Researching the use of virtual Field trips as a flexible multipurpose teaching resource

Abstract

<p>Virtual field trips (VFTs) are a means to give learners a genuine experience and feeling of what it<br />would be like to participate in in-person fieldtrips but can also act as a teaching resource to meet other<br />learning outcomes that are not necessarily related to fieldwork. These virtual experiences can provide<br />greater accessibility for people that cannot participate in in-person field trips for reasons such as<br />logistics, cost, or physical ability. Using internet browsers, we have been able to create online content<br />that is interactive with mapping activities, communication exercises, animations, 360° videos, virtual<br />rocks, detailed thin sections of rocks, and questions with automated feedback. These VFTs have been<br />used as more than just a replica of an in-person field trip, they can be used in a variety of contexts. As<br />an example, our research group has used them as: 1) flexible knowledge resources to replace lectures<br />and supplement hands-on laboratory classes and tutorials; 2) fieldwork preparation resources that<br />teach content and allow students to explore outcrops they will visit in person; and 3) a self-guided<br />field trip when group field trips are impractical or impossible (e.g., student illness).<br />We have found that VFTs allow educators to take students to places they would otherwise not be able<br />to go, to familiarize students with field skills and content before going into the field to maximize<br />learning on in-person field trips. Our research results from student interviews, focus groups and pre-<br />post measures of learning show that students enjoy and engage well with the digital content, although<br />we are still far from an immersive in-person field experience. Looking to the future, we are continuing<br />to develop new ways for students to genuinely explore and discover on a VFT, making use of mixed<br />reality, which has the potential to provide students with an even more immersive experience. Such<br />interactive VFTs can be suitable replacements for lecture content in a flipped classroom or as<br />preparatory exercises for in-person fieldtrips, but they should only replace in-person fieldtrips after<br />careful consideration.</p>