EDIM 508 Week 7_Google Earth Virtual Field Trip

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Virtual field trip? What is that? A virtual field trip can be done in many ways, but what I have created it in is Google Earth. The field trip starts out at Wilson High School. At this point the students are given specific instructions of the field trip will contain and what they should do during it. The trip then takes the students around the world, visiting the New 7 Wonders of the World. Between each stop the students are to use the measuring feature in Google Earth to measure the distance between the monuments. While at each monument, the students will be presented with an interactive Glog. Each Glog contains cultural music, a panorama, brief history, a virtual 3D tour, and information about the monuments engineering. Finally, the students are taken back to the high school where they are presented with a writing prompt. The prompt asks the students to reflect upon the following:

• The distance between the before and after monument.
• What was an interesting fact you learned about the World Wonder?
• What did you learn about the location of the World Wonder's culture?
• What did you find interesting about the World Wonder's engineering?
• What was the culture surrounding the monument when it was created?
• How has the culture of the land changed over time (if any).
• How has that impacted the technology and engineering?

I feel that this virtual field trip is a unique way of educated the students on some astonishing engineering feats of the world while educating them on the history and culture of the land. Through this activity the students will continue to develop their ethical and respectful minds. According to Gardner, “The respectful mind notes and welcomes differences between human individuals” (2007). Whereas the ethical mind “ . . . conceptualizes how workers can serve purposes beyond self-interest and how citizens can work unselfishly to improve the lot of all” (Gardner, 2007). These monuments do just that. They are still inspirational today!


Gardner, H.  (2007).  Five minds for the future.  Boston:  Harvard Business School Press
 

Download The Virtual Field Trip!