Virtual field trips are meant to approximate the experience of a physical field trip, but take place remotely, either collectively, for example in the classroom, or in private locations, such as students’ homes. The field trip location may be defined broadly, e.g. the Wadden Sea coast in general, or as specific as a physical field trip location, e.g. a particular village, hallig, or stretch of salt marsh. Virtual field trips were first organised during the COVID-19 pandemic which restricted travel and gatherings, but it may also be used in absence of public health restrictions to highlight differently mediated experiences of travel and place, for example as part of the unit on Mediating place attachment. The virtual field trip may include film material that shows the field trip location (and is taken for the purpose of this field trip). It may also provide students with materials found on site that they can touch, to facilitate a material experience, such as mussels, shells, plants, soil samples or other materials they can identify and compare between themselves. One way to do this is to organise the materials into “surprise boxes” that are handed out to students individually. Educators may consider including more social aspects that are usually part of physical field trips into the virtual field trip, especially if the course does not include an Opening, Closing or Connecting physical field trip alongside the virtual one. Students can share food and drink provided on site or remotely, play games and share stories. The virtual field trip may also include creative activities with a link to the Wadden Sea, such as polishing amber and creating a necklace.
Literature and the Wadden Sea 