LTC Helps Fourth Graders Take a Virtual Tour of UT
- May 9th., 2007

The IDEA Studio's Emmet Campos communicated with and cued all of the tour locations.

Teachers have always strived to give their students a window on the world, to help them make sense of, and find their place in, today’s complex society. With videoconferencing, that window is literally one on a computer, allowing students to take virtual field trips or converse with scholars without leaving their classroom.

The LTC’s IDEA Studio has continued its exploration of the use of laptop videoconferencing in K-12 settings, working with COE faculty and teachers in local schools. This semester’s efforts culminated in an interactive virtual field trip to the UT campus for 4th graders in Inez Flores’s class at Dawson Elementary School.

Students in Dr. Mary Claire Gerwels School Organization and Classroom Management class were stationed with laptops at seven UT locations, including the UT Tower, the bowling alley at the Union, Jester Dormitory, Gregory Gym, the bandhall, and a College of Education teacher education class. The most exciting location for the children was a skybox in Royal Memorial Stadium. They were able to see each location in turn, with the student at the location giving a short tour using the built-in camera in their laptop. The students at the locations could see and hear the children and answer their questions. IDEA Studio Coordinator Karen French was in the 4th grade classroom, communicating via iChat on her laptop with IDEA Studio staffer Emmet Campos, who was also communicating with and cueing each location.

“From Emmet’s point of view things were a little chaotic, but the kids didn’t see any of that. They loved it and all said they wanted to go to UT. They even convinced the students in the COE class to sing ‘The Eyes of Texas’ for them!” reported Karen. After the tour ended, Dawson Principal Shannon Sellstrom asked the children to tell her about their virtual tour, using their responses as an opportunity to practice elaborating descriptions, an essential writing skill. The class also discussed the opportunities available to them after high school graduation and how to start on the path to college now. Ms. Flores, herself a first-generation college graduate, expressed how important this kind of experience is for children who “may live down the street from UT but have never set foot on campus.” All involved thought it was a great activity and are eager to do it again.

Karen is currently planning a similar activity with children taught by recent UT bilingual education graduates in several rural school districts. The teachers are already trained in the technical aspects of videoconferencing and will be able to set up their end of the conference without assistance. The project’s potential for expansion is promising.

—Laurie Caldwell, LTC Communications Coordinator