Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators

Is the Tour Better in Person?

After you take a virtual tour of a place on the Internet, answer the following questions to see if the tour met your expectations.

Your name: Theresa Conlon

Date: April 21, 2013

Name of tour site: Newseum Virtual Tour

URL of tour site: http://www.newseum.org/virtual-tour/index.html

1. When you were on the tour, could you tell where you were at all times? Yes
2. Throughout the tour, could you always get back to the beginning? Yes
3. During the tour, could you go to any area that you wanted to, or did you have to visit places in a certain order? Yes
4. Was there a map of the virtual tour site available for you to use for navigation? Yes
5. While you were on the tour, could you use any type of virtual reality to view places in 3-D? No
6. If there were photographs on the tour, were they easy to see? Yes
7. When you first entered the tour, could you choose from different options or paths to take? Yes
8. Was there a virtual guide to help you along the virtual tour? No
9. Were there any links to other Internet resources that would better help you understand the subject matter of the tour? No
10. Was there a place to ask questions or leave feedback about the tour? No
11. Did the tour make you want to learn more about the topic? Yes
12. Did the tour allow you to visit a place that you would never be able to visit in real life? No

In your own words, describe taking a virtual tour and compare it with a real tour you have taken.

While the Newseum has some online exhibits, what they have labeled as a 'virtual tour' is hardly a tour. It is an outline of the building, and you can click on the different floors to find out a bit more information about the different exhibits, but the information is minimal. Also, the text on the site is difficult to read because the font is so small. With a link that says "Buy your tickets now!" it is clear that the museum wants you to visit in person rather than providing information to visitors online.