MUNCIE, Ind. - A Ball State University student used technology to take her students to the zoo without leaving the campus.

Recently, Sarah Bennett, a junior elementary education major from LaPorte, conducted a two-way distance learning field trip with the Indianapolis Zoo using a telecommunication system called Vision Athena.

With Vision Athena, television screens, cameras and microphones are set up in Ball State’s Center for Teaching Technology and at the field trip location allowing two-way communication and video.

"This field trip gave me the opportunity to hear and see what I had taught the students since they were interacting with the zookeeper about what they knew about insects," Bennett said. "I was really amazed at how much they were able to contribute to the program."

Under Bennett’s instruction, Burris Laboratory School first-grade students were able to visit the zoo and she was able to refine her planning methods.

"Although the field trip was virtual, the planning remained the same as with an actual field trip especially with things like accomplishing educational objectives, obtaining permission slips and safe behavior," said Julie Alexander, an elementary education professor.

Bennett is part of a technology group being studied to determine the impact technology has on teaching.

"Sarah, along with her classmates, were introduced to technology applications and wanted to study the impact of the instruction and how they could apply the applications in the classroom," said Gary Pavlechko, director of the Center for Teaching Technology. "The group also works with (Ball State education professors) Jerrell Cassady and Alexander doing data analysis on students to see if the teacher education training with technology has had an impact on how well they teach."

The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities also uses Vision Athena for electronic field trips to places like the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the Smithsonian, NASA and Conner Prairie Settlement.

The system has been used to teach graduate courses, and by the admissions staff to share information about Ball State academic programs to prospective students.

Pavlechko receives inquires from other educators who would like to incorporate this type of technology into their school programs.

"We would like to see students in teacher education learn to utilize distance learning for content providers like the zoo before they leave here and make it part of their public school’s regular instruction," he said.

By Roseanne Durril, Graduate Assistant

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information contact Pavlechko at (765) 285-5806 or gpavlech@gw.bsu.edu. Contact Alexander at (765) 285-5122 or jalexand@gw.bsu.edu.)