Now Clicking Is Fundamental

By Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 7/1/2005

Burying her nose in a computer may be as good as a book when a child is learning how to read, according to a new study.

A recent examination of online field trips sponsored by Maryland Public Television (MPT) showed improved literacy scores at two Maryland middle schools. The students who participated in three Web-based classes, showed a higher level of reading comprehension by scoring better on a national test than those who had used more traditional materials, according to the study funded by a “Ready to Teach” grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

MPT has been producing the field trips for the past five years, and constructed the online programs to not only educate children on topics about their state, but also to improve literacy among schoolchildren. Classes include those on Edgar Allan Poe and the Underground Railroad in Maryland.

“This provides a way for [students] to become more involved in content that they may not normally be exposed to,” says Caroline Payson, director of education services at MPT.

Online field trips are growing in popularity as a way for students to “visit” areas they may not otherwise get to because of lack of funding. With school budgets being slashed across the country, teachers are using online programs, like MPT’s, as an inexpensive alternative.

MPT’s field trips are accessed over the Web, and teachers can run them to teach an entire class or launch them individually for students. Each program can also be read aloud to a child. For example, on the Poe site, a student can hear the poem “The Raven” read aloud while wearing headphones, have words defined, and if they have further questions, they can click on a place in the poem, and e-mail the link and query to her teacher.

Other field trips in the works include one on Chesapeake Bay and another on middle school math that launched this year.