The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded a grant to purchase and install technology that will allow students at Meadowlark Elementary to experience "virtual field trips." Meadowlark Principal Jon Martin said he was excited about how the equipment will provide new learning experiences outside the classroom without the expense and logistical challenges of organizing and taking regular field trips.

USDA's Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants program was created to "provide much-needed infrastructure or infrastructure improvements to rural communities." More specifically, the USDA's support of telecommunications helps rural communities use technology to "connect to each other and to the world." Through USDA's Rural Utilities Service (RUS), rural communities can seek funding to help with water and wastewater treatment, electric power and telecommunications. Both Harlem and Chinook have received USDA Rural Development grants and loans, through the RUS program, for recent upgrades to their water and wastewater treatment facilities.

Virtual field trips on the

rise for students

According to Principal Martin, a great benefit of the new technology is its mobility. He said, "The entire cart, with the large screen, can be rolled into a classroom and connected, via phone, to programming a teacher wants to share with their students." Part of the grant included a new, mounted screen in the school's gymnasium. The drop down screen, per Martin, allows the entire student body to experience a field trip or remote program. The old screen had to be manually set up each time it was used and was not easy for the entire student body to see.

Meadowlark students had some experience with virtual field trips. Martin described a "field trip" some students participated in last year. He said, "It was through the Washington State Parks and was a program about whales. The presenters were on a beach in Washington and the students' view was if they were right there with the rangers."

Martin explained, "Making what were once only on site programs available via telecommunications eliminates travel costs to take students on field trips. The technology has greatly improved, is more available and has become more user-friendly for teachers to incorporate in to their classroom." The grant provided $22,800 to purchase the equipment and cover set up costs.

According to Martin, many organizations and facilities that provide educational programs are moving to develop and offer more 'virtual' programs. Asked for an example of the type of program students might experience with the new telecommunication capabilities, he said, "The Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers many tours of the museum, field trips and classes through its virtual programming." A well-known organization that is offering virtual field trips is the Discovery Channel. Martin said some programs have a fee associated with them, but, "There are a lot of free programs that are very good and accessible with our new equipment."

Through rural development programs the USDA is committed to "help rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density." Meadowlark students will soon be enjoying the benefits of connecting to the world and never leave their classroom. The old field trips we used to experience as kids are now icons of a past era. As Bob Dylan put it, "The Times They Are a-Changin.'"