Where Will We Go Today?

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WHERE WILL WE GO TODAY? 034

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

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School excursions are taking on a whole new dimension with the advent of videoconferencing. You can now take your class to many places around the world without leaving the classroom! By Carol Daunt Skyring

Imagine taking your class to meet the robotic Triceratops

and

Tyrannosaurusrex

One example is Dinosaur Discoveries, which is

dinosaurs

offered for a range of year levels. Students learn

at Adventure Science Center in Nashville; on a

the facts about dinosaurs through fossil replicas

Mission to Mars Challenge with NASA; or diving

and animal artifacts and find out how scientists

on the reef with Reef HQ in Townsville? You can do

draw conclusions about the structure and behavior

all of this for less than it would cost you to take the

of dinosaurs based on observations of animals

class to the local aquarium!

living today. They also meet the Center’s robotic

A virtual excursion allows you to link live via videoconference to a place of interest and interact

Triceratops and Tyrannosaurusrex dinosaurs. The fee for a 45-minute program is $150USD.

with local experts. You can take students to places they would never be able to visit in person and have

NASA Digital Learning Network

experiences that may not be possible in person.

NASA offers some fantastic programs and they are

Your students will be able to participate in live

all free of charge. One example is Planet Hopping:

demonstrations and ask questions of the presenters.

Exploring the solar system with mathematics.

The presenters are very skilled at involving students

Questions addressed in this session are: How

and this will certainly not be a case of ‘sit and listen’.

is each planet in our solar system unique? How

There are hundreds of virtual excursions you can

high can you jump on Mars? How high can you

experience via videoconference. Below are just a

jump on Mercury? In this highly interactive session

few examples.

students use mathematics to explore and learn

Videoconferencing provides many opportunities

characteristics of planets in our solar system and

for teaching and learning, but one of the most

Adventure Science Center

interesting is the virtual excursion. There is a wealth

The Adventure Science Center in Nashville, USA

NASA provides a set of materials that you can

of content in far away art galleries, museums,

offers a range of programs on subjects from bones

download from the web and they encourage

zoos and science centres, and now students

to dinosaurs to magnets. They range in price from

student participation from the planning stage

can take advantage of these resources through a

$95USD to $150USD – that is for the whole program

onwards. They engage in advanced email

videoconferencing visit.

not per student.

correspondence to tailor the session to fit the

they get to tour the universe with NASA.

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

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feature Organizing a Virtual Excursion

school's curriculum and suggest that questions for

Your Reef Videoconferencing experience is

the presenter should be sent in advance to focus

supported by comprehensive teaching materials

A videoconference virtual excursion is easy to

the presentation on the group's specific needs.

designed to educate students about a range of

organize through one of the online databases

marine issues. The virtual excursion begins with

listing available content. Simply go to the

Introduction to Australia's Great Barrier Reef

a ‘Dry Presenter’ who introduces participants to

database, enter the topic, subject and/or the

Reef HQ Aquarium and the Great Barrier Reef. A

place you want to visit and you will be given a

Wherever you are in the world, you can experience

scuba diver then takes students on a virtual dive

range of options to choose from. Each one has

the Great Barrier Reef with Reef Videoconferencing.

in the Coral Reef and finishes in the Predator Tank

an overview of the program, the cost, options

Thousands of students around the world participate

with sharks and other reef predators. During the

for connection speed and information on how

in this program each year. During this underwater

session, your students can see and hear the diver

to book. Booking is usually through an online

fact-finding mission, your class is transported to

and ask questions that will be answered immediately

form or email directly to the content provider.

the Coral Reef and Predator exhibits at Reef HQ.

from underwater.

There are two great online databases for finding

This 60-minute program costs $295.

virtual excursions:

New York Institute of Technology Culinary Arts Center

They offer a variety of lessons for learners from the elementary level to higher learning and professional enrichment.

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

This Center is a leader in culinary education and

Polycom Videoconference Program Database

offers its lessons to learners worldwide through

This searchable content database offers access

videoconferencing. Students can explore foods,

to more than 1,500 programs from over 230

nutrition, and cultural cuisine without ever leaving

content providers. Updated daily, the database

the classroom. They offer a variety of lessons

contains

for learners from the elementary level to higher

organizations as Global Nomads Group, the

learning and professional enrichment. A favourite

Cleveland Institute of Music and the Smithsonian

is the chocolate truffle making class – where you

American Art Museum, to name a few. See:

get to eat the results!

http://moourl.com/polycomdb

content

opportunities

from

such

feature Your Reef Videoconferencing experience is supported by comprehensive teaching materials designed to educate students about a range of marine issues.

The Polycom database allows you to search

Place the microphone in a central location and

for only programs available via the connection

have students walk up to the microphone and

method you have.

encourage them to speak clearly and distinctly. Have the students give their first name before

Getting the Most Out of Your Virtual Excursion

they ask a question.

Like any field trip, a virtual excursion requires

others are talking - the microphones pick

planning and participation to be successful.

up background noise, and this can be very

Allow several weeks lead-time for booking.

distracting for the presenter.

• Remind students to remain quiet while

Many programs are popular and are booked out

• You may need to mute the microphone

months in advance – NASA is one of these.

when no one is speaking – discuss this with

Some tips for making the most of your

the presenter.

Center for Interactive Learning & Collaboration (CILC)

virtual excursion:

• Some content providers allow you to record

• Involve students in the planning process.

the session. If this is the case, have parental

This database lists over 150 content providers

• It is a good idea to complete a test call before

permission for this.

such as Alaska SeaLife Center, the International

the session.

Wolf Center and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

• Give the content provider a detailed overview

rich and motivating learning experience doing

You can read content provider biographies to

of your students’ ages, location and their interest

something they would usually never get to do.

learn how you can contact them and what

in the topic.

So what are you waiting for? Where will you take

others are saying about their programs. See:

• Most virtual excursions include pre and post

your students? n

http://moourl.com/cilc

activities that create a rich, in-depth educational

A virtual excursion can give your students a

Both databases contain programs from

experience for your students. Take the time to

Ms. Carol Daunt Skyring has been involved

the United States, Canada, United Kingdom,

complete these activities so that students are

in the design, application and effective use

Spain and Australia. New content providers are

well prepared to interact with the presenter.

of videoconferencing since 1993 and is

constantly being added.

• If your students are not familiar with

recognized internationally as a leader in

videoconferencing, they may be shy about

the field. She holds a Dip T; Grad Dip Dist Ed;

Equipment Needed

interacting with the presenter. Encourage them

B Ed & M Ed (Research) – her thesis

To participate in a virtual excursion you must have

to prepare questions beforehand.

investigated the nature of interaction in

access to a two-way videoconference system. If

• Send a list of student names in advance

videoconferencing. Ms. Daunt Skyring

you do not have a system in your school you may

so that the presenters can call on them. You

has been published in numerous journals

be able to hire a videoconference room locally.

can facilitate the interaction by calling on

and is a frequent speaker at international

(Check your local TAFE College or University if

students who have questions or answers during

conferences.

you have one.)

the presentation.

Ms. Daunt Skyring writes a popular

Some content providers can connect via

• Provide an easy mechanism for students

videoconference blog at

ISDN and IP, while others only offer one option.

to ask questions during the videoconference.

http://videoconference.edublogs.org

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS