Virtual Field Trip
During the first year of the Pandemic, I visited many places worldwide thanks to virtual field trips! It was an activity my spouse and I did once a week. We would cook cuisine from whichever country/city we explored, played music, and were whisked away to a new destination.
I decided to explore the deep sea through an Underwater excursion for this assignment.
I could view and interact with Saunders Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Not only was I able to view the vast coral reef but also sea life (Google Arts & Culture, n.d.). Moving the cursor, you get a full 360-degree view of the deep sea.
The next stop was Komodo Island, Indonesia, where I explored Rays, brain coral, and sea squirts. There were three other locations around the world where I could learn more about sea life, waters surrounding coral reefs, and even a shipwreck in the Florida Keys!
QR CODE
I used QRCode Monkey to generate my QR code.
To learn more about me, check out my Animoto!
Layered Reality in the Classroom
Coming from a tech background, I embrace the movement of merging education and technology together to create an immersive experience for students. Something I would love to see incorporated into my school library is a virtual reality and augmented reality experience. According to Learning and Technology with Frank (2021), viewing documentaries through VR creates an immersive experience before students even complete any research on their chosen topic and come out with educational and emotional knowledge. Investing in VR/AR allows students to travel the world without leaving the classroom. The term “field trip” takes on an entirely new meaning with the ability to travel to Ancient Egypt, The Great Reef Barrier, or Machu Pichu without cost, passports, or travel time limitations.
Another aspect of layered reality is double robots. I have yet to experience an interaction with a double robot, but I hope one day, my district invests in them. In the video Double Robotics (2015), we see a student who can participate in the day-to-day activities of the classroom. Besides providing access, mobility, and interaction to students who cannot attend school in person, there are other ways double robots can be useful. Authors can visit schools to present and interact with students in the library and classroom. Other subject matter experts from anywhere around the world can visit classrooms and share their experiences with students.
References
Double Robotics. (2015, June 17). Case study: Sebasticook Valley Middle School + double robotics [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/aln1V0rtCkE
Google Arts & Culture. (n.d.). Underwater Excursion. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/AAXhkmEHE0L1rA
Learning and Technology with Frank. (2021, December 14). Metaverse for education – 5 Ways to use virtual reality in school [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/WogQ0X4ITHM
I’ve done virtual field trips for educational purposes, but it sounds creative and romantic as a date. I’m going to borrow that idea if we ever find ourselves quarantined again.
I think that is a great idea to have a double robot utilized for “visiting” authors. I know authors can zoom in a classroom and give a presentation, but to do it as a robot would add so much dimension to the visit. Wouldn’t it be exciting to have Alan Gratz roaming around your classroom as he talks and interacts with the students?!
What a neat idea for a date night – how fun!
I thought the same about using VR/AR in the classroom – it’s a great idea and can be really interactive. One thing I’ve been considering, however, is the value of individual VR versus a big screen experience. All teachers struggle with Behavior Management – how do you keep the 20 kids engaged who aren’t wearing the headset???
That said, I have very much enjoyed some virtual trips to Machu Picchu, myself!
Karen
Your comment about visiting students makes me think about a new generation of PENPALS. I grew up with snail mail and postcards. My daughter (now 22) moved to email and text messages with penpals from Italy and the Netherlands. Students today can use virtual reality to interact in real time with PENPALS around the world. Your post makes me think about how this technology can do so much more than just provide academic learning opportunities. These tools can also connect people in ways to promote inclusivity, diversity, and human rights.
Doing a virtual tour as a date night sounds like such a wonderful idea! The fact that y’all also paired it with food and music from the country/city makes it even more special. This would be such a cool idea for the classroom to pair a snack with the tour.