A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF SCIENCE-RELATED

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

AVAILABLE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

June 10, 1999

by

Rebekah K. Nix

in partial fulfillment of the requirements in SMEC-708

Curtin University of Technology Western Australia

ABSTRACT

Although field trips are nothing new, the evolution of their delivery - from actual site

visits to recorded instructional television programs to interactive multimedia CD-ROMs and on

to real-time experiences via the World Wide Web - is an exciting and powerful utilization of

Internet technology that enhances science education! The real world is where theory and practice

come together and science becomes relevant, making sense that leads to understanding. Virtual

field trips enable the principles of student-centered inquiry and constructivism to be practiced.

For the purpose of this study, a virtual field trip is an inter-related collection of images,

supporting text and/or other media, delivered electronically via the World Wide Web, in a format

that can be professionally presented to relate the essence of a visit to a time or place.

An extensive Internet search was conducted over the second quarter of 1999 to develop

and create a listing that summarizes the key content, educational and support components of

virtual field trips available on the World Wide Web. To objectively compare science-related

virtual field trips with respect to elements that impact the usability as a teaching tool, a new

instrument was designed in collaboration with intermediate and graduate level science and math

educators. The quantity and variety of World Wide Web sites dedicated to virtual field trips

reflects an interest and willingness that could help move science education into a new realm.

INTRODUCTION

On December 10, 1995, the TerraQuest expedition ship Livonia set out on a two-week

voyage from Argentina across Drake's Passage to the continent of Antarctica. Along with daily

live chats and digital dispatches via satellite, the trip made history with the first-ever live uplinks

to the Internet from Antarctica, receiving over 800,000 hits to the site during its active period.

Positive press and email feedback confirmed a sense of community among the real and virtual

travelers. On the eve of the new millennium, another boat with digital cameras, sound recording

devices and a satellite hook-up to the Internet will set out to duplicate the age-old oceanic quest

of global circumnavigation. Two million hits per day are expected in the first year of the journey.

Major organizations such as IBM, Bell Atlantic, CSC, and NASA are investing

significant research hours and development dollars in the emerging genre of virtual experiences

that combine scientific and educational goals. Although field trips are nothing new, the evolution

of their delivery - from actual site visits to recorded instructional television programs to

interactive multimedia CD-ROMs and on to real-time experiences via the World Wide Web - is

an exciting and powerful utilization of Internet technology that enhances science education!

Why are geology students required to complete field camp or medical students required

to perform internships? Because the real world is where theory and practice come together and

science becomes relevant, making sense that leads to understanding. Virtual field trips enable the

principles of student-centered inquiry and constructivism to be practiced for the benefit of all

styles and ages of learners (Galas, 1999).

Definition

What exactly is a virtual field trip? Think about any trip you have taken to any place for

any reason. Was there a sense of awe or wonder? Can you feel the excitement of a journey or the

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 2

intrigue of a new place? Do images or sounds of the visit flash through your mind even today?

Which specific aspects do you remember about that personal life experience?

A virtual experience can inspire the same sensations. Webster's online dictionary defines

virtual as "being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted" and field

trip as "a visit (as to a factory, farm, or museum) made (as by students and a teacher) for

purposes of firsthand observation" (Merriam-Webster Online, 1999). With an intentionally

professional perspective, one educator suggests that teachers "start thinking about electronic field

trips as an ITV (instructional television - author's clarification) model that works out with

weights 30 hours a week" (Coletti, 1999). Another organization defines a virtual field trip as "a

guided and narrated tour of web sites that have been selected... and arranged in a 'thread' that

students can follow from site to site with the click of a single button" (Virtual Blackboard, 1999).

For the purpose of this study, a virtual field trip is an inter-related collection of images,

supporting text and/or other media, delivered electronically via the World Wide Web, in a format

that can be professionally presented to relate the essence of a visit to a time or place. The virtual

experience becomes a unique part of the participants' life experience.

Various information technology products (global collaborative projects, extensive

encyclopedic reference pages and graphical on-line brochures) may include aspects of a virtual

field trip. Whether actually in the field or simply visiting online, the learning outcome is that the

group experiences a real-world occurrence of a place or event, making unique discoveries and

independent decisions from a scientific perspective. Therefore, for effective use as a teaching

tool in a science classroom, a "virtual field trip" must contain certain elements that make it

possible for a teacher to independently guide students along a logical course. Presentation

reflects an everyday, real-world situation with all the variables and extraneous influences.

Classification of the virtual field trip depends on content, structure and purpose. The main

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 3

subject matter may involve environmental issues, biological organisms, geological structures,

space exploration, or oceanographic processes. The information may flow as numbered stops

along a guided trail or stations at an exhibit, or the group may have the option of choosing its

own path of discovery. Again, the ultimate goal is to develop an understanding of and

appreciation for the "big picture", allowing the group to work through the scientific process,

involving all their senses and opening their minds to limitless possibilities. Based on this

definition, some sites entitled "virtual field trips" or "tours" are not included in this study as they

do not meet the listed criteria.

