Virtual field trips allow access to landmarks at home and abroad.
Virtual field trips allow students to visit a place from their classroom. For the teacher, virtual field trips are one method of using the Internet in class, an increasingly integral part of modern education. Whether you want to visit a specific period of history, from Ancient Rome to the Civil War era, or a museum or monument, virtual field trips present learners with an interactive and engaging experience.
Advantages
Compared with the traditional history field trip, the virtual field trip offers teachers many advantages. For schools that are isolated from historical landmarks or museums or facing budget cuts in the social sciences, a virtual field trip offers an inexpensive classroom-based alternative. With virtual instruction, students get a richer learning experience than any textbook or presentation can provide. Moreover, virtual field trips require neither additional supervisory staff, transport or excessive teacher planning and organization time.
Teacher Preparation
For all their advantages, historic virtual field trips do require some initial planning and preparation to ensure learners get the most from the experience. The chosen destination, for example, should complement and link in with state curriculum standards in the social studies. Prior to departure, teachers should complete the virtual field trip for themselves to familiarize themselves with the design and layout and to plan activities and learning opportunities around the content.
Student Participation
Building a lesson plan around a virtual field trip and deciding how students will participate are key elements to consider. Surfing through a website will seldom engage students in learning so provide them with clear learning objectives and background knowledge before the virtual field trip begins. Consider using the virtual field trip as part of a student research project or to help with a reflective essay or report. Many virtual field trips contain interactive on-line activities to complete that will give structure and purpose to the tour.
Types
There are literally hundreds of historic virtual field trips for teachers to choose from. A visit to the White House may link in with a history and government lesson while a trip to a slave plantation will bring to life any citizenship class. Take full advantage virtual field trips to sites most students will not have the opportunity to visit in person by touring some of the world's greatest historical places, like the Egyptian Pyramids or the Great Wall of China. There also possibilities for cross-curricular experiences, like art exhibitions, where students can explore cultural history.
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