Actual versus VirtualBy:

Sarah Castronuovo

Actual Field Trip: Pros & Cons

• Give students educational experiences out of the school environment

• More hands-on and interactive

• Break in the routine • Introduce to new job

opportunities and interests

• Planning and preparation– Weather– Relevant– Student limitations

• Student behavior• Cost • Insurance• Can’t modify

completely

Virtual Field Trips

• Customizable• Planning is much easier • FREE!• Makes visiting

somewhere faraway possible – Space– Different country– Back in time

• Don’t get to actually experience the place

• Can’t interact with knowledge adults

• May need to bring in a speaker

• More teacher work involved

Virtual Field Trips

• Different kinds– Pre trips– Commercial– Informational– Educational

How to Create a Virtual Field Trip• Visit the field site yourself, armed with a digital camera and clip board• Take photos of key features. Make notes on what you want students to

notice in the photo, or information about the feature in the photo. Collect any brochures that may be available at the site.

• On your return from the site, prepare your photos and plan your virtual field trip: – Create a storyboard or concept map to plan out how you want to

present the trip. In each storyboard box, state what photo you will include and what you want to say about the photo. You may also include questions you want to ask students as they look at and read about the photo.

– You can also add to your field trip by doing a search on line for web sites that relate to your trip. You can include links to these web pages from your virtual field trip, or you can copy images from the pages to include in your trip (secure permission of needed). As with scanned pictures, make sure that include the source of the photos within your trip (state where the picture was obtained).

* http://www.d.umn.edu/~hrallis/guides/VirtualFieldTrips.html

References• Kulas, M. (2014, January 9). What are the Benefits of Field Trips for Children?.

LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/127612-benefits-field-trips-children/

• Mandel, D. S. Why Use Virtual Field Trips?. Pearson Prentice Hall: eTeach:. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.phschool.com/eteach/professional_development/virtual_field_trips/essay.html

• Martin, M. (2009, October 2). Pros & Cons of Virtual Field Trips. eHow. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/print/facts_5488277_pros-cons-virtual-field-trips.html

• Mongan-Rallis, H. Virtual Field Trips. Virtual Field Trips. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.d.umn.edu/~hrallis/guides/VirtualFieldTrips.html

• Volz, S. (2010, April 15). . eHow. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/print/list_6331270_disadvantages-educational-trips.html

Virtual Field Trip

• Ellis Island, New York • http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immig

ration/tour/