Before reading this article, I did not realize how many opportunities there are for interactive field trips. The author writes that there are about 300 different educational organizations that have this sort of program available for students. This is such a practical thing, and can be accomplished in real time or from already programmed "field trips." Every school has internet access, and Zanetis pointed out that many schools have the necessary videoconferencing equipment that can be used.
I like that the author pointed that these sort of projects cost money, but noted that "when compared to the cost of a real field trip, and considering the value students get out of them", it is not that bad of a payoff (Zanetis). Schools should implement these types of programs and see them as an investment. It keeps students engaged and opened to new insights while not breaking the school's bank. Zanetis points out how this type of project can be implemented in any classroom for different topics, so one subject doesn't have to dominate this technology in the school.
How could this be used in a high school social studies/history classroom?
I want to teach high school history and I know that many high school students may not be interested in doing a virtual field trip, especially if it seems geared towards younger students, which I imagine many are. However, I think if the students realize that this is a lot cooler than just listening to me lecture, I think that they will appreciate it and hopefully get something out of it. I think that if I chose interesting topics, such as sports and pop culture, the students will be more engaged and will still be learning about important, relevant topics.
What are the disadvantages of using these virtual field trips?
I think that though these are obviously great educational resources, they can cause people, especially younger students, to not appreciate actually going to places to visit. Museums and other historical sites will probably never actually become a “thing of the past,” but they can be visited less and less because of online exhibits and features on T.V and the internet. For those people for whom going to the Pyramids in Egypt is a near impossibility, going online and learning about them in an interactive way is the next best thing. However, the younger generation may grow to not appreciate the value of seeing things up close when they can access them online. Thus, I think that if I am a teacher, I would try to promote local educational opportunities in history, along with the interactive field trips, so that students can still experience history up close without it being too inconvenient.
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