Specifying the virtual field trip as an application centered in the experience of the student

places it in the "learning technology" sector of "educational technology" as defined at a National

Science Foundation workshop on the impact of information technology on undergraduate

education in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. A focused group of faculty,

students, academic administrators, publishers and industry professionals determined that

Effective use of information technology is characterized by applications that: Stimulate students and engage them with the material, such as role playing simulations.

•

•

•

•

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Illustrate the workings of complex systems by exploring cause-and-effect relationships, or demonstrate microscopic, molecular, or hypothetical scenarios. Encourage collaboration with other individuals, teams, or institutions to coordinate a group effort while exposing students to different ideas and perspectives (e.g., electronic mail for communicating with classmates or instructors). Foster development of critical thinking skills, visualization, conceptualization, integration of disparate data and resolution of patterns within data. Utilize the World Wide Web for research, advertising, and posting material.

(National Science Foundation, p.14)

Virtual field trips can do all of the above - and then some!

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Purpose

The purpose of this review is to determine the availability and feasibility of virtual field

trips as classroom tools for science teachers. If you simply enter the terms "virtual field trip"

(without quotation marks) in a typical Internet search engine, the results are overwhelming:

Infoseek offers 19,168,175 sites; AltaVista reports 5,543,665 matches; MSN lists 15,052

potential links. Limiting the search to the exact phrase "virtual field trip" (with quotation marks)

still yields voluminous results: Infoseek offers 3,680 sites; AltaVista reports 1,784 matches;

MSN lists 729 potential links. Of course, not all references are relevant or appropriate, but the

initial search results might be a bit intimidating for a beginning "surfer" trying to integrate

technology into his/her specific curriculum. If faced with this mass of information, a teacher may

never reach the secondary goal of assessing the presentation style and design elements typically

included on such a site. Nor may he/she actually progress to using virtual field trip with his/her

students.

Review of Literature

Despite the proliferation of virtual field trips available on the World Wide Web, little has

been published on the topic in the traditional sense. Two journal articles describing classroom

technology projects (Hixson, 1996 and Barshinger, 1998) and one book, a cross-referenced

description of web sites (Cooper, 1997), directly approached the subject. Informal background

information was occasionally discovered on pages within major web sites.

A nationwide project to build and link geography curricula using the Internet and World

Wide Web provides a possible model for science education. The program proposal (Foote, 1995)

raises the issues of how technology can be developed to benefit students and society and notes

the changing role of the teacher as new opportunities are explored. One of their goals is to make

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 5

use of the vast repository of materials already available on the Internet and World Wide Web.

Dr. Bruce Herbert of Texas A&M University has posted several presentations that discuss the

design and effectiveness of using virtual field trips to improve delivery in earth science (Herbert,

1998). His initial assessment of the use of Web-based instructional materials in an introductory

Physical Geology class shows positive improvement in the impact of science on students' lives

and their change in geologic interest. This survey supports his statement that when the objectives

are incorporated into the design phase, virtual field trips can support learning objectives.

METHODOLOGY

An extensive Internet search was conducted over the second quarter of 1999 to develop

and create a listing that summarizes the key content, educational and support components of

virtual field trips available on the World Wide Web. Using various Internet search engines, a

review of the more prominent web sites was performed to assess the scope of the project and

define survey criteria. Interest in the virtual field trip concept is evident in the number of sites

dedicated to providing lists of virtual field trips. Based on these results, a master list of virtual

field trip links was compiled by title and address to eliminate duplicate URLs (Universal

Resource Locators).

Approximately 500 sites were visited over a three-week period to verify links and assess

the style and components of each site. In the process, 45 bad links and 9 changed links were

encountered. The Microsoft Windows system crashed 4 times. Correct addresses have not been

identified for 51 sites on the initial master list at the time of this printing. Various plug-ins were

required for some sites, but technical support and download links were clearly provided more

often than not. Approximately 10 web sites utilized Windows system audio and video software;

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 6

10 used QuickTime; 8 used Acrobat Reader; 6 used RealPlayer; 3 used Shockwave; and True

Speech, Live Picture and chat plug-ins were also used.

A simple rating scale was defined to assess basic components of the study sites.

"Excellent" ratings encouraged feedback or participation or provided thorough detail and full

capabilities. "Sufficient" ratings indicate that the information or feature was available, but

inquiries and comments were not solicited and supplemental information may be required for

presentation. "Not applicable" means that the element was not found on the site through a typical

connection. Some items were "Under Construction" implying that there was a structure in place,

but no or incomplete content. In other cases (such as the site written in the German language

with no translator option), certain elements within the site were "Undetermined" or the hyperlink

was incorrect, noted as a "Bad link".

