SchottRoadmaptoVirtualFieldtripsFinal Project Report.pdf

<div>Fieldtrips are an important pedagogic tool for a range of disciplines. Indeed the pedagogic value of</div><div>experiential and situated learning was already promoted in the 1940s by the educational philosopher</div><div>John Dewey (1968). It is widely recognised that such trips allow students to benefit from the rich</div><div>experiential learning such endeavours entail and that situated learning environments assist in</div><div>crystallising learning outcomes (Jakubowski, 2003; Scarce, 1997).</div><div>However, today’s university environments are resource-constrained and traditional residential</div><div>fieldtrips have become less common. In response, we propose that the concept of ‘virtual’ fieldtrips</div><div>presents a potentially powerful tool, which if designed and applied appropriately, might replicate</div><div>some aspects of the ‘real’ fieldtrip experience. A virtual fieldtrip attempts to recreate aspects of the</div><div>real world in digital format where assignments and tasks similar in nature to those set in the</div><div>residential fieldtrip environment would be applied (virtual fieldwork). During the virtual fieldtrip</div><div>the student (in the form of an avatar) is digitally immersed into the social, cultural, economic and</div><div>environmental landscapes that ‘make’ places – something which is only possible at present through</div><div>residential fieldtrip activity. While this project does not propose that traditional residential fieldtrips</div><div>can be replaced by virtual fieldtrips, we believe students going on a virtual fieldtrip and conducting</div><div>virtual fieldwork are exposed to at least some of the valuable nuances of ‘real’ fieldwork.</div><div>In particular, in disciplines such as Tourism Management and Geography the value and indeed need</div><div>for these forms of situated and experiential learning is well established, however, the concept of</div><div>virtual fieldtrips also offers valuable learning environments for other disciplines. It is important to</div><div>note here that virtual reality software such as Second Life has been used by educational institutions</div><div>for many years, with the most frequent use for role play-based learning; for an overview of different</div><div>educational uses of Second Life see this document</div><div>http://piensl.pbworks.com/f/slliteraturereviewa1.pdf by Salt, Atkins, Blackall (2008). However, the</div><div>concept of virtual fieldtrips and the related student task of virtual fieldwork is shown by the</div><div>literature to be a novel use of virtual reality software; and the experience of developing such a</div><div>learning tool is thus worth researching and sharing.</div>