After its debut in 2017, the Ohio Beef Council's virtual field trip program is returning to classrooms throughout the state in the fall of 2018.
With just an internet-connected computer, a webcam and a microphone, teachers can virtually transport their students to beef farms throughout Ohio, allowing them to interact with real beef farmers without the challenges and intricacies that accompany traditional field trips of the past.
"These virtual tours have made it possible for students who otherwise wouldn't experience this to see what life on a real beef farm is like and the work that goes into raising livestock," said Cambell Parrish, OBC's director of consumer marketing and public relations. "We anticipate continuing the program will provide even more students with this opportunity, educating our state's future farmers and consumers."
Using Zoom video conferencing technology, 450 students found themselves virtually trudging through the pastures and barns of Craig Corry's beef farm in Greene County, Ohio in 2017.
"I've been more than happy to help facilitate the field trips," said Corry. "It's a great opportunity to engage with students and let them experience an interactive visit to a real working farm."
OBC is expanding the program to include up to eight total field trips throughout October and November. With this expansion, OBC is seeking to go beyond just the basics of farming to include some meat production education for high schoolers virtually touring the farms from food science and agriculture classrooms.
"It involves a lot of work to get these field trips up and running," Corry said, "and bringing the technical aspect into agriculture really helps to move the industry along as technology develops."
OBC makes it possible for classrooms finding themselves tight on time to even enjoy these field trips, as they are recorded and can be viewed on demand. In 2017, field trip recordings were viewed nearly 500 times, giving students who didn't get the first-hand experience the chance to learn the same things their peers did.
"This feature is perfect for teachers with multiple classes of the same subject," said Parrish. "We know it just isn't feasible for every class' schedule to align with farmers' schedules, so being able to share the recorded trips makes it easy to keep classes on the same track."
The virtual field trips are set to return to classrooms starting in October and will feature an array of new components, including the addition of a new farmer or two to the mix.
