Virtual Field Trip
I really had fun having the experience of looking through the different virtual trips that were available as I enjoy going to the museum when I get the chance and love watching national geographic. I chose the Natural History Expeditions as it was a topic I enjoy the most and am interested in. There were many different topics available under that theme like dinosaurs, animals, plants, environment, ecosystems, the deep, insects, the human body, and the microscopic. I would love to explore all the different topics when I have the time now that I know something like this is available. I decided to click on ‘Giant Animals’ as I thought it would be interesting. There were a few pictures that provided the 360-degree experience to look through the expedition. I was able to get an up-close look at some of the planet’s largest creatures. Under the different pictures, there were descriptions of the creatures. It actually felt like I was walking through a museum but just virtually! I thought that this would be a great tool to use in a classroom setting to show different kinds of topics virtually (completely free too!).
QR Code Monkey
This is a QR Code that I created for the virtual experience I decided to pick regarding giant animals. I loved how there were many designs and colors available to make the QR code very individual.
Education Uses of “layered reality“
While experiencing the virtual field trip, I immediately thought about how useful this tool would be within the classroom. Especially with the pandemic, I’m sure a lot of schools couldn’t go to field trips that were scheduled. Of course, now it’s getting better but some schools don’t always have the budget to plan a big field trip for their students. Young (2020) states, “The technologies that live within the library can be an entry point for learning opportunities, boosting programming and sparking collaborations”. As the world is evolving fast, especially technologically, I believe that schools should let students interact with technology for education purposes as much as possible. Rather than giving a text to read, giving them a QR code that leads them to a virtual field experience; moreover, having Virtual Reality headsets available for students to experience something that they may not be able to experience in real life. Also, by looking at the YouTube video from #QuickTips with Jacob (2020), there are many sources available to guide teachers or librarians to create content for the students. Making an augmented reality book review using physical images simply on an iPad. Rather than showing a poster of a book review, showing an augmented reality book review would engage students nowadays considering how much exposure they have to technology.
References
#QuickTips with Jacob. (2020, August 2). How to create an Augmented Reality Book Review using Reality Composer on iPad [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAKOxugYRV4
Young, L. J. (2020, April 7). Get the most from AR/VR technology without breaking the budget. School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/story/get-the-most-from-ar-vr-technology-without-breaking-budget-library
July 16, 2022 at 11:11 am
I loved the virtual reality field trip this week too. You had a good thought on the budgets of school districts that might prevent field trips but can be satisfied through virtual ones.
July 16, 2022 at 4:10 pm
Excellent idea about schools implementing virtual field trips due to budget limitations. Incorporating these field trips provides all students with an equitable experience!
July 16, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Hey there,
I liked your blog layout. It is so interesting and inspirational how others format the information presented. I am curious where you found the date for the YouTube videos. I was having such a difficult time finding them and just ended up putting (n.d.) because I couldn’t find the date. I wonder if it was right there in my face!
I agree, the virtual field trips were a lot a fun to look through.
-Marina
July 26, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Hi! Thanks for your comment. For the date, I usually put the published date indicated on the video. It’s usually under the Title of the video and next to the views!
July 16, 2022 at 6:54 pm
I agree that it would be beneficial for schools to implement virtual reality in their lesson plans with VR headsets. I know my school has additional funds due to the pandemic and wonder if this would be something worth looking into. I am concerned, however, that some of the kids might be too young at the elementary school level (where I work). High schools and middle schools could really thrive with them though!
July 26, 2022 at 12:09 pm
It looks like the minimum age limitation for VR gaming is 7+ but many manufactures set their own age limit for their devices. So it’s definitely something you could look into setting those VR units in a school setting!
July 17, 2022 at 3:18 pm
You have some great ideas regarding implementation in the classroom or library. I agree that technology should be fostered as much as possible in the educational world. Your field trip sounds very interesting! I’m enjoying reading about the trips different people took.
July 17, 2022 at 3:50 pm
One thing I worry about with technology is adding something that is just for the technology. I can see doing a VR field trip, but sometimes newer technology doesn’t serve a purpose in terms of what a student needs to learn.
July 18, 2022 at 12:31 pm
Regardless of the pandemic, there are many things some students will never be able to experience. A safari in Africa, visiting the International Space Station or swimming with Great White Sharks. Being immersed in a setting that feels more real than viewing a video can spark students’ imaginations to learn more. I think as technology progresses and becomes more accessible we will likely see more of these layered reality experiences. I wonder how many schools have VR or AR headsets for their students. I imagine the best schools in the country have access but what about poorer communities? Hopefully there are organizations that make sure disadvantaged students also have access to these technologies.
July 26, 2022 at 12:13 pm
That’s a good point you made there. There are so many places in this world that you may not be able to go during your lifetime! So having access to these kinds of things really makes me thankful of the technology that I have access to right in my room! VR or AR headsets are surely expensive and not all schools will be implemented into it. But I do think that many schools will implement them into their courses as time passes (May have to be a while), such as computers. Not all schools had computers because of pricing but I think as many manufactures start making their own headsets, it will make the pricing affordable for schools.