Virtual Field Trips

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Virtual Field Trips

• Making Your Own
• or
• Re-inventing the Old

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www.fhslibrarymedia.wikispaces.com

• June Chandler
• Fairview High School
• Cullman County
• jchandler_at_ccboe.org
• june.chandler_at_wallacestate.edu

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What is a virtual field trip (VFT)?

• Wikipedia states that a virtual field trip is a
  guided exploration through the Web that organizes
  a collection of pre-screened, thematically based
  web pages into a structured online learning
  experience.
• (Foley, 2003)
• Guided exploration of any online learning
  experience

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What are virtual field trips?

• Virtual field trips (VFTs) started appearing
  around 1995 (LEARNZ), but greatly grew in
  popularity starting around 2000.
• LEARNZ is a virtual field trip programme for New
  Zealand Schools.
• The VFT was seen as a way to organize the
  educational potential of the internet in a
  coherent, appropriate fashion, particularly for
  primary and secondary education.

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What are virtual field trips?

• A VFT can contain a selection of topic-specific
  web pages that are strung together into a
  grade-targeted, organized package. Often these
  types of VFTs are provided by commercial
  distributors.

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Why use Virtual Field trips?

• Support the curriculum
• They are virtual
• Modify them for your needs
• Promote your Library Program
• Students enjoy them and they are informative
• Funding issues

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Virtual Field Trips?

• How could a virtual field trip enhance the
  learning experience, expand the thinking process,
  or meet the needs of different learning styles?

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Underwater Life
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Outer Space
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Virtual Field Trips?

• What elements of its design make it a successful
  classroom adventure?

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Virtual Field Trips?

• User directed but teacher guided
• Extend, expand and enhance
• Self-paced or teacher guided (whole group)
• Plus, many other

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VFT Resources

• CA Home schooling http//ldshomeschoolinginca.org
  /vft.html
• Internet4Classrooms http//www.internet4classroom
  s.com/vft.htm
• Home Schooling
• http//home-educate.com/fieldtrip.shtml
• Scholastic http//teacher.scholastic.com/fieldtrp
  /
• Tramline
• http//www.field-guides.com/index.htm

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Bibliography

• ALSDE E-Learning ProgramDesigning Virtual Field
  Trips
• Foley, K. (2003). The Big Pocket Guide to Using
  Creating Virtual Field Trips (3rd ed.)
• Templates Wise.Com