Park Service takes kids on electronic field trips
By Mead Gruver
Associated Press
I decided to write my weekly discussion blog on an article about how kids are learning about the Grand Teton National Park through the use of a virtual field trip. The article explains how Ball State University is engaging children in technology, with over 50,000 students nationwide tuning into the webcast. In addition to the Grand Teton National Park, Ball State's webcast offers to take students places like Carlsbad Caverns, Grand Canyon and Hawaii Volcanoes national parks. The national park is seeing less and less visitors each year. Despite this decline in annual visitors, the National Park has not let this stop them from finding ways to get students involved. It offers students a chance to learn about important things that they would normally not get the chance to experience. The article also talks about some of the ways that the webcast can catch the children's attention, instead of just providing information.
This virtual field trip is a good way to get kids excited about places such as Grand Teton National Park from the classroom. It provides teachers and schools a more economic way to teach them about places they may never get to visit on the school's budget. Although it's not as concrete as actually being there, this technology is an effective teaching tool that uses something different than the traditional lecture and it can get students "virtually outdoors". Another reason why this is such a good learning tool is that it really helps broaden students' perspective. As one student says, "Just all the different parks, it's cool to see the different habitats in the U.S. instead of just the ones you live at." Another interesting activity in the website is a video game inside the virtual field trip that allows kids to be the park ranger, teaching them how to find critters such as antelope, moose, elk and black bears. I can't imagine a better way to reach today's child!
I think that virtual filed trips are a great way to really get students interested and engaged in a particular subject or in a specific place. When I was in high school I never had the opportunity to utilize this type of technology and I really believe that I would have had broader prospective on the world if I was exposed to it. I agree with Kathy Kupper, a spokesman for the park service in Washington D.C., when she says, "There are a lot of other things that compete for kids' interest these days." I feel that the use of the webcast really could be helpful in teaching children the important aspects of one of our country's great national parks.
After reading this article, I think it would be really interesting to find out how many of the students actually make a trip to some sort of national park because of their exposure to the virtual field trip. The ultimate goal of the website may not be to encourage students to visit Grand Teton National Park, but to give them an appreciation for the great outdoors.
If you'd like to read about this article, go to:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695242108,00.html
6 comments:
I agree with you that virtual field trips are a good idea for students and teachers. Letting studnts go places that tehy normally would not get to go to because of a budget. Having activies and games inside the virutal field trips are also a good idea. It allows the students to get involved and excited about the field trip. I also agree that it gives students an appreciation for the outdoors.
I found the article to be very interesting. I think it was a good choice. It's the first article Ive seen giving an example of a virtual fieldtrip rather than just explaining what one is. I think it's awesome that state parks are trying to get students interested and involved. Many students never considered parks like Grand Teton to be very interesting or cool. But with the virtual fieldtrip experience they get the opportunity to see all the natural wonders the park has to offer. I agree that its a great way to get kids excited, especially about nature. The park ranger idea you mentioned seems like it would really engage children, and who knows, maybe lead them to a nature centered career. I also saw the article mentioned the book "Last Child in the Woods". Im actually reading that book in another class this semester so I know what he's talking about. I think you did a great job on the article and look forward to the next one.
I hadn't even thought about virtual field trips allowing kids to "visit" places like Hawaii and other places that they normally wouldn't get to go on a field trip. There is nothing like seeing a Hawaiian volcano up close and in person. Many people never have the chance to experience that though. Through virtual field trips, students can catch a glimpse of what it would be like. It may get them interested enough that they plan a vacation there when they get older so they can experience it in person.
I really enjoyed your article I think it's awesome to get the children invovled and excited about field trips because it allows their minds to connect with what they're learning. I think VFT are a great idea for budget reasoning and having the kids become invovled in their learning as well.
I did the same article, and I have to agree with you virtual field trips are a good idea. I believe that they are the future and I look forward to when we are the teachers and we have the option to use virtual field trips in our classroom. I also think that it is awesome that we found the same article and it is an example of what a virtual field trip is.
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