Field Trips: Pros and Cons

Off-campus excursions can enhance learning, but they pose challenges

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Are field trips worth all the time and effort required to make them successful? Most teachers have asked themselves this question at one time or another, typically when feeling overwhelmed as they prepare for a field trip. The truth is that field trips at any grade level can cause quite a few headaches for teachers. At the same time, well-planned field trips can provide students with truly educational experiences they cannot get in the confines of the classroom. Following is a look at the pros and cons of field trips.

Benefits of Field Trips

Field trips provide students with new opportunities for learning through experience:

Different Learning Modalities

Information is presented to students in a way that meets different learning modalities. Field trips provide students with the ability to learn by doing instead of just passively listening to the information being taught in class. 

Students are exposed to new experiences that, hopefully, broaden their horizons. This can be especially helpful for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who may not have been exposed to these opportunities before. 

Reinforcing Concepts

Concepts that have already been learned in the classroom can be reinforced. Sometimes seeing information being taught in a new way can make a big difference in student comprehension. There is quite a difference between being taught about something like hurricanes and wind speed and experiencing them in an exhibit at a science museum. 

Shared Reference

Students are provided with shared reference points that teachers can then refer to and use in future lessons. There may be an opportunity to have two or more disciplines use a field trip as an enrichment activity. For example, a trip to an art museum (art) may couple with a timeline for social studies (political systems in place when art was created) or math (measurements) can combine with science in a biosystem (river, beach, and meadow). In this manner, several teachers can then refer to things that students saw and experienced during the field trip for the remainder of the school year. 

Increased Student-Teacher Communication

Students and teachers can see each other in a different light, helping to increase communication between them. Some students who might be overlooked in class because they are quiet might really come alive on field trips. 

If parents are involved as chaperones, they can feel more connected to the teacher and the lessons being taught. They can get to know the teacher better and understand what teachers deal with daily.

Meeting Standards

Standards in social studies and science  require students to have experiences related to concepts in the discipline. In social studies, students are required to take informed action. In science, students need to be exposed to a series of concepts to help them to better understand the world around them. Field trips help teachers meet these objectives.

Problems With Field Trips

Teachers face a number of concerns and challenges when designing field trips that they need to recognize and address before planning a field trip.

Preparation Needed

Field trips take preparation if teachers want to make them meaningful. They have to coordinate locations and transportation. They also need to create an effective lesson plan that they will follow when on the excursion.

Students will be out of the school building for a field trip, which means they will miss other classes—at least in middle and high school. If each core subject area (ELA, math science, or social studies) offers one field trip during a school year, students would be out of the building for four days. School attendance policies may count these as excused absences, but any field trip that removes students from class reduces the number of classroom hours. 

Trips Can Be Costly

Field trips can be expensive, and some students may not have the funds to attend. Organizers of the field trip may consider asking for parents to add a few dollars to help students in need. School boosters may need to host a fundraiser for students to raise money for more expensive trips.

Teachers have to organize the collection of money and the assigning of chaperones. Teachers need to spend some time creating student groups that work for all students and ensuring that chaperones are assigned accordingly. 

Teachers will likely have to deal with red tape as they plan field trips including permission slips, medical information, and emergency procedures. Schools typically require paperwork from teachers and their students. 

Potential Discipline Problems

Students will be placed in a larger environment than the classroom. New surroundings could possibly lead to additional discipline problems. Because teachers typically only lead a small group (such as 30 to 40 students), they may not be able to maintain control over the behavior of every student on the field trip, especially if the group is large. Teachers should go over rules and expectations before the field trip, enforce the rules strictly while away from school grounds, and create effective consequences for misbehavior. 

May Be Disappointing

The field trip destination might not live up to the teacher's expectations. The location might not be as interesting as the teacher thought it would be. The time to complete the field trip might be considerably less than was expected. Therefore, it is a good idea to have some contingency plan in mind just in case.

There may be students who, for one reason or another, will not attend the field trip. Teachers must leave lessons, usually enrichment offerings, that mirror some of the concepts being experienced on the field trip.

Requesting Feedback

One of the best ways to measure the success of a field trip (other than returning all students back to the school) is to ask for feedback. Teachers can post a survey for participants and for other chaperones asking them to express how they would evaluate the trip.

Opportunity to Reflect

Students should have the opportunity to reflect on the trip and write a response in a journal or essay. Requiring journal responses after the trip can solidify the information learned as students reflect on their new experiences. Asking students to write a thank you to the school principal for allowing the trip may even smooth the path to additional field trips. 

Worth the Difficulties

Many teachers feel that well-chosen field trip destinations are worth the difficulties they may create. The key is taking the time to plan each aspect as much as possible. Teachers should be proactive when thinking about and planning field trips. Students, on the other hand, may remember the experience of the school field trip as a highlight of the school year, and the time they learned more than anything taught in class.

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10+ Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trip (FAQs) 

Victory Ekong

  • March 4, 2024

Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trip 

Field trips offer opportunities to explore, learn, discover new things, make friends, connect, and create unforgettable memories.

The field trip has numerous advantages that should excite and inspire anyone looking forward to going on a field trip.

Also, it has some disadvantages that should be considered before embarking on one.

However, this article will explore the meaning of field trips and the many advantages and disadvantages.

Table of Contents

What is a Field Trip?

A field trip is a visit to a place outside the usual classroom to learn a new thing or better understand a particular thing or school activity.

The field trip is a brief journey involving people of the same age, grade, school, or career.

It is a trip that offers hands-on activities and first-class learning to students.

It offers opportunities for students to learn and explore together via other methods and means.

A field trip can happen within the same location, miles away, or even across states. 

Types of Field Trips 

There are different kinds of field trips, such as:

1. Sight Seeing Field Trip 

Students are usually excited to jump on this kind of field trip because it is fascinating to learn and explore uniquely.

During this field trip, attracting sites, historic structures and locations, museums, and serene environments with inspiring solid values.

This kind of field trip aims to understand better and visually comprehend theories discussed earlier.

2. Educational Field Trip 

The field trip is an essential and exciting part of learning. It allows students to learn directly outside the confines of a classroom.

3. Farming Field Trip 

A farming field trip tries to learn about different kinds of plants, how they grow, why they are important, and how much they are worth.

People on the trip will see new plants, learn how to grow them and learn how they stay alive. They will also likely bring seeds back to their homes.

4. Business Field Trip 

The business field trip is centered around business education, exposure, and growth.

Business field trips help boost business strategies, inventions, and innovation.

It offers opportunities to see one’s business from another perspective, discover new opportunities, and get inspiration for diversity.

The business field trip is highly recommended for business-oriented individuals as it allows for connection and networking with other business tycoons.

5. Culture Field Trip 

The trip to the culture field tip is an important one that every person should try to take.

People learn about the traditions, cultures, and ways of life in other states, nations, countries, and regions through cultural field trips.

The culture field trip also helps students learn new languages and appreciate other cultures while building ties with people from other countries.

Features of Field Trip

The purpose of planning field trips is to complement classroom instruction with real-world experience.

Taking a field trip is a great way to get first-hand knowledge from an authoritative source while also seeing how the material relates to the actual world.

The point of a field trip is to get students to connect with people from different backgrounds, such as their classmates, the subject itself, and even experts from other fields who can help them learn more.

Advantages of Field Trip 

The field trip is usually an exciting experience, whether for leisure or education. It comes with numerous advantages, which include the following:

1. Good Information:

Field trips give students and other participants a chance to learn more about a topic or event by hearing firsthand accounts from people who know the area well.

This means that students can use what they have learned in school in real life.

The ability to put what one has learned into practice through experimentation and application improves comprehension and memory of classroom material.

2. Interpersonal Relationships:  

Field trips give people a chance to talk to each other outside of school, which helps them get closer to their peers and encourages teamwork and good communication.

It exposes members to the diverse cultures practised in other locations, improving their awareness of these cultures, tolerance of people from different backgrounds, and empathy for each other.

3. Curiosity:

The field trip makes students and other trip members curious by making them want to learn and find out more from the source.

The thrill of field trips is too much to handle, which encourages active involvement, contribution, and curiosity.

4. Fun memories:  

Field trip allows students or trip members to create fun memories with their peers and collogues.

It gives them something pleasurable to always look back on for a smooth life journey.

5. Creativity/Motivation:  

The field trip gives people new ways to learn and think.

At the end of most good field trips, students are motivated and inspired, and they have more room to be creative.

Disadvantages of Field trip

1. financial stress:  .

Setting up field trips costs a lot of money , especially if you don’t have any sponsors.

Things are pretty expensive, and making a field trip means figuring out how to get there, what to bring, how to pay for snacks, and even how to pay for the gate.

2. Security Challenge: 

A lot of work goes into planning field trips so that risks are kept to a minimum, if not eliminated.

If there aren’t any good protection and risk management plans in place, field trips could be dangerous.

3. Logistic Stress:  

It takes more time to learn something on a field trip than in a usual classroom because of all the planning and carrying out that needs to be done.

For a field trip, you need to get things like transportation, permission papers, gate fees, and sometimes a place to stay.

It can be very frustrating to find the best of these required logistics.

4. Academic Distortion: 

Field trips take a lot of time, attention, and planning, which changes the activities and lessons that were originally planned.

