The Title of the Article is Virtual Field Trips - Why, Where and How To. I found this article off of CNN.com. I picked this article because I was able to click on different links to better understand different places online that could be used as virtual field trips. The article illustrates how virtual field trips are good to reward the students with when they are having good behavior and attitude throughout the classroom. The virtual field trips allow for the curriculum to be switched from the teacher lecturing to the students having hands-on experience through computers. They can see different places in the world through photographs and videos. Students are able to chat with people from that country which allows for them to better understand the difference in cultures. The article has different links that one can visit to get ideas for what places teachers would like for their students to explore. One that popped out in my mind when reading this article is the website to “Galapagos Geology on the Web” which provided information about the Galapagos Islands in a scientific and non-scientific ways. As a child, I always enjoyed learning about the Galapagos islands and think that it would have helped my education to be able to go on a virtual field trip to such a place. This place is not welcoming to many tourists, mainly only scientists. The animals are endangered and the website allows for me to see the different types of animals and plants in this area. The website also allows for me to email some of the scientists that have had the opportunity to go and give me some feedback as to what it is like over there.
I think that virtual field trips are good for students to learn the subject matter more effectively. When searching around on the web and going to different sites, the students will tend to automatically remember what they have seen. When a teacher lectures to them about the material, the students tend to fade and do not realize exactly what they are talking about. Through this type of technology, they can now understand the culture background and the different environments that people are being brought up in. Computers can help students have more hands-on activities with around the world instead of only science. Learning different geographical sites and monuments through different websites will allow them to better understand it rather than just reading about it from the book. Sometimes there are questions the students would like to ask that are not answered in the book and teachers do not always have the answers. Asking the people from that country will allow for answers and more interest from the students.
Students are enabling themselves to get more computer literate when searching the websites for interesting facts about a certain place. They can directly relate their interests when seeing someone who is living in this type of environment and having the opportunity of talking with them. It’s good to reiterate what is learned through a book or a lecture through something hands-on and productive. I had never heard of Virtual Field Trips but I am now excited to be able to share this with my students when I become a teacher.
2 comments:
I agree with your opinion on virtual field trips, I think they are a great way for students to travel to a place they have never been, especially to place such as the Galopagos Islands where tourists aren't allowed to go. Great Job Hayley!
The post was very well put, and the effects of a virtual field trip were touched upon with good significance. Virtual field trips are great sources for students to become familiar with an environment that they have not experienced quite yet. The Islands were a great example of how these trips can be effective for those who have interests in areas that are not within reach immediately, but still want to know the habitat amongst the land. I believe that Hayley's post was well put and her ideas behind the topic were strong.
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