I checked out a few sites like the WildCam in Africa, the Panama Canal Webcam, and the Panda Cam at the San Diego Zoo. Unfortunately, there was no wildlife to be found in Africa, the ships were not moving in the canal and the panda bear was super sleepy. I can understand that this may be a bit frustrating to some students – it was VERY frustrating to me! Some of the sites offered detailed maps of the area, varying amounts of background information and an area (forum) for discussion.
Virtual field trips (VFT) are a great idea if they are used in addition to real ones or instead of them when it is “not possible or safe to take students” (Spicer & Stratford, 2001 p.353). Spicer & Stratford (2001) discovered that students value VFT in preparing them for actual field work. Winn et al. (2006) give us some insight into why students may feel this way; they say “Authentic activity does not, on its own, teach general principles. Likewise, simulations that strive primarily to re-create real world experiences often do not directly help students discover general principles” (p. 2). Providing a simplified (not simplistic) virtual environment can help students to grasp the overall concept.
In addition to this, the collaborative nature of many of the websites allows students to pose questions to the actual researcher. This can provide a rich learning environment. However, we are reminded once again of the importance of professional development for teachers (Moss, 2003; Sugar & Bonk, 1998). Students must be guided or mentored in order to reach the “new social cognitive heights and possibilities” envisioned by Sugar & Bonk (1998, p. 152). And teachers could benefit greatly from guidance on how to get the most out of VFT – something that I felt was lacking in many of the sites.
References
Moss, D.M. (2003). A window on science: Exploring the JASON Project and student conceptions of science. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 12(1), 21-30.
Spicer, J., & Stratford, J. (2001). Student perceptions of a virtual field trip to replace a real field trip. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 17, 345-354.
Sugar, W. A., & Bonk, C.J. (1998). Student role play in the World Forum: Analyses of an Arctic adventure learning apprenticeship. In C.J. Bonk & K.S. King (Eds.), Electronic collaborators: Learner-centered technologies for literacy, apprenticeship & discourse (pp. 131-155). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Winn, W., Stahr, F. Sarason, C., Fruland, R., Oppenheimer, P., & Lee, Y-L. (2006). Learning oceanography from a computer simulation compared with direct experience at sea. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(1), 25-42.