While getting ready for a field trip, teachers often miss some lessons and classes.

5. Distractions:

Field trips to places where people speak different languages are very tiring, take a lot of time, and cost a lot of money.

Some students quickly get off track. People who have trouble focusing may need more help. They may choose to play or do other things unrelated to learning.

FAQs on Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trip

Yes. Organizers can conduct an intensive survey of the intended destination before the trip is made and get more hands to join them as supervisors for better accountability.

No. While field trips have their unique advantage, it is essential to note that they still need to erase the importance and impact of classroom learning.

Schools should source for sponsorships and donations to help reduce the burden of financial stress on both parents and organizers of field trips.

No. Field trips can be planned by business organizations, churches, cultural centers, and even by a group of curious people.

Yes. It is highly recommended as an advanced and additional way of learning.

Conclusion 

Field trips are important for learning because they give students first-hand knowledge about a subject and allow them to put what they’ve learned into practice in real life.

It helps people on the trip talk to each other, work together, and make connections. It gives you experience and knowledge in the field that you can’t get in the classroom.

Even though field trips are good for business, pleasure, and academic settings, it is very important to carefully consider and weigh the costs, benefits, and drawbacks before planning one.

Awesome one; I hope this article answers your question.

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Victory Ekong

Victory Ekong

A graduate of political science. Seasoned content writer. I know what it's like to work hard, and I'm determined to use my study and writing to inspire and motivate young people.

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Yes, Field Trips Are Worth the Effort

Culturally enriching trips can boost grades and decrease absences and behavioral infractions, new research reveals. 

As a teacher, Elena Aguilar often looked for opportunities to get her students out of the classroom and into different neighborhoods or natural environments. “We did the usual museum trips and science center stuff, but I loved the trips which pushed them into unfamiliar territory,” writes Aguilar , an instructional coach and author. Nudging kids out of their comfort zones, she says, “taught them about others as well as themselves. It helped them see the expansiveness of our world and perhaps inspired them to think about what might be available to them out there.”

Aguilar’s thinking made an impact: 15 years after traveling with her third-grade class to Yosemite National Park, a student contacted Aguilar on Facebook to thank her for the life-changing excursion. “You changed our lives with that trip,” the student wrote. “It's what made me want to be a teacher, to be able to give that same gift to other kids.”

As schools grapple with pandemic-related concerns about balancing in-seat instructional time with non-essentials like trips, new research published in The Journal of Human Resources argues that field trips, and the vital educational experiences that they provide—whether it’s a visit to a local museum or a big commitment like Aguilar’s national park trip—deliver a host of positive social and academic outcomes and are worth the effort.

“The pandemic should not keep schools from providing these essential cultural experiences forever,” asserts Jay P. Greene , one of the study’s co-authors and a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, in an opinion piece for the Daily News . “If schools make culturally-enriching field trips an integral part of the education experience, all students—especially those whose parents have a harder time accessing these experiences on their own—would benefit.”

In the study, researchers assigned more than 1,000 fourth- and fifth-grade students in Atlanta to two groups. One group participated in three to six “culturally-enriching” field trips—visits to an art museum, a live theater performance, and a symphony concert—while students in the control group stayed put in class. The outcome? Kids in the field trip group “scored higher on end-of-grade exams, received higher course grades, were absent less often, and had fewer behavioral infractions,” compared to students in the control group, according to a ScienceDaily brief . Benefits lasted two to three years, Greene writes, and were “most visible when students were in middle school.”

“We are able to demonstrate that a relatively simple intervention—and we consider it pretty low-touch; three field trips in a year, maybe six field trips in two years—can actually have some substantial impacts,” says lead study author Heidi Holmes Erickson in an interview with The 74 . “They’re not just limited to social benefits. It shows that smaller interventions can actually have some significant effects on academics as well.”

Field trips aren’t a threat to in-class instruction, Erickson notes, they’re a tool to help bolster engagement and expand students’ horizons. “It's possible to expose students to a broader world and have a culturally enriching curriculum without sacrificing academic outcomes, and it may actually improve academic outcomes,” Erickson says. Far from harming test scores, the researchers found that culturally rich excursions reinforce academics and “students who participated in these field trips were doing better in class.”

Meanwhile, class trips don't need to be elaborate productions to make an impact: small excursions outside the classroom—"low-touch," as the researchers call them—can pack a punch. Here’s how three educators recommend dialing it back with low-stakes options that are both engaging and stimulating for students, but might not require days to prepare and plan:

Make Them Bite-Sized : Instead of allocating an entire day to a field trip, educational consultant Laurel Schwartz takes her classes on micro field trips , or “short outings that can be completed in a single class period.” These real-world encounters, she says, are especially beneficial for English learners and world language students. A micro field trip to a nearby park or around school grounds, for example, can be a great opportunity to “enhance a unit on nature and wildlife while reinforcing vocabulary for senses, colors, and the concepts of quantity and size,” Schwartz writes. “Afterwards, students might write descriptive stories set in the place you visited using vocabulary collected and defined together by the class.”

Try Teacher-Less Trips : To encourage exploration and learning outside of the classroom, former social studies teacher Arch Grieve removes himself from the equation with teacher-less field trips rooted in students’ local communities. Grieve only suggests options that are directly tied to a unit being discussed in class—like attending a talk at a local university or visiting a museum or cultural festival—and offers extra credit to incentivize students. “These trips allow for a greater appreciation of my subject matter than is possible in the school setting, and perhaps best of all, there's little to no planning involved.”

Explore Virtual Options : It may not be as fun as visiting in person, but the Internet makes it possible to visit museums like The National Gallery of London and The Vatican Museums without leaving the school building. Middle school English teacher Laura Bradley likes to search the Museums for Digital Learning website by topic, keyword, and grade level, to find lessons and activities that meet her unique curricular needs. The site grants access to digitized museum collections, 3D models, audio files, documents, images, and videos. 

The 10 Benefits of School Field Trips: Why it’s Crucial to Learn Outside the Classroom

advantages about field trips

Everyone (read: students) knows the best part about school is the field trips. Students get to get out of the classroom and into the real world, even if just for a few hours. These trips, no matter where they are, are  formative for children . Whether it’s learning how to shuck corn on the grounds of a historical park, studying the tribal gear in an African art exhibit, or understanding how gravity works at the science  museum , these hands-on learning experiences give children the ability to do things that can’t always fit inside the  four walls of a classroom .

In this article, we’re going to share with you the 10 benefits of school field trips and why it’s crucial for children to learn outside the classroom. 

The 10 Benefits of School Field Trips

Students do better in school.

Leaving school actually makes students do better when they get back to school. We’re not talking about suspensions or weekends or holidays or vacations. We’re talking about  field trips . 

Regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, students who go on field trips have better grades, higher graduation rates from high school and college, and greater income [1]. In fact, in a study conducted by the NEA, 89% of adults said educational trips had a positive, lasting impact on their education and career because the trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious and interested in and out of school.

Students learn more social skills

By getting out of the classroom and into a new place that encourages learning in a different aspect, students have the opportunity to do more than learn. They have the chance to talk to new people. These social skills they acquire help them learn things that they can’t in textbooks or in workbooks.

Students can visit new places

Not everyone has the financial means to visit museums and art galleries and historical landmarks. So these field trips give children the opportunities to see places they may not regularly visit. 

Field trips exist not just to provide economically useful skills in numeracy and literacy, but also to introduce people to arts and culture. More-advantaged families may take their children to these cultural institutions outside of school hours, but less-advantaged students are less likely to have these experiences if these trips do not provide them. 

With field trips, public schools viewed themselves as the great equalizer in terms of access to our cultural heritage [2].

Students can become critical thinkers

Field trips are more than going to a new place and getting out of school for the day. Everywhere you go can turn into a learning experience. 

Students who go on field trips are known to have become more observant, noticing and describing more details in image or exhibit [3]. Being observant and paying attention to detail is an important and highly useful skill that students learn when they study and discuss what they see on field trips.

Students learn by experiencing, not just by studying “theory”

When students leave the classroom, they see the connections between what is happening at school and in the “real world.” They begin to see that what they learn within the walls of the classroom can help them  solve the problems  they see in the world around them, and can have a direct impact on who they become as adults [3].

Students learn more time management skills

A lot goes into a field trip, and while teachers, chaperones, and workers are the ones in charge, it’s also up to students to figure out what exhibits they want to learn about, how much time they need to eat, and when they can manage to visit the gift shop at the end of the trip. 

Field trips give students perhaps their first feel of independence, even if dozens of adults are watching over them.

Students get to learn by doing

Think of the science museums and historical parks around your area. The classes they offer and the exhibits they show. The things students can learn that they wouldn’t otherwise get to inside a classroom. That’s because not all students can get the full education they need when they learn from textbooks and reading and application. 

Each person has a different way of accumulating knowledge. While some prefer listening to learn better, others need to write or they only need to read the text or see a picture to later remember. The learning styles can be classified in visual, auditory and kinesthetic [3]. The distribution of the three learning styles is 65% visual, 30% auditory and 5% kinesthetic. 

Field trips give these more unique learners a chance to, well, learn.

Students learn more teamwork skills

While on field trips, students typically get the chance to work together to solve simulated problems associated with the place of the field trip. Differing from group projects in school, these “real world” simulations allow children to put their teamwork skills and critical thinking skills to good use.

