Legal, Social, and Moral Issues in Technology

Virtual Field Trips

Today in class, we discussed some of the legal, social, and moral issues concerning technology and elementary education. One of these issues that we discussed was about virtual field trips and their use in within the classroom. My feeling is that, as teachers, this is a very viable option, if used with common sense. Virtual field trips should be used when it can be directly tied into course content, as well as if your class cannot physically go to the place the field trip is at. For example, utilizing a virtual tour of the pyramids when teaching an Egyptian unit would be great for the children. One, I would not have access to the resources to take my class to the pyramids, and two, it directly ties into the subject matter I would be teaching. However, these field trips should be used in moderation and with a little exploration on a teacher's own before the class gets to go, too. Using a virtual field trip with every lesson has the potential for dulling the novelty of the field trip and you will quickly lose your class' attention. Also, checking a tour for inappropriate content before you take your students "with you" can save embarrassment and other trouble.