Instrument

A questionnaire designed to help educators evaluate virtual field trips asks the question

"Is the tour better in person?" (Schrock, 1998). It focuses mainly on web page navigation and

construction issues. To objectively compare science-related virtual field trips with respect to

elements that impact the usability as a teaching tool, a new instrument (see Appendix A) was

designed in collaboration with intermediate and graduate level science and math educators.

Content-specific items (such as text, narratives, captions and images) include the title of

the trip or name of the website, the source or author of the website, and the presentation format

(illustrated in Appendix B). Access to all information is most often free or user registration (for

marketing or update services) may be requested; however, some sites (usually live events)

require purchased licenses that range from US$1 per student and $69 per teacher to $1,000 for

more than 151 students. The level is a comprehensive measure based on average student

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 7

experience and teacher knowledge. Educational components (such as lesson plans, teacher notes

and evaluation items) are classified as teacher notes, activities, assessment, and standards.

Additional support components include resources (such as pop-up glossaries and links to relevant

web sites, high-level research and background), multimedia (such as audio and video

supplements, display of real-time information, and animation), and support (such as technical

help files or contact details for content specialists).

RESULTS

A total of 280 virtual field trips were identified and analyzed for this feasibility study.

The results, tabulated by evaluation criteria, are presented in Appendix C. Individual data points

reflect separate aspects of virtual field trips that support general trends. The majority of sites

originate from college-level professors and students (graduate), followed by institutes,

professional organizations and national programs. Organization is predominantly by topic or

subject, followed by chronological or logistical arrangements. Access to over half of the sites is

free and unrestricted. Very few sites are specifically designed for use at the lower (elementary)

levels. Information focused mainly on the trip itself, offering excellent resources and multimedia,

but minimal educational components.

Collectively however, the number and quality of elements available on a particular site

infers its suitability for teaching purposes and provides insight into the present state of the art.

The following tables present the approximate data percentages by level and evaluation criteria as

described in Appendix A. Undetermined or under construction data points were extracted from

the results.

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Format Access Unlimited access to

Level Chronological Topical Active Free Register Cost Notes Activities Assessment Standards

High 62% 37% 1% 100% 0% 0% 9% 16% 12% 0%

Moderate 17% 70% 14% 89% 5% 6% 33% 33% 20% 2%

Low 30% 50% 20% 60% 10% 30% 20% 40% 0% 20%

Unlimited access to Source

Level Resources Multimedia Support Classroom Graduate Professional Institute National

High 66% 19% 77% 0% 89% 8% 4% 5%

Moderate 78% 66% 90% 6% 15% 22% 35% 16%

Low 70% 70% 70% 0% 40% 40% 0% 10%

The majority of web pages dealing with field studies in the classic sense are developed by

and designed for use at a post-graduate level. The chronological format and limited use of

multimedia features supports the more linear nature of higher-level presentation. Nearly all of the

web pages dealing with museum tours and real-time, participatory events are designed by outside

organizations for use at the K-12 level. The open structure with multiple path options and

multimedia capabilities take advantage of the non-linear nature of web-based instruction to

enhance individual interest and understanding.

Three relationships are particularly important to this study. First, over half of the high-

level sites utilize a chronological format, whereas over half of the moderate-level sites are

presented in a topical format. Second, more than 50% of both the moderate- and low-level sites

employed some form of multimedia features beyond basic html (hyper text markup language),

while little was incorporated on the high-level sites. Finally, the high-level sites decidedly

originate from graduate professors and/or students, however, a surprisingly small number of

moderate-level and no low-level sites were explicitly created by classroom teachers and/or

students.

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Limitations

The dynamic nature of the World Wide Web is a key concern for Internet-based research.

The search basis is unavoidably biased due to the choice of terms and engines, the technical

exclusion of subscription sites by definition, the judgment of the investigator and the naming

conventions used by the site author to cite a few major issues. Because of the sheer volume of

resources and comprehensiveness of the research topic, it is unreasonable to believe that all

pertinent sites were included in the survey. Changes to sites and disruption of links will most

likely affect the data in the long-term. There is also an inherent content bias toward the earth

sciences due to general nature of field trips and limitations of actual physical travel.

Time itself presented both positive (similar environment) and negative (site discovery

and review) limitations. Although the evaluation criteria are subjective to a degree, the specific

parameters of the study elements and consistent review methods are appropriate for an

exploratory feasibility assessment. The preliminary results of this study support further

investigation under a similar methodology.

CONCLUSIONS

Virtual field trips are indeed available on the World Wide Web and do provide feasible

classroom tools for science teachers. With the current global Internet initiatives underway, they

will be readily available to teachers and students as a viable application of technology. With the

continually improving delivery and presentation capabilities, they will offer teachers and

students a valuable structure for developing "real" science skills such as observation, inference,

prediction, understanding, and problem-solving. The number and variety of sites dedicated to

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 10

virtual field trips reflects an interest and willingness that could help move science education into

a new realm.

The benefits of virtual field trips are numerous. Teachers gain a cross-curriculum

integration strategy, a framework for addressing complex issues and an approach that supports

multiple implementation and learning styles over a range of levels with a real-world relevancy.

