Taking Videoconferencing To The Next Level

Abstract

The Virtual Outreach Program at the Michigan State University Museum progressed through three stages of videoconference program development while taking museum resources on the virtual “road.” This chapter documents the shift from an experts-based model to one focused on learning content through object-based learning and dynamic inquiry in a collaborative community. Revisions in pedagogy, philosophy, and content are explored at each level and supported by the literature and best practice standards that shaped these changes. Throughout, the museum virtual field trip is presented as a partnership between the classroom, museum experts, and distance-learning providers, working together to create meaningful virtual learning experiences for K-12 students.