Twenty-sixth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

How can you transport students through time and across borders without the need to retain transportation, distribute and collect permission slips, and solicit district approved chaperones? Without students having to read hundreds of pages of a history textbook or spend a dime, my Instructional Design for Teaching & Learning students explore digital tools to “take” their students to places like St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the United States to learn about the Civil Rights Movement. They hear stories about the Freedom Fighters who jeopardized their lives in the quest of liberty for all people, learn of Martin Luther King’s visit to St. Augustine, and see the site of the famous Woolworth’s demonstration. By becoming immersed in video footage, listening to audio clips, examining photographs of historical landmarks and analyzing interviews, K-12 students develop an appreciation for the past and a responsibility for the future. My pre-service teachers create online field trips that utilize innovative technologies to transform pedagogical theory and instructional practices and create a brilliant showcase that harnesses the power of education to address inequality and discrimination and promote social justice. Jump on board and let’s discover the role online field trips play in providing a means for pre-service teachers to learn to integrate technology effectively in the social studies classroom and in helping foster engaged learning that provides rich opportunities for their students to acquire new knowledge and a deeper understanding as they become responsible global citizens.