“It’s very cost-effective. With all the budget cuts that are going on right now with the economy the way it is, field trips are being eliminated and this is a way to bring the world into your classroom." |
At first glance, virtual field trips are perhaps the least collaborative style of Skype Classroom call. Nevertheless, teachers can surely build collaborative experiences out of these trips with a little thought, particularly if several classes from across town or across continents are taking the field trip on the same day as part of the group calling options. Then the opportunity to layer the experience using KidBlog or VoiceThread (or both!) becomes a realistic and exciting option. |
see it in action
MuseumsPioneer and frontier centres (showcased below), literary, historical, and science museums all participate in free Skype Classroom calls. Innovative teachers have even provided an element of living history by enlisting the help of seniors willing to discuss the differences in life growing up in the 1940s and 1960s compared to today.
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historical sitesFrom an Anne Frank Trust tour set up in a school, to visiting the Victorian Tinker cottage (pictured above) or an historic pioneer village or military ship or fort,
many historical sites have virtual education divisions committed to sharing their facilities with students via Skype. |
remote locationsWilderness Classrooms' goal is "to improve students' core academic skills and appreciation for the environment by connecting classrooms with expeditions around the globe. Wilderness Classroom educators, Dave and Amy Freeman, have explored over 30,000 miles of the world's wildest places, from the Amazon to the Arctic, by canoe, kayak and dogsled."
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Recommended Skype Tour Spotlight
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a delightful Skype Classroom field trip that several of Jan's classes have experienced and enjoyed. |
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Here's a quick tour of some of their featured calls specifically tailored for students via Skype.
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