The Advantages of Field Trips

• School bus transportation can diminish field trip budgets. school bus arriving image by Jacque Stengel from Fotolia.com

  Visiting the aquarium, watching a theatrical performance or asking a NASA astronaut about space travel are all possibilities for field trip excursions that are stimulating and educational. One issue that is reducing field trip opportunities is a lack of financial resources. Classrooms that are faced with budget restrictions should consider fund-raising programs or ask one of their school's local business partners to donate a portion of the funds. Consider a tour of a local factory, restaurant or bank that would require only transportation and meal costs to create an affordable field trip and valuable community relations between businesses and students.

Real-World Experience

• Field trips provide an opportunity for total immersion in the natural environment and social setting. On such excursions, the student practices his social skills and critical thinking abilities outside of the controlled class setting. Being able to ask experts about their particular area of study on the spot requires thinking. He is able to learn real-world lessons, such as how to act during a theatrical performance or in a museum. According to the Nevada Natural Resource Education Council, he will become more motivated in learning by applying his education to real-world experiences.

Classroom Inspiration

• A student who sees, touches and smells historical relics, ancient artifacts and original sources of text becomes motivated to learn more in depth when he returns to the classroom, according to the Nevada Natural Resource Education Council. Field trips stimulate learning beyond what textbooks and videos can provide to the learning environment. This is not to say that all field trips are equally stimulating, but those excursions that are well-designed result in higher levels of academic achievement in every subject of study. He is learning in an informal setting when on a field trip that is directed by professionally trained staff, such as at a museum or science center. This allows all participants to learn without realizing it, which reaches more students from various learning backgrounds and styles.

Connection to Community

• For low-income students or students who are new to the school, field trips that take advantage of local resources promote community connectivity. For example, a student may not ever have the opportunity to visit a local park or bank, which are important resources within a community for both the student and his family. Students from non-English-speaking families or who have recently moved to the community get the chance to learn about the local area with the guidance of their school, as well as share the information with their family when they return home. According to the Nevada Natural Resource Education Council, students who are low-income or learning English as a secondary language form bonds to the community resources with their culture and family through field trips that encourage greater involvement for the family and student in the school.