Students gain entry into environments without restrictions or distractions, a chance to discover

their personal interests in a scientific context, and the opportunity to independently work ahead,

catch up or review a motivational exercise. Both teachers and students benefit from the exposure

to all paradigms of education (Kessell, 1999) and starting out on the same page with respect to

technology and the newness of traveling to another place. Besides all that, virtual field trips are

fun (tell a story) and easy (no transportation, food, lodging, waivers, or weather worries),

capturing the interest of all participants - actual or virtual!

Future Impact

New features and capabilities will spark creativity and motivate development of effective

virtual field trips, designed for use as teaching tools. Presently limited occurrences of "extreme"

multimedia such as live web-cams, interactive movies, and extended scientist chats may soon be

commonplace. Detailed curriculum integration strategies and the implementation of critical

elements (standardized navigation tools, basic imaging options and pop-up glossaries, for

example) can be added to make the tours easy to use. Focused research to determine what

materials are usable in the classroom, what training needs to be offered for integration and how

the design of virtual field trips can meet these specific needs will be critical to maximizing the

effectiveness of virtual field trips as teaching tools in the science classroom.

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The tremendous potential of field trips is not restricted to educating students, but can also

be applied to training teachers in both technology and pedagogy. Actually taking teachers into

the field provides a real-life experience that combines the multi-disciplinary aspects of system

science. Such exposure can then be used to develop an interest in technology by encouraging

teachers to create their own virtual field trip. As evidenced by the success of the Teacher

Training Programs in Geosciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, the energy of the actual

experience can be transferred to the classroom each time a trip is virtually experienced!

This research provides a tested instrument to gauge the value of virtual field trips as

classroom teaching tools for science education. A summary statement written by a 6th grade

science teacher and a 3rd grade teacher and technology specialist on teachers' perspective about

using "Live from Antarctica" provides incentive to continue developing the concept and

improving the content of virtual field trips:

...like the very best field trip, an electronic excursion to this rare and

exotic setting will surely fascinate, inspire, and motivate. This makes learning fun

and exciting. How can you not want to come along too?

(Passport to Knowledge, 1997)

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 12

APPENDIX A: SCIENCE-RELATED VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

AVAILABLE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Title: specific title of trip or name of website (if online, click to access site via Word)

Source: S = classroom teacher/student; G = graduate (college-level) professor/student;

P = professional; I = institute (museum/zoo); O = other

N = national foundation/government program

Format: C = chronological/logistical; T = topical/subject; A = archived/real-time event

Access: F = free, unrestricted access to all sections; $ = fee(s) for full/partial options;

R = limited participation or subscription requirements

Level: most appropriate grade level based on language for students and required

knowledge base for educators: H = postgraduate, high (difficult); M = 6-12,

moderate (details available); L = K-6, low (easy, complete)

Teacher Notes: specific notes about using the field trip in the classroom

Activities: listed or linked hands-on activities related to the field trip

Assessment: worksheets, quizzes and/or suggested evaluation exercises

Standards: linked to state/national educational standards

Resources: linked to websites, reference lists, recommended reading, etc.

Multimedia: animations, videos, sounds, links to real-time sites, beyond html text/graphics

Support: email or contact details for further information/participation options or help text

Legend: = excellent; = sufficient; - = not available; / = under construction;

? = undetermined; X = bad link; italics = future item (listed but not started)

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A Walk Through Time N T F M - - - -

Aerospace Museum, San Diego I T F M - - - -

Africa at the Field Museum I T F M - - - - -

African Primate Safari, Virtual I T F M - - - -

AfricaQuest P A $ M ? ?

Air Force Museum, United States N T F M - - -

Amazon Katydid Expedition I T F M - -

Amazon Rainforest Netspedition G A F H - - - -

Amazonia Exhibit I C F M - -

An Inquirer's Guide to the Universe I T F M - - -

Antarctic Study Trip I T F M - - - -

Antarctica Online N T F M -

P T $ L ?

Antarctica, Virtual P A F M - - - - - -

Anthropology Collections of the Field Museum I T F M - - - - -

Anza Borrego State Park, California G T F H - - - - - -

Ape Cave, Explore G T F L - - - - -

Archaeology, A Collection of Odd I T F M - - - -

Arizona Virtual Tourist G T F H - - -

Armagh Planetarium N T F M - - - -

Around the World in a 46 Foot Motor Boat P C/ R M - / - - / / /

AsiaQuest P A $ M / / / / / / /

Atom, Tour the N T F M R ?

