The purpose of a field trip for teachers is to bring learning to life for students in a way that cannot be achieved through textbooks alone. Although there may be some challenges, such as students wandering off or buses getting stuck in traffic, the overall experience is usually worth the effort. Reading about something is not the same as seeing it in person.
According to the experience of three 5th-grade classes at Lyles-Crouch Elementary School, virtual field trips are no exception. The students at this school recently participated in a virtual field trip through Turner Educational Services’ Adventure Learning program. They "visited" Berlin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
During the three-day live television broadcast, the students virtually explored the Brandenburg Gate in what was previously East Berlin. They also visited a historic church that was bombed during the war and the future location of Germany’s Parliament. Additionally, they had the opportunity to interact with World War II veterans, survivors of the bombing of Dresden, and German high school students and their teacher. Students could ask these experts questions through telephones, computer networks, and fax machines, with the possibility of having their questions answered on air.
Just like physical field trips, this virtual experience had its challenges. It rained in Berlin, which affected the quality of the broadcast. However, the 5th graders at Lyles-Crouch Elementary School remained comfortable and dry. Teachers also encountered some confusion regarding the technology and where to send their students’ questions. Some of the students were disappointed when their questions were not broadcasted, unlike those from the other schools watching the program. Additionally, there was a minor incident where a boy vomited on the rug in the first row. However, these setbacks did not diminish the overall value of the experience for the students and teachers.
Kiana Williams, a student at Lyles-Crouch, admitted that she initially wasn’t very enthusiastic about learning World War II history. However, after the virtual field trip, she has developed a newfound interest in the subject. Turner Educational Services is among the few organizations experimenting with virtual field trips. The Jason Project, founded by oceanographer Robert Ballard, is one of the most well-known initiatives in this field. Through this project, students have the opportunity to interact with experts and even remotely control robotic equipment for scientific expeditions.
Educators and entrepreneurs aspire for virtual field trips to become more common in schools across the country. These experiences allow students to visit places that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Linda G. Roberts, the director of the U.S. Education Department’s office of technology assistance, emphasizes the importance of providing these opportunities for all students, especially those who do not have access to resources like science museums in their communities.
The hope is that virtual field trips will continue to gain popularity and become a regular part of the educational experience for students nationwide.
Questions and Technical Issues
However, schools like Lyles-Crouch Elementary are still years away from having access to the advancements mentioned above. According to national statistics, schools typically have an average of one computer for every nine or 10 students. In contrast, Lyles-Crouch only has 15 computers for three grades. Additionally, only two computers are equipped with modems that allow teachers to access large computer networks.
Due to these technological limitations, all 70 5th graders had to gather in the school’s library for the telecast from Berlin. Furthermore, the school does not subscribe to America Online, which is the computer network that students could have used to send questions to Berlin. The teachers received a start-up kit from Turner, which included a free trial subscription to the network a day or two before the field trip. However, they expressed the desire for more preparation time, such as a 15-minute practice run the previous day.
Many teachers and participants in a computer forum during the broadcast shared the same sentiment. In the initial minutes of the program, educators from all over North America were asking where to send their students’ questions. However, these inquiries disappeared later in the broadcast.
Although the 5th graders at Lyles-Crouch don’t usually study World War II, the field trip presented an irresistible opportunity for their teachers. The Retired Officers Association, a national organization, generously offered to cover the fee for the school, allowing them to take part in the trip.
Instead of giving their students an intensive crash course on World War II prior to the field trip, the teachers decided to use the experience as an introduction to the subject and to ignite their curiosity for further study. This approach was successful for the most part.
During the trip, the students had a multitude of questions. Michelle Clark wanted to know why certain places were called concentration camps. Louis Smith was curious about the weapons used in the war. Michelle Heinz asked a former German soldier if they believed they would win or lose at the beginning of the war. Shantice Bates asked German high school students how they learned about World War II through various forms of media.
However, the students were most interested in learning about the daily lives of children who experienced the war. Megan Shapiro asked if they were aware of what was happening around them. Other students were curious about whether war-era children had toys to play with and what frightened them the most during their experiences.
In total, students from all participating schools sent 800 questions via America Online and the internet. Some questions were also conveyed through telephone and fax machines. Turner’s spokesperson reported that one week after the broadcast, 150 of the 800 computer-generated questions had been answered. Lyles-Crouch also submitted a question, but they were still waiting for a response two weeks later. This was disappointing for both the students and their teachers, as they were hoping for immediate feedback. However, Turner officials noted that getting on the air for the field trip was akin to trying to be on air during a broadcast of "Larry King Live" – there is a lengthy electronic queue that needs to be navigated.
A Blend of Novelty and Education
The three one-hour broadcasts were hosted by an American woman and a German man. Throughout the electronic journey, they took students on a historical adventure, starting from the Allied Forces’ victory in Europe and ending with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. They also discussed the growth of the "skinhead" movement in present-day Germany, the rebuilding of Germany, the birth of the United Nations, the Cold War, and various other topics. The program featured a mix of prepared segments that resembled Turner’s Cable News Network broadcasts, as well as live tours and interviews with people who were present at the historical sites.
One of the participants, a former German airman, shared his experience of being wounded by machine-gun fire when the Russians invaded eastern Germany. He recounted how a Russian doctor played a vital role in nursing him back to health. Another German participant, who was a 14-year-old schoolboy during the Allied bombing of Dresden, described helping a friend search for his parents amidst the city’s devastated buildings.
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