Virtual Field Trip vs. Real-Life Field Trip

What is a virtual field trip? 

Imagine standing in front of your high school class and teaching about the Holocaust or trying to explain to first graders how a dairy farm works. You can use all the books and visuals you find at the library, but you know a field trip to a museum or a farm would teach more than you standing in front of the classroom. Enter a virtual field trip (VFT). Students can explore, interact, and communicate with the museum or a farm, or anything that the teacher can arrange without leaving the classroom. Whether thru video conferencing or a teacher wielding a video camera prior to a lesson, you can take a field trip from your seat.


Mr. Rogers giving a virtual tour of a dairy farm

Whosaskinnydog. "Mr. Rogers Visits the Cows." Online video clip. YouTube.  YouTube, 12 Sept 2010. Web. 28, Sept. 2013.

Mr. Rogers gave children who watched his television show a virtual field trip to places around his neighborhood. While he used a VHS, he really was ahead of the times in bringing the field trip to the students. I can remember the excitement of discovering where he was taking me while I sat in front of the television. I still remember when he took me to the crayon factory, I just didn't realize I had over a million classmates with me!

Click here for more Mr. Rogers's virtual field trips at PBSkids.org.

Kirchen, Dennis J. "Making and Taking Virtual Field Trips in PreK and Primary Grades." NAEYC (2011): 22-26. web. 28 Sept. 2013. 

virtual field trip naeyc.org

This article explains how to plan out a virtual field trip as well as why it would be appropriate over a real-life field trip. The author, an associate professor with experience in early childhood education, believes that a VFT is no different than a normal field trip and only differs in presentation. The article explains how a VFT doesn't replaces the hands-on experience of a real field trip but can be an excellent resource tool to supplement a lesson. The article was written in 2011 and stands appropriate today. I like that the author explains of how to create a VFT, especially for young children.

"Fussen Town, Neuschwanstein, and Hchenschwangau Castles, Germany." AirPano. n.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2013.

AirPano allows you to control a panoramic 360 view of a variety of places. Besides viewing the landscape and scenery, you can view upward and over castles, islands, and so much more. The site is growing and AirPano hopes to continue to bring more of the world to your classroom or living room. 

360Degree-VirtualTour - Neuschwanstein-Castle-Germany
 http://www.airpano.com

Other sites that offer virtual field trips:
The National World War II Museum