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Day 4-5
Virtual Field Trips are explorations using the Web, or the creation of thematic presentations with virtual field trips. Whichever you prefer. You will find trips on a variety of subjects and you will even produce one of your own (or take it to the next step and have your students create them). Virtual trips are great to use alone, or as a prelude to an on-site visit.
To create your own tour, you can use a word processor (MS Word) a web editor (MS FrontPage), Tour Maker (an inexpensive commercial software program). Any program that allows you to save as an html document will suffice.
The following information is to help get you up and running. Take your time. Our purpose is to provide you with some tools to make your good teaching even better. So pack your bags, fasten your seat belts and get your snacks close at hand.
Take a few trips. Find some that will work in your classroom. Be sure to note how the trips are structured, organized, and if the objectives were clearly met. Many of the tours also have support activities. Later, we will meet as a group and you can be our guide on your favorite trip(s). Be prepared to present your comments (pro & con) to the class. You can use the Tour Evaluator to help.
If you have time, see how Tour Maker was used to create a virtual tour of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology by going to http://web.mit.edu/vrtour/
Here is an interesting site that has links to many other tours and related activities.
Virtual Factory Tours Northwestern University Listing of tours
Superfactory Many streaming video tours as well as photo tours.
If you don't have a copy of Tour Maker, the software used to create virtual tours, download a free evaluation copy at Tramline Inc.
The Tour Maker Manual is used for operating the software: http://www.tramline.com/tm/manual/index.htm#Intro. This site will provide step-by-step instructions on how to "drive" Tour Maker.
Visit the filed trip home page, http://www.field-trips.org/. Then check out the Teachers Resource link at http://www.field-trips.org/tours/sci/resource-t/_tourlaunch2.htm to see a quick overview of some tours.
Categories of Virtual Field Trips
Most field trips can be placed into one of three categories. Here are
the categories and some samples.
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1) Samples Using High Percentage of Existing Web Resources Natural Wonders Field
Trip Field Trips Site New York Times Learning
Network Poetic Wealth on the
Web (requires subscriptions) Virtual Field Trip to Bay Trippers-An Online
Fieldtrip to the 2) Samples Using Mostly Original Content The Fermilab Virtual Tour The Particle Adventure:
Interactive Tour of the Atom The Slumgullion
Earth Flow: A Large-Scale Natural Laboratory The Hurricane Hunters: Cyberflight into the Eye Waikiki Aquarium
Virtual Tour The Cave of
The Sun-A Multimedia
Tour Virtual Geologic Field
Trip to 3) Sample Expedition Field Trip with Field Explorers Bancroft Arnesen
Expedition |
Virtual Field Trips for the Classroom
A Hotlist on Virtual Fieldtrips
Teach-nology Virtual Field Trips List
How about something different? Try one of these Live Web Cams.
Virtual Tours with a Science Twist
Assignment # 1: Read Why Use Virtual Field Trips, by Dr. Scott Mandel, to gain an understanding of Virtual Field Trip usage. For added background, you can also read Get Outta Class With Virtual Field Trips , an article from Education World.
Assignment # 2: Critique at least three tours that you can share with the group. You will need to tell us how you can work the tour(s) into your lessons. You may use tours found from the above links, or be adventurous and search for some of your own.
Assignment # 3: Create at least one virtual tour. You will have an opportunity to present your tour to the group as well as take it with you to use in your classroom. When finished, you can post them on your school web site, place them on your school network or add to your classroom computer files.