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Advancing Conversational Learning With Learner-Created Virtual Environmental Field Trips

Wed, April 23, 10:50am to 12:20pm MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm MDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 710

Abstract

We present a new model for students as virtual field trip (VFT) creators, providing a shared adventure sense akin to physical trips, enriched by learning conversations on VFT media aspects. 160 high-school learners were given 15 curated climate-change-themed VFT resources, from which each created a teaching artifact with text and audio annotations. These ‘interest points’ anchored ‘learning conversations’ accessible on a virtual community board. Participants engaged through comments and feedback in iterative knowledge-building among a ‘virtual field trip learning community’ for environmental education. Findings reveal how VFT repurposing tools enhance learner engagement and understanding of environmental topics, especially when the level of agency exercised by the learner in their learning is increased across participant groups.

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