Students develop a stronger connection to the community

Communities are often rooted in a rich sense of history. By getting out of the classroom and into the streets, students can learn that there’s more out there than their little insular bubbles. School can bog students down, so it’s important to remind them how much is out there, even in our own community.

Students learn more leadership skills

Learning about people and places on field trips give students a chance to step out of their comfort zone. It gives children the chance to step up when they’re out in public. A leadership opportunity as simple as making a child the student leader in a group gives students the chance to test themselves and build relationships with those around them.

Buying Guide

Remember the trip you went on by bringing a Polaroid camera from   Unique Photo .

This camera will need immediately printable film from   Retrospekt .

If you have a cell phone and it’s allowed on the field trip, don’t let it die while you’re out. Purchase the   ZAGG  portable charger case. And don’t forget to charge the case before the trip.

No matter where you go on a field trip, chances are you’ll be taking a drive to get there. Stay hydrated with a vibey crystal water bottle from   Vorda .

Pack all of your belongings in a   Fjallraven  backpack.

External references

E&C

27 Important Pros & Cons Of Field Trips

“ One day a week should be set aside for field trips.”

Frank McCourt, Author

Advantages & Disadvantages of Field Trips

advantages and disadvantages of school trips

School excursions have become increasingly popular over the past decades.

Students from all over the world can benefit from those excursions in various different ways.

Yet, apart from the advantages of field trips, there are also some problems related to this concept.

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The pros and cons of school excursions are discussed in the following.

Audio Lesson

Advantages of school excursions, school excursions can be educating, school excursions are fun, field trips can raise the awareness of pupils on important topics, can be used to get back to the roots, may broaden the horizon of students, pupils can relax, information can be presented differently, students can learn outside the classroom, may also improve the fitness of students, also teachers can expand their knowledge, new ideas for future teaching projects, even virtual field trips are possible now, students may become more motivated.

One advantage of field trips is that they can be quite educational for students.

Even though students learn a lot in school, the topics that are taught in school are often quite theoretical and students can learn some practice and fields of application of what they already learned in theory.

Hence, school excursions can give students the chance to learn from a different angle.

Many pupils also like school trips quite a lot. Learning can become quite exhausting from time to time and it can feel quite good to leave the school building behind for a day and to learn in a different manner instead.

Therefore, school trips may also improve the overall quality of life for numerous students all over the world.

Another benefit of school trips is that they can raise the awareness of students on important global topics and problems which we as humanity will have to solve in the near future.

For instance, while students may learn about deforestation in school, they will understand the topic much more if they see the problem in person.

This is not only true for deforestation, but also for various other topics and if we want to solve our environmental problems, it is crucial that we raise the awareness of the next generation on those topics through school excursions and other measures.

School excursions can also be used to bring students back to the roots.

Quite often, field trips take place in natural environments.

This is quite important in order to show children where we as humans originally come from and that our nature is important for all of us to survive.

In general, field trips can also be a great way to broaden the horizon of students.

While students learn all the mainstream stuff in school, they are not taught alternative approaches towards life at all most of the time.

However, by making excursions, students may get a broader picture of reality, which can benefit them quite a lot in later stages of their lives.

From time to time, it is also quite nice to relax as a schoolkid. School can be stressful and relaxing through school excursions can be a great way to reduce stress and to stay healthy in the long run.

Consequently, also from a health perspective, school trips can make quite a lot of sense.

School trips also offer the opportunity for teachers to teach students in a different way.

Students can see many things that they learned in school with their own eyes and therefore, they will become much more aware of certain problems and will also be much eager to behave in an eco-friendlier and a more social manner.

School excursions also offer a great way to teach children outside the classroom.

These teaching methods can be quite effective since teachers can educate schoolkids in a rather playful way.

In turn, kids will be more willing to learn and to keep the knowledge they learned.

Many children in our nowadays society also often suffer from overweight or even from obesity.

Moreover, the overall fitness level of students is often quite low since kids often do no longer exercise in a sufficient manner.

Hence, in order to improve the fitness level of students and to tackle the problem of overweight, field trips which require some level of exercise can also help in this regard.

Not only students will learn from field trips, also teachers can expand their knowledge quite a lot.

In fact, many teachers are quite surprised when they realize how little they actually know about the world we live in.

In turn, through this expansion of knowledge, teachers may also get better in teaching their students, which can also benefit the education levels of students in the long run.

Through field trips, teachers may also develop many new ideas for future school projects.

It is always good to get outside and away from the desk for a while to think about new projects that could be started in the future.

Chances are that the level of creativity of teachers will be much higher outside the school building and therefore, school excursions may also benefit the respective school as a whole as well.

Thanks to our latest technologies , there are even field trip opportunities right now that can be done in an entirely virtual manner.

Sure, some of the benefits of going outside and exploring nature will be lost.

Yet, those virtual trips may be better than nothing and students may still learn quite a lot from those virtual field trips.

While many students just hate sitting in the classroom and school in general, they may really enjoy school trips since they will be able to get outside and to enjoy nature and the good weather.

In turn, those students may also become more motivated to learn in school if they get out of it from time to time and explore new things

advantages about field trips

Disadvantages of Field Trips

Field trips can be dangerous, school excursions can be costly, may not be possible if number of students is too high, transportation issues related to school trips, insurance problems may arise, parents may not agree with field trip activities, excursions may not be in line with the preferences all students, teachers may be personally liable during excursions, students may get lost, schoolkids may not show up for excursions, organizational efforts, field trips can be stressful, can be physically demanding, time cannot be used for other classes.

Apart from the important advantages of field trips, there are also some downsides related to school excursions.

For instance, one problem of school trips is that they can be dangerous in some cases.

For instance, if you go hiking, there might be some areas that are not properly secured.

Hence, if you organize a school trip, make sure that you keep it as safe as possible and also that you choose the destination in this regard.

Another disadvantage of field trips is that they can also be quite costly.

Especially students from poor families may struggle to afford those school excursions and therefore, make sure that you choose the destination of your excursion so that everyone could afford it.

School excursions are also quite problematic if the number of students each teacher has to take care of becomes too high.

Hence, if there is not enough qualified staff who can help with those trips, chances are that those excursions can’t take place in a safe manner.

Transportation is another big issue when it comes to school trips.

Quite often, big buses or other means of transport have to be organized.

In many cases, it is hard to find suitable tour operators and therefore, school excursions may also not be possible in this regard.

Another big downside of school excursions is that they often also imply significant insurance issues.

In many cases, insurances don’t want to pay in case students or teachers get injured during excursions.

This makes it quite hard to permit those excursions for schools since they might be liable for any damages that may happen during those excursions.

Moreover, in many cases, parents will also not be too happy with the field trip destination.

In fact, parents complain on a regular basis about such things and it is really difficult for teachers to find a common denominator so that everyone is happy.

Thus, also trouble with parents can be another issue related to school trips.

People are different and also students will have many different opinions regarding how fun looks like for them and what they want to do during their field trip.

Hence, it might be hard for the teacher to determine a destination that fits the preferences of all students in the class.

Since insurance companies will often refuse to pay in case a student gets injured during a field trip, teachers may be personally liable for any damage in the worst case.

This can lead to huge financial burdens for teachers and therefore, teachers may not be willing to take students on field trips anymore as long as the insurance companies don’t pay for any damage during those trips.

Another problem with school trips is that students may also get lost.

It is often quite hard for teachers to monitor all children at the same time and especially with a big group of students, the chance that students get lost over time is quite significant.

Students who don’t like school excursions at all may also simply not show up for those excursions. Instead, they may rather take the day off and play video games or other things instead.

This often makes it hard for teachers to plan an activity since they don’t know how many kids will really show up on time.

In general, there are also plenty of organizational efforts related to school excursions.

As a teacher, you have to figure out a destination, contact the tour provider and also make sure that nobody gets lost.

Hence, the organizational efforts can be significant and not all teachers are willing to put in this extra work.

While field trips can be quite educational, they can also be quite stressful .

There is often only a limited amount of time for certain activities and in order to make sure that every student will be back home in time, the timeframes are often rather strict.

In turn, this can lead to serious levels of stress, not only for students but also for teachers.

Depending on the destination and the activity of your field trip, it can also be physically demanding.

For instance, if you go on a hike which takes several hours, chances are that some students will not make it and you may have to end the trip sooner than planned.

It should be obvious that the time that is used for field trips can not be used for other learning activities.

Thus, if the learning effect of those excursions is rather limited, students may be better off by just being educated in a conventional manner.

advantages about field trips

Top 10 Field Trip Pros & Cons – Summary List

Do school excursions make sense.

As we have seen before, it can indeed make a lot of sense to organize school trips.

However, there are also many issues related to those trips and you as a teacher should make sure to solve all the problems of field trips in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_trip

https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/2019/07/what-makes-an-excursion-more-than-just-a-field-trip/

https://juliantours.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-school-trip/

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Education Next

  • The Journal
  • Vol. 14, No. 1

The Educational Value of Field Trips

advantages about field trips

Jay P. Greene

advantages about field trips

Brian Kisida

advantages about field trips

Daniel H. Bowen

Jay P. Greene joined EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the benefits of field trips, including how seeing live theater is a more enriching experience to students, on the EdNext podcast .

