Virtual field trips are rapidly becoming a staple in many American schools, giving students the opportunity to see and learn things that would normally not be available to them. Virtual field trips allow students to talk to divers in Australia about the Great Barrier Reef, practice speaking Spanish with children in Costa Rica and receive history lessons from Pear Harbor survivors at the USS Arizona memorial. According to the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) in Indianapolis, 170 providers offer 1200 programs through their site and three or four new ones are added each month.
Witness to History
The Witness to History video teleconferencing program is sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS) and the United States Navy/Marine Learning Network. This program brings the history of the December 7th attack on Pearl Harbor to life with firsthand accounts and historical interpretations. Students can examine artifacts and participate in a question and answer session following the presentation.
International Wolf Center
The International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota offers a virtual field trip via two-way videoconferencing. During these virtual field trips students learn about wolf ecology and wolf behaviour and can watch the center's resident wolves in their natural surroundings.
NASA
NASA offers virtual field trips to areas on Earth that are analog sites to regions on Mars. Analog sites are areas that have been identified to have some similar traits with areas on Mars. Users are placed at the site and use navigation buttons to tour a 360 degree virtual reality environment. Students select an object or scientist to learn more about the site and how it relates to Mars.
Mote Marine Laboratory
Mote Marine Laboratory offers several interactive virtual field trips that focus on marine animals and aquatics. Learn about sharks, sea turtles, manatees and dolphins, and learn the importance of coral reefs and the exciting world of a marine biologist. These programs are interactive and provide a companion curriculum available through the site.
Careers in Healthcare
Acelink offers a large selection of virtual field trips on a variety of subjects. For the third straight year Acelink has partnered with the Lutheran Health Network to bring free interactive programs into the classroom highlighting different careers in the health care field. Offerings for 2010 include Careers in Medical Research, Careers in Nutritional Services/Dietary, Careers in Nursing and Careers in Radiology. These programs utilize a town hall format with a moderator and include multiple sites.
Center of Science and Industry
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus Ohio offers interactive virtual field trips connecting students with scientists, doctors and experts in their fields. Programs include: tape of an actual autopsy narrated by a forensic pathologist, a surgeon's-eye view of a live knee replacement procedure and Weather Watch, which explores how changes in air pressure and temperature affect weather conditions. Many of COSI's programs have been awarded the Platinum Award for 2009 by the United States Distance Learning Association and include materials for classroom activities.
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