An Ethnographic Comparison of Real and Virtual
Reality Field Trips to Trillium Trail:
The Salamander Find as a Salient Event

Maria C.R. Harrington
School of Information Sciences
University of Pittsburgh

Citation: Harrington, Maria C.R. (2009). "An Ethnographic Comparison of Real and Virtual Reality Field Trips to Trillium Trail: The Salamander Find as a Salient Event." Children, Youth and Environments 19 (1): 75-102. Retrieved [date] from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/

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Abstract

Reported are ethnographic observations comparing and contrasting real and virtual reality field trips.  The content was from a fourth grade elementary science and ecology curriculum of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.  Ecology education is an area of enormous importance, especially now in the period of climate change.  Technology may help to disseminate crucial knowledge and understanding required for appreciation and respect of natural places, both near and far.  The system developed is unique, as it is a high-fidelity, data-based ecologically accurate simulation of the real field trip.  The study used a counterbalanced design, (Real-Virtual and Virtual-Real groups), which made a post- experience survey meaningful.  After both experiences students rated the Real superior to the Virtual in Learning, Inquiry and Presence.  However, after the First experience, Real or Virtual, a posttest showed no statistical difference between experiences.  Our claim is that both results are true.  Additionally, observations suggest that the two environments complement.  Many of the out-of-curriculum learning events only occurred in the real environment as unplanned surprises resulting from nature.  One such “salient event” was the sighting of a salamander, which allowed the dynamic and sensitive naturalist guide to relate the unplanned event back to the curriculum for maximum impact on long-term episodic memory, thus documenting the effectiveness of “the teachable moment,” and the environment-guide-child interaction dynamic. This paper offers insights for both educators and software designers.

Keywords: discovery-based learning, human-computer interaction, ethnographic, intrinsic motivation, elementary ecology education, field trips, virtual reality