SEI20130207_0243_2

Crystal Bridges; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; School Tour © 2013 Stephen Ironside/Ironside Photography Bo Bartlett – “The Box” –  2002 • Oil on Linen • 82 x 100 – Photographer is Karen Mauch

The school field trip has a long history in American public education. For decades, students have piled into yellow buses to visit a variety of cultural institutions, including art, natural history, and science museums, as well as theaters, zoos, and historical sites. Schools gladly endured the expense and disruption of providing field trips because they saw these experiences as central to their educational mission: schools exist not only to provide economically useful skills in numeracy and literacy, but also to produce civilized young men and women who would appreciate the arts and culture. More-advantaged families may take their children to these cultural institutions outside of school hours, but less-advantaged students are less likely to have these experiences if schools do not provide them. With field trips, public schools viewed themselves as the great equalizer in terms of access to our cultural heritage.

Today, culturally enriching field trips are in decline. Museums across the country report a steep drop in school tours. For example, the Field Museum in Chicago at one time welcomed more than 300,000 students every year. Recently the number is below 200,000. Between 2002 and 2007, Cincinnati arts organizations saw a 30 percent decrease in student attendance. A survey by the American Association of School Administrators found that more than half of schools eliminated planned field trips in 2010–11.

The decision to reduce culturally enriching field trips reflects a variety of factors. Financial pressures force schools to make difficult decisions about how to allocate scarce resources, and field trips are increasingly seen as an unnecessary frill. Greater focus on raising student performance on math and reading standardized tests may also lead schools to cut field trips. Some schools believe that student time would be better spent in the classroom preparing for the exams. When schools do organize field trips, they are increasingly choosing to take students on trips to reward them for working hard to improve their test scores rather than to provide cultural enrichment. Schools take students to amusement parks, sporting events, and movie theaters instead of to museums and historical sites. This shift from “enrichment” to “reward” field trips is reflected in a generational change among teachers about the purposes of these outings. In a 2012‒13 survey we conducted of nearly 500 Arkansas teachers, those who had been teaching for at least 15 years were significantly more likely to believe that the primary purpose of a field trip is to provide a learning opportunity, while more junior teachers were more likely to see the primary purpose as “enjoyment.”

If schools are de-emphasizing culturally enriching field trips, has anything been lost as a result? Surprisingly, we have relatively little rigorous evidence about how field trips affect students. The research presented here is the first large-scale randomized-control trial designed to measure what students learn from school tours of an art museum.

We find that students learn quite a lot. In particular, enriching field trips contribute to the development of students into civilized young men and women who possess more knowledge about art, have stronger critical-thinking skills, exhibit increased historical empathy, display higher levels of tolerance, and have a greater taste for consuming art and culture.

Design of the Study and School Tours

The 2011 opening of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Northwest Arkansas created the opportunity for this study. Crystal Bridges is the first major art museum to be built in the United States in the last four decades, with more than 50,000 square feet of gallery space and an endowment in excess of $800 million. Portions of the museum’s endowment are devoted to covering all of the expenses associated with school tours. Crystal Bridges reimburses schools for the cost of buses, provides free admission and lunch, and even pays for the cost of substitute teachers to cover for teachers who accompany students on the tour.

Because the tour is completely free to schools, and because Crystal Bridges was built in an area that never previously had an art museum, there was high demand for school tours. Not all school groups could be accommodated right away. So our research team worked with the staff at Crystal Bridges to assign spots for school tours by lottery. During the first two semesters of the school tour program, the museum received 525 applications from school groups representing 38,347 students in kindergarten through grade 12. We created matched pairs among the applicant groups based on similarity in grade level and other demographic factors. An ideal and common matched pair would be adjacent grades in the same school. We then randomly ordered the matched pairs to determine scheduling prioritization. Within each pair, we randomly assigned which applicant would be in the treatment group and receive a tour that semester and which would be in the control group and have its tour deferred.

We administered surveys to 10,912 students and 489 teachers at 123 different schools three weeks, on average, after the treatment group received its tour. The student surveys included multiple items assessing knowledge about art as well as measures of critical thinking, historical empathy, tolerance, and sustained interest in visiting art museums. Some groups were surveyed as late as eight weeks after the tour, but it was not possible to collect data after longer periods because each control group was guaranteed a tour during the following semester as a reward for its cooperation. There is no indication that the results reported below faded for groups surveyed after longer periods.

We also assessed students’ critical-thinking skills by asking them to write a short essay in response to a painting that they had not previously seen. Finally, we collected a behavioral measure of interest in art consumption by providing all students with a coded coupon good for free family admission to a special exhibit at the museum to see whether the field trip increased the likelihood of students making future visits.

All results reported below are derived from regression models that control for student grade level and gender and make comparisons within each matched pair, while taking into account the fact that students in the matched pair of applicant groups are likely to be similar in ways that we are unable to observe. Standard validity tests confirmed that the survey items employed to generate the various scales used as outcomes measured the same underlying constructs.

The intervention we studied is a modest one. Students received a one-hour tour of the museum in which they typically viewed and discussed five paintings. Some students were free to roam the museum following their formal tour, but the entire experience usually involved less than half a day. Instructional materials were sent to teachers who went on a tour, but our survey of teachers suggests that these materials received relatively little attention, on average no more than an hour of total class time. The discussion of each painting during the tour was largely student-directed, with the museum educators facilitating the discourse and providing commentary beyond the names of the work and the artist and a brief description only when students requested it. This format is now the norm in school tours of art museums. The aversion to having museum educators provide information about works of art is motivated in part by progressive education theories and by a conviction among many in museum education that students retain very little factual information from their tours.

Recalling Tour Details. Our research suggests that students actually retain a great deal of factual information from their tours. Students who received a tour of the museum were able to recall details about the paintings they had seen at very high rates. For example, 88 percent of the students who saw the Eastman Johnson painting At the Camp—Spinning Yarns and Whittling knew when surveyed weeks later that the painting depicts abolitionists making maple syrup to undermine the sugar industry, which relied on slave labor. Similarly, 82 percent of those who saw Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter could recall that the painting emphasizes the importance of women entering the workforce during World War II. Among students who saw Thomas Hart Benton’s Ploughing It Under , 79 percent recollected that it is a depiction of a farmer destroying his crops as part of a Depression-era price support program. And 70 percent of the students who saw Romare Bearden’s Sacrifice could remember that it is part of the Harlem Renaissance art movement. Since there was no guarantee that these facts would be raised in student-directed discussions, and because students had no particular reason for remembering these details (there was no test or grade associated with the tours), it is impressive that they could recall historical and sociological information at such high rates.

These results suggest that art could be an important tool for effectively conveying traditional academic content, but this analysis cannot prove it. The control-group performance was hardly better than chance in identifying factual information about these paintings, but they never had the opportunity to learn the material. The high rate of recall of factual information by students who toured the museum demonstrates that the tours made an impression. The students could remember important details about what they saw and discussed.

Critical Thinking. Beyond recalling the details of their tour, did a visit to an art museum have a significant effect on students? Our study demonstrates that it did. For example, students randomly assigned to receive a school tour of Crystal Bridges later displayed demonstrably stronger ability to think critically about art than the control group.

During the first semester of the study, we showed all 3rd- through 12th-grade students a painting they had not previously seen, Bo Bartlett’s The Box . We then asked students to write short essays in response to two questions: What do you think is going on in this painting? And, what do you see that makes you think that? These are standard prompts used by museum educators to spark discussion during school tours.

We stripped the essays of all identifying information and had two coders rate the compositions using a seven-item rubric for measuring critical thinking that was developed by researchers at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The measure is based on the number of instances that students engaged in the following in their essays: observing, interpreting, evaluating, associating, problem finding, comparing, and flexible thinking. Our measure of critical thinking is the sum of the counts of these seven items. In total, our research team blindly scored 3,811 essays. For 750 of those essays, two researchers scored them independently. The scores they assigned to the same essay were very similar, demonstrating that we were able to measure critical thinking about art with a high degree of inter-coder reliability.

We express the impact of a school tour of Crystal Bridges on critical-thinking skills in terms of standard-deviation effect sizes. Overall, we find that students assigned by lottery to a tour of the museum improve their ability to think critically about art by 9 percent of a standard deviation relative to the control group. The benefit for disadvantaged groups is considerably larger (see Figure 1). Rural students, who live in towns with fewer than 10,000 people, experience an increase in critical-thinking skills of nearly one-third of a standard deviation. Students from high-poverty schools (those where more than 50 percent of students receive free or reduced-price lunches) experience an 18 percent effect-size improvement in critical thinking about art, as do minority students.

advantages about field trips

A large amount of the gain in critical-thinking skills stems from an increase in the number of observations that students made in their essays. Students who went on a tour became more observant, noticing and describing more details in an image. Being observant and paying attention to detail is an important and highly useful skill that students learn when they study and discuss works of art. Additional research is required to determine if the gains in critical thinking when analyzing a work of art would transfer into improved critical thinking about other, non-art-related subjects.

Historical Empathy. Tours of art museums also affect students’ values. Visiting an art museum exposes students to a diversity of ideas, peoples, places, and time periods. That broadening experience imparts greater appreciation and understanding. We see the effects in significantly higher historical empathy and tolerance measures among students randomly assigned to a school tour of Crystal Bridges.

