachers in this study then shared the
global and content understandings their students learned as a
result of utilizing the VFT with the researcher.
Students in all three classrooms became partners in learn-
ing as they created parts of the VFT that could teach the other
partners about their countries and communities. Also evident
in teacher interviews was that students took into consideration
the language proficiency of students in other countries. For
437
instance, the Ohio students were cognizant that students in
Ecuador and Costa Rica might be English Language
Learners so as they reviewed their video clips, they made sure
they spoke clear and did not talk too fast. Similarly in Ecuador,
students made sure to explain any new vocabulary words that
were ‘native’ to their country.
The VFTs promoted global understandings as students
made comments on how geography influenced the culture,
interests, and choices of individuals. Students in Costa Rica
noticed how Ecuador was similar in terms of eco-tourism and
appealing climates. However, many Costa Rican students did
not know the Ecuadorian coast rushes up to snow-capped
volcanoes then falls away to hot Amazon jungle. Even on
the highest mountain of Costa Rica, it does not snow. Costa
Rican students noted that the Ecuadorian woman’s dress re-
sembled Incan costumes worn in the Andes. The class
discussed how this type of dress was influenced by the geog-
raphy of the country.
VFTs also promoted content understandings. For example,
the students in Ohio noticed that Costa Rica was much smaller
than the United States and that is had around 200 volcanoes.
The Ohio students learned how students prepare for volcanic
eruptions and earthquake drills. They also discovered how the
Costa Ricans utilize Geothermal energy and underground
steam to produce electricity. This helped students understand
why some people live near volcanoes. Weathering, erosion,
and volcanoes were content standards that needed to be cov-
ered in the Ohio classroom, and this collaboration made the
topic of volcanoes, much more authentic to students.
This study also illustrated ways new literacies can be uti-
lized. As the Ohio teacher commented, BI was excited to sup-
port my students in the creation of the VFT. It integrated many
new literacies in a natural, authentic way. I learned from my
students throughout the process.^ (teacher, personal commu-
nication, May 2015). The second graders taught her compo-
nents of MovieMaker that she was unaware of. Her students
did authentic reading and writing as they wrote interview
questions and practiced reading aloud to the camera.
Conclusion and Recommendations
In this article, I have presented three cases, which illustrate how
teachers can organize, create, and share school-based VFTs
with their students and with others. School-based VFTs help
students see that their work matters and is worth sharing. It
makes learning real when they share with other audiences.
I recommended that a timeline be used to plan out and
organize the creation of the VFT. Most teachers said it took
at least 2 weeks to complete the finished product. It is also
important for teachers to consider their resources. Students
may be more hands-on with the project if they are able to have
their own device, however teachers must consider the
438
technology access, readiness, and levels of the class. There is a
preconceived notion that because young children are Bdigital
natives^, they might be more tech-savvy than their teachers.
BSchool-age students may be fluent in using entertainment or
communication technologies, but they need guidance to learn
how to use these technologies to solve sophisticated thinking
problems^ (Schaffhauser 2014). Some students might be able
and willing to work individually, while others may work better
in partnerships or groups.
School-based VFTs enable learners to experience distant
places and schools without leaving the classroom. VFTs such
as these can take learning to a new level as students create them
for meaningful purposes. Student-developed VFTs can help
scaffold students’ understanding and exploration of topics as
they gain literacy and problem solving skills on the journey.
Together, classrooms from around the world can cross digital
literacy bridges through the implementation of VFTs.
Acknowledgments The author would like to thank Ms. Hannah Ko, Mrs.
Rachel Emans, and Ms. Amanda Podgurski for their participation in this
global collaborative project.
Compliance with Ethical Standards
Ethical Approval All procedures performed in studies involving human
participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institu-
tional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its
later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by
the authors.
Informed Consent Informed consent was obtained from all individual
participants included in the study.
Conflict of Interest The author declares that she has no conflict of
interest.
Introduction Letter to Educators
Dear Educator,
Thank you for being a part of this project! I’ve been
researching and creating virtual field trips with my undergrad-
uate teacher education candidates (in grades K-5) for the past
5 years now. Our focus has been on building virtual field trips
based on Common Core standards in science and social stud-
ies. The preservice teachers matched field trip sites to the
standards and created virtual field trips housed on Glogster. I
had the opportunity to present with these preservice teachers
at varous national and international educational conferences.
At many of the educational conferences I presented at, the
audience members wanted to know where the virtual field
trips are for various places around the globe. This led me to
my current study.
The research questions for this study are as follows: What
are the steps teachers take to create a school-based virtual field
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
trips with their students? What are the benefits and challenges
of creating such field trips with their students? How do virtual
field trips promote global and/or content understandings
among elementary learners, and cross cultural collaboration
with other students?
With this study, I’m looking for classrooms who would
collaborate with me as I support and mentor them through
creating a virtual field trip. There are no incentives for partic-
ipating, however these classrooms would have access to other
school-based VFTs and if I find enough participants, class-
rooms could also collaborate in other forms (Skype buddies,
pen pals, etc.).
The first thing you will need to do is sign the teacher con-
sent form to participate in this study. Then you will need to
send the student consent forms home for parents to sign.
Please collect these within a suitable time frame. I will send
you a self-addressed stamped envelope to organize all these
forms and mail back to me. Additionally, please keep track of
who is able to participate in this study.
Once you know which children are able to participate,
I would like for you to create one video (or a few dif-
ferent video clips) with each video ranging between 3
and 10 min. The video should be titled, BThis is our
school! Followed by your city and state^. You can be
as creative as you want, and your kids could narrate
the video throughout. Perhaps your students could
prewrite and draft the script and parts of the school they
would like to show off. It would be great to show the
outside of your school, the library, perhaps a cafeteria
tray with food on it, some of the books they read or
projects they have done, what the climate/weather is like
throughout the school year, a picture of the plants out-
side your school, and of course I would love for them to
show you, the teacher!^ What I would really like for
everyone to get out of this is the uniqueness of your
school, city, state, country.
Additionally, I’d like for you to send me pictures of unique
places/artifacts of your city. For example, Atlanta once hosted
the Olympics, so I might take a picture of the Olympic Bridge
by Turner Field. Columbus, Ohio is known for their buckeye
trees and of course, the Ohio State Buckeye teams so perhaps
a teacher there would take a picture of a buckeye seed. So
if your city boosts unique places, foods, or things that
make it different from any other city, please include pic-
tures of that.
Once the virtual field trip is completed, I would like to
collect it, and I would like to conduct a Skype interview with
you regarding the process you used to create the VFT with
your class and what your class learned about others by view-
ing at least one other one from this study.
Thank you for your time and for your assistance with this
project! We’ll definitely have some amazing global resources
to use as a result of this!
TechTrends (2019) 63:428–439
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