Beyond the Classroom Walls – Virtual Field Trips

Vol. 3 No. 3

Year: 2008

Issue: Dec-Feb

Title: Beyond the Classroom Walls – Virtual Field Trips 

Author Name: Mary Jo Pierantozzi M.S. 

Synopsis: 

There is no doubt that children enjoy field trips. They enjoy the opportunity to explore new places, gaze upon new images and artefacts, and learn about different people, places, and things. Unfortunately, due to financial cutbacks or concerns about security and safety, many children are no longer able to enjoy these adventures. What can teachers do when faced with these challenges? How can teachers generate a sense of adventure and discovery when faced with the same four walls each and every day? These are questions that today’s technology can help answer. By creating a Virtual Field Trip, teachers can bring the world into their classrooms. This article will discuss the rationale behind creating these trips as well as offer practical suggestions and ideas for developing the trips, tying them to standards, developing effective strategies for the trips, and assessing the knowledge gained by students as a result of their interaction with the Virtual Field Trips. Student creation of Virtual Field trips, as assessment projects, will also be discussed.