Historical empathy is the ability to understand and appreciate what life was like for people who lived in a different time and place. This is a central purpose of teaching history, as it provides students with a clearer perspective about their own time and place. To measure historical empathy, we included three statements on the survey with which students could express their level of agreement or disagreement: 1) I have a good understanding of how early Americans thought and felt; 2) I can imagine what life was like for people 100 years ago; and 3) When looking at a painting that shows people, I try to imagine what those people are thinking. We combined these items into a scale measuring historical empathy.

Students who went on a tour of Crystal Bridges experience a 6 percent of a standard deviation increase in historical empathy. Among rural students, the benefit is much larger, a 15 percent of a standard deviation gain. We can illustrate this benefit by focusing on one of the items in the historical empathy scale. When asked to agree or disagree with the statement, “I have a good understanding of how early Americans thought and felt,” 70 percent of the treatment-group students express agreement compared to 66 percent of the control group. Among rural participants, 69 percent of the treatment-group students agree with this statement compared to 62 percent of the control group. The fact that Crystal Bridges features art from different periods in American history may have helped produce these gains in historical empathy.

Tolerance. To measure tolerance we included four statements on the survey to which students could express their level of agreement or disagreement: 1) People who disagree with my point of view bother me; 2) Artists whose work is critical of America should not be allowed to have their work shown in art museums; 3) I appreciate hearing views different from my own; and 4) I think people can have different opinions about the same thing. We combined these items into a scale measuring the general effect of the tour on tolerance.

Overall, receiving a school tour of an art museum increases student tolerance by 7 percent of a standard deviation. As with critical thinking, the benefits are much larger for students in disadvantaged groups. Rural students who visited Crystal Bridges experience a 13 percent of a standard deviation improvement in tolerance. For students at high-poverty schools, the benefit is 9 percent of a standard deviation.

The improvement in tolerance for students who went on a tour of Crystal Bridges can be illustrated by the responses to one of the items within the tolerance scale. When asked about the statement, “Artists whose work is critical of America should not be allowed to have their work shown in art museums,” 35 percent of the control-group students express agreement. But for students randomly assigned to receive a school tour of the art museum, only 32 percent agree with censoring art critical of America. Among rural students, 34 percent of the control group would censor art compared to 30 percent for the treatment group. In high-poverty schools, 37 percent of the control-group students would censor compared to 32 percent of the treatment-group students. These differences are not huge, but neither is the intervention. These changes represent the realistic improvement in tolerance that results from a half-day experience at an art museum.

Interest in Art Museums. Perhaps the most important outcome of a school tour is whether it cultivates an interest among students in returning to cultural institutions in the future. If visiting a museum helps improve critical thinking, historical empathy, tolerance, and other outcomes not measured in this study, then those benefits would compound for students if they were more likely to frequent similar cultural institutions throughout their life. The direct effects of a single visit are necessarily modest and may not persist, but if school tours help students become regular museum visitors, they may enjoy a lifetime of enhanced critical thinking, tolerance, and historical empathy.

We measured how school tours of Crystal Bridges develop in students an interest in visiting art museums in two ways: with survey items and a behavioral measure. We included a series of items in the survey designed to gauge student interest:

• I plan to visit art museums when I am an adult.

• I would tell my friends they should visit an art museum.

• Trips to art museums are interesting.

• Trips to art museums are fun.

• Would your friend like to go to an art museum on a field trip?

• Would you like more museums in your community?

• How interested are you in visiting art museums?

• If your friends or family wanted to go to an art museum, how interested would you be in going?

Interest in visiting art museums among students who toured the museum is 8 percent of a standard deviation higher than that in the randomized control group. Among rural students, the increase is much larger: 22 percent of a standard deviation. Students at high-poverty schools score 11 percent of a standard deviation higher on the cultural consumer scale if they were randomly assigned to tour the museum. And minority students gain 10 percent of a standard deviation in their desire to be art consumers.

One of the eight items in the art consumer scale asked students to express the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statement, “I would tell my friends they should visit an art museum.” For all students who received a tour, 70 percent agree with this statement, compared to 66 percent in the control group. Among rural participants, 73 percent of the treatment-group students agree versus 63 percent of the control group. In high-poverty schools, 74 percent would recommend art museums to their friends compared to 68 percent of the control group. And among minority students, 72 percent of those who received a tour would tell their friends to visit an art museum, relative to 67 percent of the control group. Students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are more likely to have positive feelings about visiting museums if they receive a school tour.

We also measured whether students are more likely to visit Crystal Bridges in the future if they received a school tour. All students who participated in the study during the first semester, including those who did not receive a tour, were provided with a coupon that gave them and their families free entry to a special exhibit at Crystal Bridges. The coupons were coded so that we could determine the applicant group to which students belonged. Students had as long as six months after receipt of the coupon to use it.

We collected all redeemed coupons and were able to calculate how many adults and youths were admitted. Though students in the treatment group received 49 percent of all coupons that were distributed, 58 percent of the people admitted to the special exhibit with those coupons came from the treatment group. In other words, the families of students who received a tour were 18 percent more likely to return to the museum than we would expect if their rate of coupon use was the same as their share of distributed coupons.

This is particularly impressive given that the treatment-group students had recently visited the museum. Their desire to visit a museum might have been satiated, while the control group might have been curious to visit Crystal Bridges for the first time. Despite having recently been to the museum, students who received a school tour came back at higher rates. Receiving a school tour cultivates a taste for visiting art museums, and perhaps for sharing the experience with others.

Disadvantaged Students

One consistent pattern in our results is that the benefits of a school tour are generally much larger for students from less-advantaged backgrounds. Students from rural areas and high-poverty schools, as well as minority students, typically show gains that are two to three times larger than those of the total sample. Disadvantaged students assigned by lottery to receive a school tour of an art museum make exceptionally large gains in critical thinking, historical empathy, tolerance, and becoming art consumers.

It appears that the less prior exposure to culturally enriching experiences students have, the larger the benefit of receiving a school tour of a museum. We have some direct measures to support this explanation. To isolate the effect of the first time visiting the museum, we truncated our sample to include only control-group students who had never visited Crystal Bridges and treatment-group students who had visited for the first time during their tour. The effect for this first visit is roughly twice as large as that for the overall sample, just as it is for disadvantaged students.

In addition, we administered a different version of our survey to students in kindergarten through 2nd grade. Very young students are less likely to have had previous exposure to culturally enriching experiences. Very young students make exceptionally large improvements in the observed outcomes, just like disadvantaged students and first-time visitors.

When we examine effects for subgroups of advantaged students, we typically find much smaller or null effects. Students from large towns and low-poverty schools experience few significant gains from their school tour of an art museum. If schools do not provide culturally enriching experiences for these students, their families are likely to have the inclination and ability to provide those experiences on their own. But the families of disadvantaged students are less likely to substitute their own efforts when schools do not offer culturally enriching experiences. Disadvantaged students need their schools to take them on enriching field trips if they are likely to have these experiences at all.

Policy Implications

School field trips to cultural institutions have notable benefits. Students randomly assigned to receive a school tour of an art museum experience improvements in their knowledge of and ability to think critically about art, display stronger historical empathy, develop higher tolerance, and are more likely to visit such cultural institutions as art museums in the future. If schools cut field trips or switch to “reward” trips that visit less-enriching destinations, then these important educational opportunities are lost. It is particularly important that schools serving disadvantaged students provide culturally enriching field trip experiences.

This first-ever, large-scale, random-assignment experiment of the effects of school tours of an art museum should help inform the thinking of school administrators, educators, policymakers, and philanthropists. Policymakers should consider these results when deciding whether schools have sufficient resources and appropriate policy guidance to take their students on tours of cultural institutions. School administrators should give thought to these results when deciding whether to use their resources and time for these tours. And philanthropists should weigh these results when deciding whether to build and maintain these cultural institutions with quality educational programs. We don’t just want our children to acquire work skills from their education; we also want them to develop into civilized people who appreciate the breadth of human accomplishments. The school field trip is an important tool for meeting this goal.

Jay P. Greene is professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas, where Brian Kisida is a senior research associate and Daniel H. Bowen is a doctoral student.

Additional materials, including a supplemental study and a methodological appendix , are available.

For more, please see “ The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2023 .”

This article appeared in the Winter 2014 issue of Education Next . Suggested citation format:

Greene, J.P., Kisida, B., and Bowen, D.H. (2014). The Educational Value of Field Trips: Taking students to an art museum improves critical thinking skills, and more . Education Next , 14(1), 78-86.

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The 4 Big Benefits of Field Trips for Kids

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When thinking back to my childhood days, there is nothing more vivid than my memories of school field trips. Field trips ranging from museums, zoos, animal farms, and the pumpkin patch all come to mind. Many of us have had the privilege of experiencing the benefits of field trips firsthand. We must understand that field trips are amazing tools to extend the classroom to the real world. As educators and parents, we can take advantage of the benefits of field trips to more effectively promote real-world learning, social-emotional development, and academic success. The benefits of field trips in early and childhood education can be tremendous!

1. Field Trips and Real-World Learning

Children are active learners as they are constantly making connections with the world around them. With an innate drive to learn and explore, field trips are the perfect way for children to learn outside of a typical classroom setting.

