TDNet Discover

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the impact of virtual field trips (VFTs) on Holocaust education for K-12 students and educators who participated in the VFT program offered by the Holocaust Center for Humanity (HCH) in Seattle, Washington. For the utility of this study, the effectiveness of VFTs was defined as teachers’ and students’ perceived impact of digital, immersive experiences on student engagement, emotional connection, and depth of historical understanding. The theory which guided this study was Vygotsky’s social constructivism, as it emphasizes the interactive, collaborative, and socially constructed learning enviornments central to virtual experiences. This study was grounded in the interpretivist paradigm and utilized archival data from the 2020-2021 academic year, including anonymous student and teacher surveys, participation records, and docent instructional materials. The primary research question investigated how Holocaust-focused VFTs influenced student learning and educator perceptions of instructional effectiveness. Data were collected and archival records were de-identified, analyzed using thematic analysis, a flexible and interpretive method which supported pattern identification across open-ended responses. Findings revealed VFTs fostered emotional engagement, strengthened memory retention through vivid imagery and survivor testimony, and deepened historical understanding, while educators emphasized the program’s accessibility, authenticity, and instructional value. By focusing on the use of VFTs in Holocaust education, this study contributed to more accessible, ethically grounded, and contextually relevant teaching practices for complex historical content.