Video Conferencing a Virtual Fieldtrip!

But better than a virtual fieldtrip it virtually is a field trip as you get linked up with an actual guide, taken to another location, and given chances to explore. I had never experienced a video conference before ours with the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. It was strange at first as it seemed like we were just watching an educational video until he started addressing us personally like he could see us and interact with us. Which he could! Not only was I amazed with the presentation, I was also amazed by the technological quality of it as well. It’s amazing what you can do with such amazing equipment. The museum had us doing interactive games through the use of a green screen, and with the use of a high definition camera we were able to see the tiny denticles on the side of a T-rex tooth fossil, which would have been difficult to see with the naked eye. It was just such a perfect example of effective use of technology!

I am so excited to explore and find ways to incorporate video conferencing into my teaching. I can just see some many benefits to it. You can experience places that may be too far, too timely, or too expensive to take a field trip to. Visit with experts and authors who may not be able to afford travelling to visit the school but still have the time to conference with. Experience those in different cultures around the world. Both our module and our Tyrrell guide mentioned the Center of Interactive Learning and Collaboration as a great site for finding various content providers and other schools seeking a video or web conference partner. I took a browse through some of the content providers in a search of the topic of the Inuit, as I am placed in Gr.2 for practicum and teaching S.S., and was excited by the programs that I found. However I was a bit disappointed that they were all based from the U.S. I think it may be a better to idea to explore the idea of skyping with a class from Iqaluit, what an opportunity that would be! Ideally we could skype with the other two communities we are studying as well, the Acadians on the East coast and prairie folk in Saskatchewan (though we are a prairie community as well so it might not be necessary to do the last one). In reading "50 Awesome Way to Use Skype in the Classroom" I found a number of more exciting ways to incorporate video conferencing. One of my favourite suggestions was to conference with another country that speaks the language you are studying. All too often in language classes the structure and grammar of the language is the focus and though speaking is a large component it often does not get absorbed by the students. I think conferencing would be a good challange and motivator for these types of students. I also liked the idea of using skype to connect with those who are absent. The examples they had were a student who had cancer, and parents who are on a business trip for a parent/teacher conference.

Something I need to think about more before I fully grasp on to the idea of this idea is my own abilities with technology. It is really important that I get more comfortable in how to use these technologies. There is nothing worse than to have a wonderful incorporation of technology to use in a lesson and then have something go wrong and have no idea of how to fix it. In "20 Technology Skills Every Educator Should Have" I have found a few technology skills that I need to gain or work on. These include spreadsheet skills, web site design skills, and video conferencing. I hope to continue to broaden my technology awareness and skills. This course has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities as an educator...and it’s just the beginning.

Thank-you!