Before a trip, prepare your students for the unique environment. Allow students to prepare themselves by informing them of where they will be going, what they will do, the things they will see, proper clothing, and appropriate behavior. If “there will be live animals, discuss the importance of soft touch if handling is allowed. If they will be taking a hike through a hilly or wet location, talk about fear of heights or getting their feet wet.” To promote real-world learning be sure to make connections to the curriculum. It is important to emphasize the purpose and intent of the field trip. This way students will be prepared, excited, and hungry to learn more!

2. Benefits of Field Trips Include Social-Emotional Development

While the push for academics in early and childhood education has created a decline in field trips, we must understand that field trips play a massive role in social-emotional development. Field trips allow students to collaborate with their peers, explore new environments, make connections, problem solve, develop trust, and empathy. Unfortunately, we have seen field trips being used as a positive reinforcement for good behavior instead of being used as a tool to enhance social-emotional development.

3. Field Trips Boost Academic Success

Field trips are both fun and memorable ways to promote academic success. One study indicates that “regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, youth who take educational trips have better grades because the trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious.” With culturally enriching field trips, students can make connections to other educational fields, gain first-hand experiences, and understand concepts on a deeper level.

Students benefit as they participate in unique experiences that build on their learning. Most importantly, field trips pique the interest of young-learners, a key factor in childrens’ motivation to learn, inspiring students to engage with concepts in ways that are relevant and meaningful. Field trips reinforce topics and ideas learned in the classroom. To further promote academic success, educators can provide both pre-trip and follow-up instruction!

4. Virtual Field Trips Boost Learning Too  

Virtual field trips are terrific ways to implement interactive technology in your child’s life! Virtual field trips can range from an online experience to the zoo, aquarium, animal farm, pumpkin patch, rainforests, etc.! Virtual field trips are viable options for many as they can be more accessible for families and educators! For more accessible options, consider walking around your neighborhood, visiting local shops, or even going to your neighborhood park. Virtual field trips are amazing as they allow children to explore with technology in ways that are interactive!

Awesome Field Trips for Kids  

  • The Drawing Center
  • Brooklyn Childrens Museum 
  • Environmental Study Center
  • New York Aquarium
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Childrens Museum of the Arts
  • New York Hall of Science
  • Queens County Farm Museum
  • Queens Botanical Garden
  • Virtual Field Trips

All in all, the benefits of field trips are undoubtedly tremendous as they promote real-world learning, social-emotional development, and academic success. We must continue to support our educators and advocate for meaningful experiences. Our children deserve opportunities to explore and make meaning outside of the classroom too. Do not forget to document your amazing field trips to look back on!

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How Field Trips Boost Students’ Lifelong Success

Educational trips contribute to better student outcomes in school and beyond. maximize the impact of field trips on students with these 9 ideas..

Teacher and Student Observing Science Experiment in Nature

by NEA Member Benefits

Here’s why field trips are important 

The study found that regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, children who take school trips have better grades (59%), higher graduation rates from high school (95%) and college (63%) and greater income (12% higher annually). 

In fact, 89% said educational trips had a positive, lasting impact on their education and career because enriching field trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious, and interested in and out of school.

“When I was growing up, my parents said the 3 Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic) were important,” says Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “But for my kids, I made ‘roaming’ the fourth R. We live in a global society, and if you don’t see outside the neighborhood you grow up in, the world will pass you by. Traveling has opened my kids’ eyes. It’s made them more confident and inspired them to reach outside their normal environment to learn and obtain skills to bring them to the next level.”

More benefits of school trips

Margy Natalie, acting onsite learning manager at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum , notes the powerful effect school trips can have on student learning: “Field trips give students the opportunity to learn in a natural environment and experience things first-hand and from primary resources, rather than texts; real objects rather than photos.”  

Carylann Assante, executive director for Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) and SYTA Youth Foundation , seconds the notion that real world exploration outside the classroom can bolster students’ critical thinking skills. “Today’s students are visual learners, and a field trip lets them touch, feel and listen to what they’re learning about, which helps them build on classroom instruction, gain a better understanding of topics, build cultural understanding and tolerance, and expose them to worlds outside their own.”

Assante says field trips are particularly important for disadvantaged students, as they provide students with unique opportunities that level the playing field. “Field trips give diverse and financially-in-need students equal opportunity to experience things outside classroom that their families may not be able to afford,” she says.

A field trip can also be the first trip a student takes without their parents, so it builds independence, as well. “There’s a reason people say I need to get away and recharge my batteries. There’s truth to it,” Dow says. “If I was a school system looking at these stats, I couldn’t afford not to make this a part of our curriculum.”

Tips for planning a successful field trip

You’ve decided to plan an educational field trip for your class, whether it’s to an art museum, science museum, historic site, aquarium, planetarium or some other immersive, interactive learning environment. Now, you need to know what steps to take to ensure a successful field trip. Keep these expert tips in mind:

1. Look around your region for interesting day trips

Dow suggests a planned field trip so you and your class can easily explore an aspect of local history on a day trip. “You can take a quick drive and see the history of places around you—there’s tons of inexpensive things teachers can do that will have a phenomenal impact,” he says.

2. Do your homework

Ideally, you could scope out the destination in advance to ensure the field trip will produce your desired learning experience. “Plan carefully, do your research, visit the site before you plan, ask questions and take recommendations of staff,” Natalie suggests.

3. Follow protocol

“Teachers need to review their school’s policies on field trips in advance and prepare the forms with specific learning objectives and how the field trip will accomplish those objectives tied to their school's core curriculum,” Assante says. Most museums, attractions and locations have education materials to explain how their attraction supports teacher lesson plans and educational curriculums.

4. Involve your students in the preparation

Prepare your class for their upcoming school field trip by getting them interested and excited about what their experience may be like. “Discuss the goals of the field trip in advance, talk about what they will see and what they should learn,” Natalie says. 

Consider letting the class pick the field trip destination so they have ownership and will feel invested in it, Assante suggests. 

5. Make trips relevant to classroom instruction

“Base your field trips on your content area. If you’re studying ancient Egypt, don’t take them to Jamestown,” Natalie says. “Focus on how the trip fits into your content or another educational goal. A field trip should be a day out, not a day off.”

6. Incorporate technology

“Many students use their mobile devices to engage with the field trip in the classroom with apps and blogs,” says Assante. This can help create an interactive learning experience that engages students during the trip, and then reconnect with that experience later in the classroom and at home.

7. Engage the senses

Select a field trip destination where students won’t be sitting down, like they typically do in the classroom. They should be able to touch, explore and share their experiences, Assante says.

8. Fundraise to cover any extra costs

“Engage the parents, PTA or other teachers to support school-wide field trips and help raise the funds so everyone can afford to attend the trip,” says Assante, who also notes some large companies even offer field trip grants.

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9. Follow up on the lessons learned

“Students are much more likely to write about an experience they recently had, like the field trip, than a random prompt,” says Natalie, who recommends following up with graded assignments. “Have each student write about their favorite artifact or activity on the field trip, or why this field trip is important to keep, or conversely, how a different field trip might be better.”

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Field Trips: Are They Really That Valuable?

These are the days of tight resources and tighter schedules, and field trips are sometimes seen as a distraction from education. Excited children pile into buses with teachers and volunteers, removing valuable resources from school budgets and infringing on important instructional time.

Field trips are increasingly cut from school calendars. A 2010 survey of the American Association of School Administrators found that 50 percent of schools did not plan field trips for the following year.

New research shows that eliminating field trips may be to students’ detriment. Field trips provide important instructional advantages that prove a significant payoff. Education Next, a journal on school reform that seeks to publish data-supported research on school change, recently published a  summary piece of research  by University of Arkansas professor Jay Greene, who heads the school’s Department of Education Reform.

The benefits of an art museum field trip

For the study, classes from kindergarten through high school took a half-day field trip to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Students received a one-hour guided tour through the museum focusing on specific paintings followed by an opportunity to freely explore the museum. Afterwards, a block of students were given a survey and a small essay assignment. This group included both a control group that had not attended a field trip and the field trip attendees. The findings of the study were important in outlining the usefulness of field trips overall.

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art’s healthy endowment allowed for complete funding of school field trips, creating a broad research base for Greene to examine. He looked for specific outcomes from field trips, related to tour detail recall, critical thinking, historical empathy, tolerance, and interest in museums. Greene also examined results from disadvantaged populations to see whether they enjoyed a unique benefit.

Interesting results found

Students who attended the tour had significant detail recall, which Greene notes could be an excellent means to teach them content if tours coincided with required student content knowledge. He concludes that this high rate of content recall is notable, though the control group comparison provides little insight because those students were not given access to the knowledge tested through the survey. Still, further study of the impressive rate at which students recalled content may prove the significant power of hands-on activity in cementing student content knowledge.

Three key measures of the study were critical thinking, historical empathy, and tolerance, and all three found positive correlations between the museum trip and increased gains in these categories. Greene noted that the critical thinking gains should inspire future study, as students illustrated positive gains in observational skills in art analysis, but future research should focus on the translatability of those skills to other key critical thinking behaviors. Historical empathy and tolerance both showed notable increases, with the field trip population more likely to both understand how early Americans felt during their varying time periods and to support an artist’s right to free expression.

