Students in kindergarten to high school can visit museums from Philadelphia to California without ever leaving their classrooms through an award winning program offered by Ball State University.
The Electronic Field Trip program, an interactive educational experience, recently won two gold awards at the 2006 World Media Festival the program, "The Holocaust Museum Experience: Exploring Our Daily Decision Making." This is an improvement upon the gold and silver medals the program received at last year's festival.
Mark Kormnann, director of Teachers College outreach services, said winning the awards was a big accomplishment for Ball State.
"Being recognized against international competition on that level is very rewarding, and it is impressive what we do compared to agencies with big budgets," Kornmann said.
Ball State's entire multi-project EFT budget is about the size of one film's budget for most of the entrants into the competition, which are normally businesses or government agencies.
The EFT program offers students an opportunity to virtually experience museums and national parks around the country through interactive Web content, classroom activities and live television broadcasts.
Each electronic field trip incorporates a Web site with educational content, a 90-minute telecast from the location and activities led by teachers using the program.
Sandy Murray, a fifth grade teacher at Burris Laboratory School, uses Electronic Field Trips in her classroom.
"The Web sites and broadcasts are a great way to integrate curriculum and use technology to motivate students," she said. Plus the students love them and find it to be a lot of fun."
Some EFT partners include The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, The National Park Foundation, The National Museum of the American Indian and The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
"After ten years of doing field trips, museum's are calling us now to be involved in our program," said Kornmann. "Winning awards helps with the recognition and support."
Murray plans to use up to five field trips in her core curriculum throughout the 2006-07 school year, including the scheduled "Freedom in America: Some Assembly Required," "Eruption! An Island Rising from the Sea" and "Going, Going, Faster: The Science of Speed!"
More information on the Electronic Field Trip program can be found at www.bsu.edu/eft.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