Auroras: Paintings in the Sky I T F M - -

Australian Botanic Gardens N C F H - - -

Australian Virtual Field Trip O A F M -

Avery Island, Lousiana G T F M X - -

Bahamas, The Islands of the P T F M - - - -

Baja, Mexico G C F H - - - - - -

Barton and Hordle Cliff, Hampshire G C F H - - -

Batur Volcano, Bali, Indonesia G T F H - - - - -

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge S T F M - -

Belize - Jason V Expedition N A F M ? - -

Belize - The Virtual Guide P T F M - - -

Bell's Canyon, Utah-Urban Development Implications G T F H - - - -

Antarctica, Blue Ice -

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Big Bend Ranch State Park - Sul Ross State University G C F H - - - - - - -

Big Bend, Texas - Texas A&M University G T F M - - - - -

Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah G T F H - - - -

Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah - Clastic Sedimentology G C F H - - - - - -

Black Holes and Neutron Stars, NASA - Virtual Trips to N T F H - - - -

Black-footed Ferret Conservation & Research Center I C F M - - - -

Bodega Head, California G C F H - - - - - - -

Boston Museum of Science, Virtual Tour of the I C F M - - - - -

Brazil Expedition P T R M - -

Brevard Zoo I T F M - - - - -

Broughty Ferry, Virtual Field Trip to G T R L ? ? ? ? ?

Buffalo Zoological Gardens S T F M - - - - - - -

Burgess Shale G C F M - - - - - -

Butterflies at the Field Museum I T F M - - - - -

Calamus River Page G T F H - - - - -

Calavaras Fault, California G C F H - - - - -

Calico Mining District, California G T F H - - - - -

California Living Museum (CALM) I C F M - - - - -

California, Collecting Fossils in O T F M - - - -

California, Petroleum Geology Field Trip G T F H - - - - - - -

Calvert Cliffs, Maryland N C F H - - - - -

Cambrian, Welcome to the P T F H - - - -

Canary Islands P T F M - - - - - -

Canyon de Chelly and the Salt River Canyon (Fall'98) G C F H - - - - - -

Canyon de Chelly, Salt River Canyon (Spring'92) G C F H - - - - - -

Carbonate Sedimentology Field Trip (Utah) G C F H - - - - - -

Cave, The Virtual P T F M - - - - -

Cayucos Virtual Tour - road trip photos only P C F M - - - - - -

Chesil Beach, Dorset, England P C F H - - - - -

Chimney Bluffs drumlin erosion since 1970 G T F M - - - - - - -

Columbia Plateau - Channeled Scablands G T F H - - - -

Connecticut Field Guides P C F H - - - - - - -

CSUH Campus, Geology of the G C F H - - - - - -

Cyclorama, Virtual I T F M - - - -

Dead Sea Scrolls N T F M - - - -

Deep Sea Drilling Ship Visits San Francisco G T F M - - - - - -

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Delphine & Franck's World Tour (Ikoon = cartoon) P C F M - - - - -

Deschutes National Forest N T F M / - - -

Dinosaur Dig in Sundance, Wyoming I C F H - - - - -

Dinosaur Project 1998, Argentinean-Canadian I T F M - - - -

Dinosaur Safari I T F M - - - -

Dinosaurs Alive! G A $ L ? ?

Dinosaurs in the Gobi O T F H - - - - - -

Dinosaurs of the Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota I C F H - - - - -

Dinosaurs, Age of - Field Trip G C F H - - - - - - -

Dorset and Cornwall, England, Geology of G C F H - X - - -

Dry Creek Canyon, Utah G T F H - - - -

Durlston Bay, Dorset, England P C F H - - - - -

East Pacific Rise, Virtual Reality Tour of the G T F H - - - - - /

Eastern Mediterranean Expedition P T F M $ $ $ $

Egypt, Odyssey in P A F M - - -

Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Institute of I C F M - - - - -

Egyptian Museum, Tour the Virtual P T F H - - - -

Electric Fish, Exploring the Amazon: The Search for I C F M - -

Electricity, Theater of I C F M - -

Ellis Elementary Nature Area S T F M - -

Enchanted Rock, Texas G C F H - - - - -

Everest: Roof of the World I C F M - - - - -

Everglades Field Trip G T F M - - - - - -

Everglades, Florida, 3-week houseboat trip in the P C F L - - - - - - -

ExplorA-Pond N T F M R - -

Exploration Society, Virtual I T F M - - - -

Fermilab: High Energy Physics N T F H - - - - -

Fidalgo Island, Washington G C F H - - - - - -

Field Adventures in Paleontology O C F M - - - -

Fire and Ice: The White Mountains G C F H - - - - -

Flagstaff and Environs G C F H - - - - - -

Florida - Jason VII Expedition N A F M - -

Fly Exhibit, How Things I T F M - - - -

Flynn Bogs System, A Tour of the G T F H - - - - -

Fort Peck, Montana - Live from "Peck's Rex" I T F M - - - - -

Fractals Exhibit- Dance of Chance G T F M - - - -

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Galapagos Islands, Scientific American Frontiers P A F M -

