Week 4 Blog Post Virtual Field Trips & Zoom

Hello class,

    Welcome back to my blog:) This week in class we learned a few new skills that I can't wait to implement in my future classroom. We talked about virtual field rips and video conferencing. I really enjoyed exploring the google arts and culture website while planning a mock virtual field trip for students. It was quite interesting at how man trips I could've came up with just from one site. I definitely plan to use virtual field trips in my future classroom. In opinion, these trips can eliminate the need for transportation, decrease loss instruction times spent on travel, and involve fewer safety concerns for students. I also believe these trips would allow students to make connections and compare previous learned knowledge to the real world. This week in class we also discussed zoom meetings. I have used zoom before, but I learned a lot about the different functions zoom has to offer. Now, let's dive in as I discuss more in depth about planning a virtual field trip and how these trips can make logistically impossible experiences now possible for student learners. 

    What exactly are virtual field trips? Virtual field trips offer digital explorations of the outside world through images, videos, audio clips, etc. These trips allow students the opportunity to explore and see places, things, and people that are not normally seen in the classroom. Per the Professional Learning Board (n.d.), "the success of virtual field trips often depends on how well the trip has been planed." The planning process is as follows:

            1.) Conduct Research

                    - explore the field trip before your students. Look for creative, accessible and engaging trips to enhance lesson plans.

            2.) Lesson Plan

                    - Align the field trip with a specific lesson or objective that students are studying

            3.) Design Assessments

                    - Teachers should design assessment modules to evaluate how much their students                     have learned while on the trip: pre-trip, during-the-trip. and post-trip.

                           1.)  Pre-trip: Teachers should explain what is expected before, during, and after                                     the trip. Students should have a clear understanding of what is expected                                         and the learning objective is while on the trip.

                            2.) During-the-trip: teachers should observe students while they are on the trip                                     to gather a true representation of whether students are following                                                     directions and working towards the learning objective. 

                            3.) Post-trip: Teachers should conduct an assessment to determine what                                                students have learned while on the trip. 

            4.) Secure Permission

                    - Inform parents and school authorities about the trip

    I did not quite realize the many steps of planning a virtual field trip. I did well at conducting research and designing assessments, but in the future I may want to lesson plan a little better for my students. I did not set a strict objective when I created my virtual field trip and I now realize that students must be working towards a specific learning objective. While virtual field trips are fun, students must still learn something from the trip.

    Lastly, I'd like to talk about logistically impossible experiences can now be possible for our student learners. Virtual field trips have the ability to take students beyond the classroom. I loved watching the Skye video this week. This video allowed students to visit the bottom of the ocean just by being on Skype with someone who works and lives under water. Students were able to ask the guest questions and connect to the outside world all by using Technology. (Hmmm... I didn't think about that when we first talked about Technology a couple of weeks back). Students can now attend places that are miles and miles away just by teachers utilizing virtual field trips in the classroom. In opinion, these trips will be great for my future students. 

p.s. I would loved to find out other ways to conduct virtual field trips. (What sites are good for field trips, how is it possible to set up zoom/skype calls, etc.) 

References:

https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/one-stop-guide-to-planning-a-virtual-field-trip/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzBf_J0dvyU