Taking Your Learners on Virtual Field Trips

To help me prepare for writing an article about virtual field trips, I went on a few myself. I watched as sea otters played at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. I also took tours of Canada’s Parliament and the International Space station. As I explored these and other virtual field trip experiences, my creative wheels started spinning. I could imagine that, with some careful investigating, I could find some virtual field trips that would complement curriculum very easily.

Virtual field trips wield the advantage of being able to take learners to different places without having to leave the room. As such, they can support learning outcomes in an engaging way. They are incredibly cost-effective, as they are often free.

What kind of virtual field trips might one take? The article Virtual Field Trips Full of Learning Potential identifies four types of virtual field trip experiences:

• Livestreaming (i.e. learners connect to a live feed of a specific location)
• Interactive Exploration (i.e. learners engage in a hands-on learning by exploring multimedia websites)
• Video visits (i.e. learners access a pre-recorded video where a narrator shares information)
•  Scheduled and guided virtual field trips (i.e. learners access a live video – generally occurring onsite – where a guide virtually walks learners through an experience)

There are a plethora of activities you can connect to a virtual field trip. For example, perhaps you create a scavenger hunt in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History? Maybe you have learners generate questions to ask the staff at Ripley’s Aquarium during a live call and have them later reflect on the experience? Why not have learners hone their presentation skills by visiting a virtual location of their choice and presenting about it to their peers?  A virtual tour could also be a great way to spark discussion about a specific topic. The possibilities are endless!

Have you used virtual field trips before? Where have you and your learners visited? What learning activities did you connect to the virtual field trip? Share your experiences in the comments.