Galapagos, Virtual P A F M R - -

GalapagosQuest P A F M - -

GeoGarden, Virtual Tour of the Fort Wayne, Indiana G C F M - - - - - -

Gettysburg, Geology and Battle of G T F M - - - - - - -

Glacier Bay, Alaska, A Multimedia History of N T F M - - - -

Gobi Desert Expedition I T F H - - - - - -

Golden/Morrison, Colorado, Geology of I C F M - - - -

Grand Canyon and Geology of the Colorado Plateau G C F H - - - - - -

Grand Canyon Explorer O C F M - - - -

Grand Canyon, A Trip Through the ? C F L - - - -

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming G T F H - - - - - - -

Grandure Peak, Utah G T F H - - - -

Gulf of Mexico, Reefs of the G A R M -

Habitats Path Tour - Monterey Bay Aquarium I T F M - - - - -

Hartford Basin of Connecticut - Colby G C F H - - - - - - -

Harz Mountains - presented in German G T F ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Hawaii 1997 - Western Slope College G C F H - - - - -

Hawaii, Virtually N T F M - - -

Hayward Fault, California, Tour the G C F H - - - - -

Heart, The I T F M - - -

Henry Mountains and Capitol Reef, Utah G C F H - - - - - -

Hill Country of Central Texas (Longhorn Caverns) G T F M - - - - -

Holyrood Park, Edinboro, Scotland G T F M - - - -

Hunterdon County, NJ - Geology Field Trip ? C F M - - - - - -

Hunterdon County, NJ - Student Field Trip S T F M - - - - - -

Hurricanes - Tramline P T F M - -

Ice Ages Exhibit I T F M - - - -

Iceland - A Virtual Geology Field Trip G T F H - - - -

Iceland & Yellowstone - Jason VIII Expedition N A F M - -

Iceland, Volcanoes in G T F H - - - -

Ikoon - linked with Capmonde site P C F L - - - - -

Inca Trail and Machu Picchu O C F M - - - - - -

Indian Peaks, Colorado, Virtual Field Trip to the G C F H - -

International Greenland Expedition P T $ M $ $ $ ? $ ?

Isle of Portland, Dorset, England P C F H - - - - -

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Ituri Forest Virtual Tour - San Diego Zoo I C F M - / - -

Jardine Juniper Trail S T F M - -

Jupiter, Online from N A F M - -

Kaiyukan Aquarium I C F H - - - - - - -

Kansas City, Geology of G T F H - - - - -

Kentucky River Fault Zone G C F H - - - -

Kimmeridge, Dorset, England G C F H - - - -

LaBrea Tar Pits (museum tour) I C F M - - - -

Lake Big Fish O T F H - - - -

Lake Hills Greenbelt Trail, Washington S C F M - - - - -

Latah County, Idaho G T F H - - - - - -

Leonardo da Vinci I C F M - - - - -

Life Has a History I T F M

Logan Canyon in Springtime N T F M - - -

Lost and Found Virtual Exhibit I T F M - - - -

Lost Worlds Exhibition I T F M - - - -

Lower Jurassic of Lyme Regis, Dorset, England G C F H - - - - -

Lulworth Cove, Dorset, England P C F H - - - - -

Magellan Global Adventure P T $ M $ $ $ ? $ ?

Malaysia P T F M - - - -

Malta Virtual Field Trip G T F H - - - -

Man-Eaters of Tsavo - Field Museum Online Exhibit I T F M - - - - -

Marion Island Study Trip I T F M - - - -

Mars Pathfinder N A F M

Mass Wasting (North Ogden, Utah) G T F H - - - -

Maya Adventure I T F M - - - - -

Mayan Ruins of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras P T F H - - - - - -

Mazon Creek Fossils Exhibit I T F M - - - - -

Mendenhall Glacier, Virtual Tour of G C F M - - -

Mercer Canyon, Utah, Paleoseismology of G T F H - - - -

Microbe Zoo G T F L - -

Microworld - Advanced Light Source Tour G T F M - -

Mid-Continent Rift System, Structural Geology of the N T F H - - - - - -

Midwestern U.S. 16,000 Years Ago Exhibit I T F M - - - -

Mithraeum, Virtual I T F M - - - -

Mount St. Helens Volcano, Tour the G T F M - - -

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Mount Wilson Observatory Virtual Tour I C F M - - - -

Mt. Fuji, Virtual Trip O T F M - - - -

Mt. Ranier, Washington G C F H - - - - - -

Mt. St. Helens O A F M -

N. California Geological Society Spring'96 Field Trip G C F H - - - - -

Natural Bridges State Park, Ca., Coastal Geology of G T F H - - - - - -

Natural Wonders of the World - Tramline P T F M - - -

Neurolab Online N T F M -

Nevada Test Site, Geology of NW Arizona & S. Nevada G C F H - - - - -

Nile, Running the: Online Kayak Expedition P T $ M $ $ $ ? $ ?

Nine Planets Tour - Bill Arnett O T F M - - -

North Cascades, Washington G C F H - - - - - -

North Pole, Aspirations Expedition P T $ M -

Northern Bahama Bank G C F M - - - - - -

Northwest Passage Expedition P T $ M $ $ $ ? $ ?

