The fourth graders in Aurora recently found themselves living and working in a record field of 1900 in a small northern Minnesota community without leaving their classroom.
From the employee, who earns $ 35 a month and orders from the camp, the cookee, which helps in the kitchen with a salary of $ 25 a month, students experienced firsthand life as lumberjacks
His adventure took place in time for the cutting and hauling logs was a way of life in the state. The field trip interactive video online with the program of the Minnesota Historical Society, "Camp Registration 1900: The life of a lumberjack."
Tami Moehring, program assistant, the school program for the MHS-History Center, said they are pleased to offer interactive video conferences for students who do not have the ability to become one of the historical society sites to learn about the history of the state for a time or cost.
"This opportunity MHS the opportunity to reach a wider audience than they ever could with just the students come through our doors," said Moehring. "It also gives us the opportunity to reach students of the 21st century with 21st century technology which are used to."
James Zupetz, fourth grade teacher in the Mesabi
This School, said it was a great experience for her first field trip ever virtual. "Anytime you can present the knowledge in different ways is always positive," said Zupetz. "Students were engaged throughout the whole virtual tour and recalled a lot of information because of it."
The students were enthusiastic over the roles of those who once worked in the woods and lived in logging camps. They learned a lot about the history of the region and challenges that come with being a lumberjack, shared students.
Littlefork Students also participated in a tour video. Littlefork School District is a participant in a distance learning Rural Utilities Service and the provision of telemedicine through the Northeast Service Cooperative.
As part of the grant, participating schools have access to distance learning software including desktop video software, a noise canceling microphone, and a high-tech web camera. These tools, along with an interactive whiteboard or projector can be used as an inexpensive way to incorporate video in the classroom.
"The Minnesota Historical Society hopes that students and educators to learn from interactive video lessons that history can come to life before them and that is fun and interactive," said Moehring. "We also hope that students and educators will have the empathy or connection with the people of Minnesota's past have helped create this state."
Moehring said they also want students and educators to carry that through
interactive video conferencing with easy access to a historical state organization, experts in the field and see the primary sources and artifacts in your classroom that would otherwise be unattainable.
The importance of record field is to give life to one of the major industries in Minnesota's past and present, he said. "Lumbering was one of the main reasons that thousands of people came to the state of Minnesota," he said. "The Minnesota Historical Society also has a wealth of information about the registry, because one of the historic sites of the Historical Society, Forest Center, located near Grand Rapids, offers visitors the opportunity to learn about registration in Minnesota in 1900. "
The record class is one of many offered via videoconference through the MHS. Other classes offered include: How to become citizens of the Border: Lessons from a school in one piece, Mission: Expedition, Loons and Lady's Slippers: All over Minnesota, Inventions that Changed the Nation, A journey into the past: trade fur in the First Century 19, and media literacy: 1968-a year that changed America.
Craig Johnson, technology coordinator with Mesabi East Schools, said the technology is a tool for learning is no different from other tools for students. "In the same way as a chemistry student is required to use a balance, burette and Bunsen burner, so we expect all students to use computer technology to create, evaluate, and ideas of the community through media electronics, "said Johnson.
Looking forward to video field trips and other opportunities in technology, Johnson would like to see take a much larger role. "What is now the exception, because the bandwidth could become the norm," he said.
The Internet bandwidth of today to the school district of 10 Mbps, which is shared by 90 faculty and staff and four computer labs is not adequate, "said Johnson. The higher bandwidth of 100 Mbps, the district will receive in January 2012, in connection with the Northeast Minnesota fiber Half Mile project, open the doors to education and helping the district with technological advances.
"A multitude of distance learning opportunities available through partnerships with museums, government agencies, industries and universities," said Johnson. "Our students should not have fewer opportunities simply because of their geographical location. Technology can close that gap."