Administrators: Consider before eliminating field trips

Two of the most notable findings of Greene’s research were the student likelihood to return to the museum experience and the gains made by disadvantaged students. Students were given a coded coupon to come to the museum. Those who attended a field trip were more likely to return to the museum, share their museum experience with their friends, and to view the experience positively.

Additionally, Greene notes that, “One consistent pattern in our results is that the benefits of a school tour are generally much larger for students from less-advantaged backgrounds.” He goes on to note that the younger the student populations are, the greater the gains as well.

Greene finishes his piece by covering the important policy takeaways from his research, namely that school enrichment field trips have “notable benefits,” and that policy makers, administrations, and philanthropists should all consider the implications of his study. Enrichment field trips should not be abandoned or replaced with reward trips. Most importantly, we should remember that the children who benefit most from enrichment field trips are often the least likely to get them.

Monica Fuglei is a graduate of the University of Nebraska in Omaha and a current adjunct faculty member of Arapahoe Community College in Colorado, where she teaches composition and creative writing.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trip

Looking for advantages and disadvantages of Field Trip?

We have collected some solid points that will help you understand the pros and cons of Field Trip in detail.

But first, let’s understand the topic:

What is Field Trip?

A field trip is when students go outside their classroom to learn about something by seeing and doing it in real life, like visiting a museum, farm, or historical site.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Field Trip

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of Field Trip:

Advantages and disadvantages of Field Trip

Advantages of Field Trip

  • Hands-on learning experience – Field trips let students touch, feel, and do things themselves, making lessons stick better than just reading or listening.
  • Enhances social skills – Being with classmates outside of school helps kids make friends and learn to work with others.
  • Encourages curiosity and discovery – Going new places and seeing new things makes kids want to learn and ask questions about the world around them.
  • Provides real-world context – Seeing things in real life shows students how what they learn in books fits into the world they live in.
  • Break from routine academics – Stepping out of the classroom gives kids a break and can make them more excited about learning when they return.

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Disadvantages of Field Trip

  • Safety concerns during travel – Going on a field trip means traveling, which can sometimes be risky. Accidents or getting lost are worries that can make these outings less appealing.
  • Unpredictable weather issues – Weather can change quickly and mess up outdoor activities. If it rains or gets too hot, it might ruin the fun or learning planned for the day.
  • High costs for participants – Field trips often cost money. Paying for transport, entry fees, or food can be hard for some people, making it tough for everyone to join in.
  • Limited educational value – Sometimes, what students learn on a field trip isn’t much. They might not get enough information or the right kind of lessons that they need for their studies.
  • Potential for unequal access – Not every student has the same chance to go on a field trip. Some might not be able to afford it or have other barriers that make it hard for them to participate.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of field trips?

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trips

Field trips are often seen as a valuable way for students to learn and broaden their horizons. They provide an opportunity for students to engage with the world outside of the classroom, gaining real-life experiences that can enhance their understanding of different subjects. However, there are also drawbacks to field trips that should be taken into consideration.

One of the main advantages of field trips is that they offer students the chance to learn in a hands-on, immersive environment. This can help to bring their studies to life and make the material more engaging and memorable. For example, a visit to a museum can provide a more tangible understanding of historical events, while a trip to a science center can help students to grasp scientific concepts in a practical way.

Additionally, field trips can help to develop students’ social skills and teamwork abilities. By working and interacting with their peers in a different setting, students can learn to collaborate effectively and communicate with others outside of their usual classroom environment. These experiences can be particularly valuable for students who may struggle with traditional classroom settings, offering them a chance to shine in a different context.

On the other hand, field trips can also present some challenges. One common issue is the logistical and administrative burden that can come with organizing and managing a field trip. This includes obtaining permissions, arranging transportation, and ensuring that all necessary safety measures are in place. These tasks can be time-consuming and require careful planning to ensure a smooth and successful trip.

Furthermore, field trips can also be disruptive to the regular schedule and curriculum of the school. While they offer valuable learning opportunities, they can also take time away from more traditional classroom instruction. This can be a concern for educators who may worry about maintaining continuity and consistency in their teaching.

Another potential disadvantage of field trips is the cost involved. Not all students may be able to afford to participate in field trips, creating a discrepancy in educational experiences based on financial means. This can be a source of inequality and may need to be carefully addressed to ensure that all students have access to these valuable learning opportunities.

Overall, while field trips offer a range of benefits, it is important to carefully weigh these against the potential challenges and drawbacks. By considering the practicalities and planning effectively, educators can help to ensure that field trips are a valuable and enriching experience for all students.

1. Are field trips beneficial for students?

2. what are some practical considerations when organizing a field trip, 3. how can field trips be integrated into the curriculum, 4. what are some alternatives to traditional field trips, 5. how can educators address the potential inequality of access to field trips, 6. what are some tips for making the most of a field trip experience, 7. how can field trips help to develop students’ social skills, 8. what are some potential drawbacks of field trips, 9. what are some examples of memorable field trip experiences, 10. how can field trips support students with different learning styles, 11. what are some strategies for addressing safety concerns on field trips, 12. how should educators evaluate the effectiveness of a field trip, faqs about field trips.

Field trips can offer valuable real-life experiences and opportunities for hands-on learning, making them beneficial for students in many ways. However, they also require careful planning and consideration to ensure that they are effective and worthwhile.

When organizing a field trip, it is important to consider factors such as transportation, permissions, safety measures, and cost. These practical considerations can be crucial in ensuring that the trip is successful and beneficial for all students.

Field trips can be integrated into the curriculum by connecting them to specific learning objectives or topics being studied in the classroom. This can help to ensure that the trip aligns with the educational goals and enhances the students’ understanding of the material.

In cases where traditional field trips may not be feasible, educators can consider alternatives such as virtual field trips, guest speakers, or community-based learning experiences. These can offer similar benefits in a more accessible and cost-effective way.

Educators can address inequality of access to field trips by seeking out funding or sponsorship opportunities, providing financial assistance to students in need, or offering alternative learning experiences for those who may not be able to participate in traditional field trips.

To make the most of a field trip experience, educators can prepare students in advance, establish clear learning objectives, encourage active engagement and reflection during the trip, and follow up with post-trip activities or discussions.

Field trips provide opportunities for students to interact and collaborate with their peers in a different setting, helping them to develop social skills, teamwork abilities, and communication in a real-life context.

Some potential drawbacks of field trips include logistical and administrative burdens, disruption to the regular curriculum, and the cost involved. These factors should be carefully considered when planning and organizing field trips.

Memorable field trip experiences can include visits to museums, science centers, historical sites, natural environments, or cultural attractions. These experiences can offer students a deeper and more engaging understanding of the subject matter.

Field trips can support students with different learning styles by providing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that may be more accessible and engaging for those who struggle with traditional classroom instruction.

Strategies for addressing safety concerns on field trips may include conducting risk assessments, establishing clear guidelines and protocols, providing adequate supervision, and ensuring that all necessary safety measures are in place.

Educators can evaluate the effectiveness of a field trip by assessing students’ engagement and learning during the trip, collecting feedback from both students and chaperones, and examining the trip’s alignment with educational goals and objectives.

It’s important for educators to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of field trips to ensure that they provide a valuable and enriching experience for all students. By addressing potential challenges and planning effectively, field trips can offer unique learning opportunities that enhance students’ understanding and engagement with the world around them.

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advantages about field trips

The Benefits of Field Trips for Students

Field trips have long been a staple of the educational experience, providing students with opportunities to explore and engage with the world outside the classroom. In recent years, the undeniable value of these excursions has come into sharper focus as research has shed light on the numerous benefits that field trips provide. Continue reading to learn about the primary advantages of field trips and the selection of school field trips offered by the Hagley Museum and Library .

Learning Comes Alive: Enhancing Knowledge Retention and Comprehension

One of the most significant benefits of field trips is their ability to make learning more engaging and memorable. Students are more likely to retain information when they can see, touch, and experience the subject matter first-hand. 

Developing Social Skills and Emotional Intelligence

Field trips also promote the development of critical social skills and emotional intelligence . Students learn to communicate effectively, solve problems, and collaborate with their peers. Additionally, field trips expose students to diverse perspectives and cultures, fostering empathy and a greater understanding of the world around them.

Encouraging Career Exploration and Aspirations

Exposure to various industries and professions through field trips can inspire students to consider different career paths and develop a clearer sense of their goals. By visiting workplaces, interacting with professionals, and witnessing the real-world applications of their studies, students can gain valuable insight into potential career options and the steps needed to achieve their aspirations.

Building Stronger Teacher-Student Relationships

Field trips also allow teachers and students to connect outside the confines of the classroom. This change in environment allows for more informal interactions, strengthening the bonds between teachers and students and making students feel more comfortable approaching their teachers with questions and concerns, leading to a more supportive and effective learning atmosphere.

Boosting Academic Performance and Motivation

By providing students with real-world examples of the concepts they’re learning, field trips can make the material more relevant and interesting , which can translate into increased engagement and achievement in the classroom.

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The Benefits of Field Trips: Why Taking Students Out of the Classroom is Essential

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By Happy Sharer

advantages about field trips

Introduction

A field trip is an excursion outside of the classroom to learn about a particular topic or to visit a specific location. It provides an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experiences and explore new environments. Field trips can be used to supplement classroom learning and offer a variety of educational and social benefits.

