OFE News Release
Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trips Available for Oklahoma 5th, 8th-Grade Teachers
July 15, 2008
OKLAHOMA CITY --
Applications are available for fifth and eighth-grade Oklahoma public school teachers interested in receiving Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trip subscriptions from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Applications, which will be accepted Aug. 4 through Sept. 8, are available on the foundation’s Web site at www.ofe.org.
The Emmy Award-winning Electronic Field Trips, produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, bring early American history to life through a series of live television broadcasts and interactive online activities. In addition, students have the opportunity to call toll-free and speak directly to historians and character interpreters during the live television programs and for one hour after each broadcast.
Grants for the Electronic Field Trip series, valued at $500 each, are administered by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Funding is made possible by individuals, corporations and foundations, led by Oklahoma City businessman Carey Joullian, and through a grant from the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
The broadcasts, which focus on different aspects of colonial life, are presented from 9 to 10 a.m. monthly from October through April on OETA. The schedule is posted on the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Web site. The 2008-09 line-up includes the premiers of “The Will of the People,” a look back at America’s earliest presidential campaigns from the perspective of Thomas Jefferson; “Making History Live,” a behind-the-scenes look at how historical African American character portrayals are developed for Colonial Williamsburg; and “Freedom Bound,” which explores slavery and the quest for freedom over a three-century period. Other programs will focus on the decisive battle of Yorktown, scientific developments in the 18th century, roles and responsibilities of early-American women, and the life of a Revolutionary War soldier.
While the broadcasts are available to all Oklahoma schools with OETA access, the Electronic Field Trip subscription provides educators with additional resources, including a comprehensive teacher’s guide, web-based learning tools and activities, toll-free telephone and e-mail access to Williamsburg historians, and technical support.
Electronic Field Trip subscriptions are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference given to teachers who have attended the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute. Only one subscription will be awarded per school and can be shared among all the school’s teachers and students.
This marks the seventh year that the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence has provided grants for electronic field trips. In 2007-08, 137 Oklahoma schools received electronic field trip subscriptions through the program, helping Oklahoma rank second in the nation in the number of program subscriptions.
Ponca City teacher Becky Krueger said her students eagerly anticipate phoning in questions to Williamsburg historians during the live broadcasts and enjoy the on-line history activities, which connect them with other students across the country.
“My students get so excited about Electronic Field Trip day,” Krueger said. “In this age of hand-held video games and the Internet, so many kids are visual learners. Electronic Field Trips are presented in a medium that really makes an impact on their memory.”
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence is a statewide, non-profit organization that recognizes and encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools. Among its many activities, the foundation coordinates a scholarship program to send teachers to the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute for a full week each summer.
For more information, contact the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence at (405) 236-0006 or e-mail bwheelock@ofe.org.