Nuclear Power Plant, Virtual Tour of a P T F M - - - - -

Ocean Explorers' Virtual Voyage P A $ L ? ? -

Ocean Planet Exhibit N T F M -

Oceanography and Tropical Marine Ecosystems G T F M - - - - -

Oceans of Earth - Jason IX Expedition N A F M - -

Oklahoma City Zoological Park I T F M - - - -

Oneonta to the Hudson River, New York G C F H - - - - -

Osmington Mills, Dorset, England G C F H - - - -

Owens Valley/Mammoth Lakes, California G C F H - - - - -

Papago Park Virtual Field Trip G T F M - -

Patrick's Point State Park, California, Geology of G T F H - - - - -

Petrified Forest, Sanoma County, California G C F H - - - - - - -

Pinacate Volcanic Field, Mexico G C F H - - - - - -

Pineo Ridge, Maine, Glacial Geology of G C F H - - - - - - -

Point Reyes Peninsula Ecosystem Field Trip G C F H - - -

Ponds of Butchart Gardens N T F M - -

Portland Quarry - Withies Croft Wall G C F H - - - -

Prairies in the Prairie State Exhibit I T F M - - -

Prehistoric Museum, College of Eastern Utah G T F M - - - - -

Project Central America, Bike Trip P T $ M $ $ $ ? $ ?

Pt. Reyes Peninsula, California, Geology of the G T F H - - - - -

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Puna Ridge, Voyage to I T F M -

Questacon -Australia's National Science & Tech Centre N T F M - -

Rainforest, Science in the O T F M - -

Rainforests - Jason X Expedition N A F M $ - - -

Red River Gorge, Kentucky G C F H - - - -

Ring Mountain, Marin County, California G T F M - - - -

Rock Canyon, Utah ? T F H - - - - -

Rocky Mountain National Park, Virtual Tour of G T F M - - - - - -

Royal Tyrrell Museum, Virtual Tour I T F M - - - - -

Sabkhas Salt Flats, Middle East and N. Africa G C/ F H - - - -

Salt Marsh Field Trip - Tramline P T F M - - -

San Andreas Fault, California G T F H - - -

San Diego County (California) Field Trip G C F H - - - - -

San Diego County, California, Coastal Erosion P C F H - - -

San Francisco Zoo, Tour the I T F M - - - - - -

Sandy Pond Inlet since 1898, Changes in G T F H - - - - -

Santa Ana Zoo I T F M - - - -

Scott's Gulf, Virtual Tour G T F M - - - -

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park N T F M - - - - -

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World I T F M - - - -

Shell Beach, California G C F H - - - - - -

Siberian Collection Exhibit I T F M - - - -

Siccar Point, Scotland G T F H - - - - - -

Silurian Reef, The Virtual I T F M - - -

Smith River, California, Geology of the G C F H - - - -

Solent Shores, England G C/ F H - - - - -

South Africa Expedition P/ A/ $ M $ $ $ ? /

South America Expedition P A R M -

Southern California, Beach Process and Geology of G C F H - - - - - -

Southern California, Geology of G C F H - - - - - -

Southwestern Ohio, Geology of G C F H - - - - - - -

Space Race Exhibit I T F M - - - -

Space Shuttle Virtual Tour, NASA N T F M - - - -

Space Team Online- Johnson Space Center N T R M

Stone Ages, Welcome to the I T F M - - - - -

Stone Mountain, Georgia G T F H - -

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Stromboli, Italy, Virtually Climb G C F M - - -

Studland and Swanage G C/ F H - - - -

Sue: The Inside Story - Field Museum Online Exhibit I T F M - -

Sun: A Multimedia Tour, The G C F M - - -

Superstition Mountains and Geology of Central Arizona G C F H - - - - -

Tahiti Explorer P T F M - - -

Tibet: A Virtual Field Trip G C F H - - -

Tidal Passages P A R M -

Tomorrow River, Virtual Field Trip of the G C F H - - -

Tracy Aviary: This Place is for the Birds! S T F M - -

Trans-Antarctic Expedition 2000 P T $ M $ $ ? $ ?

Trans-Asia Expedition P A R M -

Turbulent Landscapes I T F M - -

UFO Mysteries, Hall of I T F M - - -

United States Expedition P A R M $ ?

