Remember that scene in Ferris Bueller’s day off where Ben Stein stood in front of the class fishing engaged learners?
Hopefully you don’t feel like this as a teacher. We also don’t want our students to be as tuned out as the students in this scene. We want our students to be engaged as learners. Why?
First, I hope you want to enjoy your job, and having engaged students makes for a more pleasant work setting. I mean, there’s a reason alchohol companies cater to teachers. Job satisfaction, or a lack there of is a reason many people drink. Girl, I want you to enjoy happy hour, not drown your work sorrows at it.
I also know you want your students to enjoy math class, not be bored to death. You want them to find the joy in math. Well, the key to making you and them happy is engagement.
Why is student engagement important?
Engagement in the elementary classroom is vitally important because it helps students to be actively involved in their learning. When students are engaged, their attention and focus are heightened, leading to deeper understanding of concepts and improved retention of information.
Engagement also helps students to develop important skills like collaboration and problem-solving that will be beneficial to them in the future.
Finally, engaging activities in the classroom can be fun and exciting, making learning an enjoyable experience for all students.
How can you captivate student attention? One way is with virtual field trips.
What are Virtual Field Trips?
Perhaps you aren’t familiar with virtual field trips. Chances are you’re familiar with regular school field trips. Do you remember the excitement as a child? Do you know the magic they provide your own children or students?
Virtual Field Trips are much the same. They are opportunities for you to enhance classroom learning by taking your students somewhere other than school. Because these field trips are done through the use of a computer, they allow your students to explore places without leaving your local area.
Why might I need to use a virtual field trip?
2020 and its aftermath showed us what a global pandemic can do. We all hope that the experience isn’t repeated, but with a growing population, we just don’t know.
Regular school field trips are not a reality during such widespread closures. That’s why a virtual field trip can really spice up your teaching when trips requiring travel are not an option.
Likewise, if you teach in a low income school, or even a school that is thousands of miles from your destination, a field trip might not be feasible. There is no reason you still cannot enjoy these places with your students.
Whatever your situation, a virtual field trip brings experiences to your students right in their own homes or schools.
You said they were engaging, right?
Yes, Virtual field trips are fantastic ways to engage your students.. Here are three ways a virtual field trip can increase student engagement in your classroom, distance or otherwise.
1) They are interactive
A virtual field trip makes the learning process engaging because they create interactive elements. Google Maps has first person views that easily allow your students to stand at specific locations and look around. You may not be able to physically travel to historic Jamestowne, for example, but you can stand there. Having been there myself, I was so surprised when looking at images on Google maps. Your students will be able to move around and look in different directions, and interact with the area around them.
To learn more about Google Maps and how to use them in your virtual field trips, read about it, along with 9 other helpful applications for virtual field trips HERE.
2.) They Create Student Centered Classrooms
Sitting in a classroom, or a digital lesson, can be boring when the teacher is the one in control. Virtual Field Trips give the students opportunities to create their learning. For example, students are able to explore information that interests them while still working on a common task.
In the Jamestowne virtual field trip, students are being asked to investigate the archaeological evidence unearthed at the Jamestowne Settlement. WIth the click of a hyperlink in the virtual field trip experience, they were instantly taken to the archeological collection at Jamestowne. Once there, they had the choice of which artifact to research. When students have choice, they select what they are most interested in. Increased interest also increases engagement.
3.) They open the doors to many fields of study
Virtual Field trips can be used for any topic. I especially love overlapping content. I chose Historic Jamestowne when teaching fifth grade because our class was reading the novel Blood on the River. Although the novel study was a part of our reading block, engaging learners in a multi-disciplinary approach boosts their enjoyment and comprehension of the book.
During reading, we focused on opportunities to practice reading comprehension strategies. But, I also brought in opportunities to explore REAL math problems based on historical data from the time that brought the text to life. I always try to bring in as much different content as I can.
I find that this approach connects my students to the text on a deeper level. When they are investigating the people in the text through web based resources across multiple subjects, they are more engaged in the learning process.
So, are you ready to take your students on a virtual field trip? If so, where would you take them? Share in the comments below. Ready to try a virtual field trip? I have five free virtual field trips you can try. Just click the picture below to get yours.
