INTEGRATING VIRTUAL AND PLACE-BASED FIELD TRIPS IN GEOEDUCATION: INSIGHTS FROM FRENCH AND SPANISH UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

In our increasingly interconnected world, understanding sustainability issues and global change is crucial. Educators must prepare future generations to address complex challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and social disparities. Specialized training is essential for students and educators alike. Higher education programs are leveraging information technologies to enhance teaching methods, while geotechnologies aid in identifying environmental changes. Fieldwork remains valuable for integrating theoretical concepts with real-world experiences. This paper explores the integration of virtual and place-based field trips in geoeducation, presenting theoretical frameworks and methodologies for experimentation and evaluation. This article does not take an empirical approach. Instead, the aim is to theorise the relationship between the virtual and real fieldtrip using an exploratory approach. Two primary approaches have been delineated: the sequential approach, which integrates field trips and virtual field trips, either prior to or following, asynchronously, and the mixed approach, which entails conducting VFTs while in the field, concurrently, i.e. synchronously. Each approach emphasizes different learning objectives, with the sequential approach focusing on critical and spatial thinking, while the mixed approach facilitates comprehensive fieldwork beyond observation.