University of California Santa Cruz Campus Field Trip G C F H - - - -

Wasatch Fault, Utah G T F H - - -

West Bay (Bridport Harbour), Dorset, England G C F H - -

Wetumpka Impact Structure G T F H - - - -

White Sands and Black Caverns: Southern New Mexico G C F H - - - - -

White Sands and Geology of the Chiricahua Mountains G C F H - - - - -

Willow Park Zoo S T F M - -

Women in Science - Field Museum Online Exhibit I T F M - - -

Worbarrow Bay, Dorset, England G C/ F H - - -

World Of Wonders - Smithsonian N T F L - - - - - -

Yellowstone National Park G C F H - - - - -

Yellowstone National Park N T F M - - -

Yellowstone National Park in the Winter S T F M - -

Yosemite, El Capitan - Highsights'96 P T F M - - - -

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A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 21

APPENDIX B: FORMAT EXAMPLE SCREENS

A "chronological" format is typically a diary or journal (e.g., simulated journey, scientific

expeditions) as illustrated in this screen from http://educeth.ethz.ch/stromboli/

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 22

A "topical" format is generally organized by location or subject (e.g., museums,

commercial tourism) as illustrated in this screen from http://192.206.48.3/reef/

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 23

An "archived" format describes a real-time event stored online (e.g., action-adventure,

participatory "live") as illustrated in this screen from http://terraquest.com/antarctica/index.html

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APPENDIX C: DATA TABULATION

Total sample = 280

Code Description Source 116 G Graduate (college-level) professor/student 61 I Institute (museum/zoo) P Professional 32 N National foundation/government program 11 O Other S Classroom teacher/student 3 ? Undetermined Format 158 T Topical/subject C Chronological/logistical 25 A Archived/real-time event Access 258 F Free, unrestricted access to all sections $ Fee(s) for full/partial options 9 R Limited participation or subscription requirements Level 161 M Moderate, 6-12 (details available) H High, postgraduate (difficult) 10 L Low, K-6 (easy, complete) 1 ? Undetermined

Excellent Sufficient Not available

Under construction

Un-determined

Cost associated

Bad link Restricted

Teacher Notes 37 28 197 4 10 0 2

Activities 56 18 190 3 3 8 1 1

Assessment 35 11 217 1 6 9 1 0

Standards 3 2 261 12 1 0 0

Resources 174 30 66 3 1 6 0 0

Multimedia 126 8 135 3 8 0 0 0

Support 107 129 42 0 0 0 0

Total

48

9

97

13

108

2

1

2

A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 25

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Barshinger, Timothy and Ray, Ann. (1998). From volcanoes to virtual tours: Bringing museums to students through videoconferencing technology. In Distance Learning '98. Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning (14th, Madison, WI, August 5-7, 1998: 2-8.

Coletti, Scott. (1999). An introduction to electronic field trips. Hubble Space Telescope, made possible by NASA, NSF, and PBS K-12 Learning Services. [Online]. Available: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/hst/scott/vtrips.html.

Cooper, Gail and Cooper, Garry. (1997). Virtual Field Trips. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. and Its Division Teacher Ideas Press.

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Foote, Kenneth E. (1995). The Geography Virtual Department: Building and linking geography curricula nationally using the internet and worldwide web. Austin: Department of Geography, The University of Texas at Austin. [Online]. Available: http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/virdept/about/proposals/nsf95/cover1.html.

Galas, Cathleen. (1999). The never-ending story: Questioning strategies for the information age. April 1999, Learning and Leading with Technology, Vol 26, No. 7: 10-13. [Online]. Available: http://www.iste.org/L&L/archive/vol26/no7/body.html.

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Hixson, Susan. (1996). Desert Studies. In Shinohara, Mayumi (Ed.), Tales from the electronic frontier: First-hand experiences of teachers and students using the internet in K-12 math and science. (p. 58-65). San Francisco, CA: WestEd Eisenhower Regional Consortium.

Kessell, S.R. (1999). Paradigms of Education. Based on the discussion by Squires, D. and McDougall, A. (1994) Choosing and Using Educational Software: A Teacher's Guide. London: Falmer Press. In SMEC-708: Educational Technology and Computing course notes. Curtin University of Technology, Perth.

Merriam-Webster Online. (1999). WWWebster Dictionary. Keywords: "Virtual" and "Field Trip". Merriam-Webster, Inc.: Springfield, MA. [Online]. Available: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary.htm.

http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf9882

Passport to Knowledge. (1997). Introduction to Live from Antarctica Teacher's Guide. Maryland Public Television and Geoff Haines-Stiles Productions, in association withWTTW/Chicago. [Online.] Available: http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/antarctica/tg/intro.html

Encarta 96 Encyclopedia.

National Science Foundation. (1998). Information Technology: Its impact on undergraduate education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, NSF 98-82. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation Directorate for Education and Human Resources Division of Undergraduate Education. [Online]. Available:

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A Critical Evaluation of Science-Related Virtual Field Trips Available on the World Wide Web 27

Schrock, Kathleen. (1998). Guide for Educators. Discovery Communications, Inc. [Online]. Available: http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/evaltour.html.

Science Education at UTD [Homepage of Science Education Department at the University of Texas at Dallas], [Online]. (1999). Available: http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/sci_ed/

Virtual Blackboard. (1999). Developing Virtual Field Trips Module. Tramline, Inc.: New Jersey. [Online]. Available: http://209.24.29.135/modules/science/fieldtrips/fieldtrip.htm