Author: Deeksha Vaidyanathan, writer for EnvisionSTEM
Research by Abdullah Ratol, researcher for EnvisionSTEM
Introduction
To a young child, a school field trip was always just a chance to be off campus and not have to sit in a classroom environment with textbooks, tests, and homework. But to teachers, school field trips were an opportunity to encourage their students to learn new things in different ways than traditional methods, allowing them exposure to the fascinating things in nature, ranging from a nebula in the cosmos to a tiny cell in a leaf. The schools that have the funding and the privilege of taking their students on field trips are able to provide an enlightening experience that opens up young minds to the vast amount of knowledge there is to explore in the world and beyond.
Benefits of School Field Trips
There are numerous advantages to taking students on a field trip, which allows them to step outside of their comfort zone and gain first-hand experience with things in the real world. Those include the chance to be involved with hands-on learning so teachers can accommodate all students’ learning types; introducing or sparking interest in an interesting field that was previously undiscovered; and most importantly of all, teaching students how they can apply the material they learn in school to real-life situations.
Unique Experiences
Sometimes, the best way to teach a student a subject is not through textbooks, worksheets, or tests, but rather through in-person interactions and experiences outside of the classroom, where they can develop important skills through experimentation. For instance, a UChicago study claims that conducting a lab in nature, without the presence of a classroom setting, allows students to "understand [scientific concepts] more deeply and score better on science tests" (Ingmire 2015). Along with science experiments and labs qualifying as field trips that help fuel interest, speaking with professionals who are working individuals in the real world can paint a picture in a young child’s mind of what pursuing a career path in their area of interest could hold for them. One potential field trip could offer students the chance to "meet with a NASA engineer and ask her questions about her job," possibly encouraging them to "visualize themselves in STEM occupations" (STEM School).
Equal Opportunities
In our modern day world, equality is a topic that is constantly debated, as a lot of minority groups remain underrepresented and are not provided access to the same opportunities that those in more affluent communities have. School field trips, however, help decrease the impact of this issue. MESA, a co-curricular program that supports educationally disadvantaged students by providing pathways for them to succeed in science and mathematics, signified how students were able to apply math and science learned in informal learning environments (field trips), enabling them to have fun and build feelings of accomplishment (Denson 2015). Disadvantaged students also benefit from field trips, as they provide students with unique opportunities that their families might not be able to afford. Although school field trips can be expensive, they don’t necessarily have to be expensive in order for children to get the most out of their experience. Just being able to learn about something interesting in a different way than usual can help inspire students, regardless of age, sex, or race, to envision a path for themselves in the future.
Piquing Students’ Interest
How many times have you heard a student complain: "But when will I ever use what I’m learning in my life?" Research shows that students retain 75% of learning through experience, and 53.78% of students strongly agree that field trips have helped to increase their knowledge base. Being able to apply the skills that students learn in a regular environment to real life through field trips can show students why learning such topics are important, as opposed to merely telling them (Kamen and Leri). Another reason why students prefer field trips for learning rather than traditional methods is that they’re able to build personal connections and relationships with those around them, including their peers, mentors, and teachers, who can all be positive influences on a student. Those relationships and bonds can be carried through a student’s life, creating a key support system and helping a child build confidence and communication skills that are important traits to have in the STEM workforce. Additionally, an interactive learning environment would contextualize the field of STEM while targeting the learning style of the current generation of college students, which tends to be very hands-on. This can further pique their interest in STEM subjects, leading to pursuing an education and later a career in a STEM field.
Conclusion
With our world increasingly emphasizing technology, mathematics, and science, as well as the skills of creativity, communication, and critical thinking, field trips are becoming an increasingly important aspect of education that every student should have the opportunity to participate in. Not only do field trips have the ability to spark an interest in a particular subject or concept for a student at a very young age, but the character traits that they build in each individual are ones that will take them far in life and help them be successful. Whether it’s observing a tiny cell in a leaf, or getting to experience sitting under the stars and spotting a nebula in the cosmos, the possibilities that field trips can provide a student are endless.
Works Cited
Admin, STEM School. “Onsite and Virtual Field Trips Add Value to Stem Education.” Onsite and Virtual Field Trips Add Value to STEM Education, STEM School, https://www.stemschool.com/articles/onsite-and-virtual-field-trips-add-value-to-stem-education.
Benefits, NEA Member. “How Field Trips Boost Students Lifelong Success.” How Field Trips Boost Students Lifelong Success | NEA Member Benefits, NEA Member Benefits, 9 Feb. 2022, https://www.neamb.com/work-life/how-field-trips-boost-students-lifelong-success.
Bouchrika, Imed. “The Educational Value of Field Trips: Advantages and Disadvantages.” Research.com, Research.com, 21 Sept. 2021, https://research.com/education/the-educational-value-of-field-trips.
Denson, Cameron, et al. “Benefits of Informal Learning Environments: A Focused Examination of STEM-Based Program Environments.” Journal of STEM Education, Publisher: Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Engineering Education (LITEE), 12 June 2015, https://www.learntechlib.org/p/151634/.
Ingmire, Jann. “Learning by Doing Helps Students Perform Better in Science.” University of Chicago News, University of Chicago Office of Communications, 29 Apr. 2015, https://news.uchicago.edu/story/learning-doing-helps-students-perform-better-science.
Kamen, Emma, and Alessandra Leri. “Promoting Stem Persistence through an Innovative Field Trip–Based First-Year Experience Course.” NSTA, https://www.nsta.org/promoting-stem-persistence-through-innovative-field-trip-based-first-year-experience-course.
Comments