Here are the notes from this past week in
class: We began our
class conversation by discussing why and how to use Virtual
Field Trips (VFTs) in the Social Studies Classroom. The
following information is important to know:
The primary reason to make
a virtual field trip is to have students experience a field-trip
like experience without actually leaving the classroom. Virtual
field trips can be designed to provide students with new
information, assist students to develop a cultural awareness of
other communities, allow students to visit far away places of
the world and to give students an opportunity to travel back in
time. In class,
students accessed two online articles and read them
independently before discussing whole group. Click on the titles
below to access the articles:
Get Outta Class with Virtual Field Trips
Take a Museum Field Trip - Without Leaving Your Classroom
When using virtual field trips, we as
teachers serve as the tour guide. That means that students are
not left randomly going through their virtual trip; rather, they
are guided along the way.
Students are often asked
to write notes, answer questions and/or complete projects based
on what they have learned. This is to apply what they have
experienced through the VFT to their own learning.
In class, I provided many different
examples of Virtual Field Trips that can be used in the Social
Studies classroom. Some VFTs were made using PowerPoint and
still camera photos while others were made using 360 degree
panorama technology.
Click here to view the list of VFTs that were explored in
class.
In class, we also reviewed the Virtual Field Trip assignment.
This assignment is located on this website for your reference.
As an excellent example of this assignment, please
click here.
In
class, we
spent some time thinking about technology when creating a website. Students
came to class with an outline (pictorial representation) of
their website. We then spent some time reviewing the
course-folio assignment. For the assignment, students may want to
consider adding the following information to their site: 1.
Introduction paragraph/letter
2. Philosophy of Teaching statement
3. Background Information
4. Understandings of teaching social studies
5. Children's Social Studies Website Review
6. Virtual Field Trip
7. Internet Resource Guide
8. Community Service
9. Future Goals
10. Contact Information In
class, we spent some time using Netscape Composer to begin
creating web-folios. It's important that you practice using
Composer prior to our next class on Wednesday, March 22. For
your reference, you may want to view a helpful Netscape Tutorial
found online. If so,
click here to access it. That's
all for this week. Keep reading, keep learning and keep coming to
class! ~Kim
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