Educational Benefits

Field trips provide students with the chance to reinforce their classroom learning in a unique way. A study by the Institute of Education Sciences found that students who participated in field trips had higher academic performance than those who did not participate. Additionally, field trips can spark creativity and imagination. By taking students out of the traditional classroom setting and exposing them to new experiences and ideas, they are more likely to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to problems.

Social Benefits

Field trips also offer a variety of social benefits. They provide an opportunity for students to collaborate and build relationships with their peers, which can lead to better team-building skills. Additionally, field trips can help build a sense of community among students and teachers. By spending time together in a new environment, students have the chance to get to know each other on a deeper level and form strong bonds.

Hands-On Experiences

Finally, field trips offer students the opportunity to gain hands-on experiences. For example, if a class visits a museum, students can learn about different cultures and historical events through interactive exhibits. Or, if a class visits a nature center, students can observe different plants and animals in their natural habitats. These types of experiences give students the chance to gain new perspectives and knowledge that they may not have been exposed to in the classroom.

In conclusion, field trips are essential for students to gain hands-on experiences, reinforce classroom learning, spark creativity and imagination, foster collaboration, build a sense of community, expose students to different cultures and environments, and provide new perspectives and knowledge. Parents, teachers, and administrators should take advantage of field trips whenever possible to ensure that students are getting the most out of their education.

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Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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The reasons why educational field trips are important for students.

advantages about field trips

Educational Field Trip plays a vital role in the school curriculum, which serves a wide range of benefits in several ways including learning and teaching. One of them is that they help students to learn through authentic experience and can be an interesting way to explore new things for both the learners and teachers. This is the reason why students should encourage to engage in field trips which are significant for students. In terms of educational, students have ample opportunity to witness new things, learn about new environments at their own pace and immerse themselves in an authentic experience, without having to the anxiety of homework, exams or tests. Most importantly, field trips contribute greatly to build self-confidence and foster a sense of teamwork and community. It is highly recommended for you to add educational school trips part of traveling, you definitely get abundantly memorable experience and deep knowledge of various aspects in life.

importance of educational field trip

The Importance of Field Trip in Teaching

Educational Field Trips can associate with a variety of benefits for teachers and students. In terms of teaching, it would be better for the teacher to take part in field trips mostly because of its advantages. It is true that the trips provide teachers with ample opportunity to develop personality and professionalism. Obviously, it is necessary for teachers to get in touch with innovative practices and the latest teaching methods to apply these ways into the curriculum at school. Educational field trips help teachers widen their horizons of knowledge and broadening the scope of their syllabus. Most educational trips pay much attention to outdoor activities with a wide range of aspects in life. It means the trips allow the teacher to connect the classroom with real-life and authentic experience. Therefore, it is considered a fantastic way to improve their lessons and catch up with innovative teaching which is more practical and meaningful. Most importantly, the teacher is a guide to inspire and stimulate students to understand the world that exists beyond the school curriculums. To be more precise, students will be encouraged to learn not only knowledge but also soft skills, life skills, communication skills and more.

Importance-Of-Field-Trip-In-Teaching

The Importance of Educational Field Trip in Learning

Educational-Field-Trips-Are-Important-For-Students

The Importance of Field Trip in Student Life

It would not be completed your trips if you forgot to set up an educational field trip in your student life. It is time for you to learn new things and get a deeper understanding of life. Having an educational trip in the early part of the term is so wise since it will allow students to bond with classmates they may not know very well. Getting away from school a day is always exciting for students and gives students an opportunity to spend time with each other in a new environment. Most of the educational tours organized with groups so it is beneficial for students to develop a sense of community. They can chat, observe and learn about each other.

students get hands-on experience from school tour

The Important of Educational Tour

It is true that there are various benefits to take from educational excursions. Though the primary purpose of educational tours is to educate students, they are also used as part of the curriculum to cover a wide range of life skills including teamwork, time management, communication, etc. This is because educational travel allows students to dip in fresh experiences, and use them to enhance their career prospects. If you are setting up an educational tour, you should spend the time to research useful information and prepare the necessary things for this. For example, you should pay much attention to the means of transportation, the budget, the number of students, etc. The importance of educational tours for students can be better in various ways. First of all, this tour provides ample opportunity to exchange and learn many skills with each other. On educational field trips, students feel the sense of enjoyment which offers them to acquire a fresh perspective, learn new things and witness different sides of the country. This opens up endless possibilities to understand the world. Going on educational tours means to have a major educational element including giving students the chance to build closer bonds with their classmates, experience a new environment and enjoy a day away from the classroom.

The important of educational tour

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Virtual field trips: bringing environmental education to k-12 classrooms.

Forbes Technology Council

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Geoffrey Alphonso, CEO of Alef Education .

In an age of rapid technological progress, it is essential to redefine traditional educational methods. Today’s generations show a heightened awareness of environmental issues, convenience and fluent technology use. According to the Pew Research Center , 71% of millennials and 67% of Gen Z consider climate a priority in ensuring a sustainable planet for future generations. In addition, 37% of Gen Z and 33% of millennials say climate change is their biggest personal concern.

Educators have recognized the importance of nurturing these environmentally conscious minds and are using innovative methods, such as integrating digital and virtual field trips (VFTs) into K-12 classrooms. Integrating technology into the curriculum can help promote a comprehensive learning experience that goes far beyond the confines of the traditional classroom and harnesses the transformative power of environmental education.

A study by experts at Stanford University found that environmental education programs offer significant benefits beyond teaching K-12 students about the environment. The experts, who analyzed 119 peer-reviewed studies from a two-decade period, found that students who participated in environmental education programs improved their academic performance, critical thinking skills and personal development. In addition, these programs fostered life skills such as self-confidence, autonomy and leadership while increasing civic engagement and positive behaviors related to the environment.

While traditional field trips have long been a cornerstone of education, their scope and frequency must often be balanced with logistical challenges . Factors such as space limitations, financial considerations and safety concerns often limit the potential of these traditional field trips. According to a study titled “ Virtual Field Trips in the Education of Earth and Environmental Sciences ,” conducted by Ankara University in Turkey, the declining importance of traditional field trips is attributed to these same challenges, prompting the exploration of virtual alternatives.

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The shift toward virtual alternatives, enabled by VR technology, is also driven by the benefits of digital field trips, including cost efficiency, flexibility and increased safety. Reduced expenses for transportation, entrance fees and logistical arrangements not only make educational excursions more accessible but also free up resources for schools to invest in other educational initiatives.

In addition, the flexibility of digital field trips allows for customized learning experiences. These experiences enable students to explore ecosystems, wildlife habitats and conservation efforts without leaving the classroom, overcoming the limitations associated with conventional field trips. Platforms such as Google Earth, National Geographic Explorer and virtual museum tours offer a comprehensive approach to learning about important environmental topics.

The Office of Educational Technology highlights in their 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update that in K-12 classrooms across the United States, projects being funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) are allowing students to visit faraway places such as Machu Picchu, the Great Barrier Reef and more without leaving the classroom. Thanks to tools like the Google Expedition Pioneer Program, teachers can access programs that enable virtual field trips. The Google Expedition Pioneer Program allows teachers to control virtual field trips from a tablet and guide students with Google Cardboard—a low-cost VR solution consisting of a cardboard cutout, magnets, lenses and a user-provided smartphone.

A study by the National Science Teachers Association ( NSTA ) highlighted the effectiveness of virtual field trips in promoting students’ understanding and retention of scientific concepts. These digital experiences transcend the boundaries of the traditional classroom and provide unparalleled access to diverse ecosystems and scientific phenomena.

However, to maximize the impact of virtual field trips, it is critical to make explicit connections to the curriculum. Aligning programs with learning outcomes ensures that distance learning remains relevant and meaningful. Examples of successful implementation, such as the Berkner STEM Exploration Center and Immersion Studio , demonstrate the potential of VR technology when it comes to providing students with immersive educational experiences.

During the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years, the STEM Environmental Education Center offered virtual field trips of approximately 45 minutes in length upon request. These trips allowed students to virtually explore prairies, forests, freshwater ecosystems and more while orienting themselves to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science. The center combines science with social and emotional learning and emphasizes mental and physical wellness.

Despite the considerable benefits of virtual field trips, it is imperative to address potential concerns. Research has highlighted the lack of physical interaction and hands-on experience through virtual field trips that traditional field trips offer. However, well-designed virtual field trips with interactive components can foster meaningful engagement and collaboration among students.

Another concern is the digital divide, as students need access to technology for virtual experiences. To address these concerns, schools and policymakers should prioritize initiatives that ensure equitable access to technology to reduce the gap and promote inclusion.

At the same time, it is the responsibility of technology companies to ensure the viability of virtual field trip technology. To achieve widespread adoption, tech companies must make these platforms accessible and economical. This could mean offering affordable subscription models or one-time purchases for schools and investing in training educators to integrate the experiences into their curriculums. Technology companies must also look to make improvements based on user feedback and allocate significant resources to research and development to ensure that the technology evolves to meet educational needs effectively.

Digital field trips have emerged as a new force in K-12 environmental education, offering numerous advantages in cost-effectiveness, flexibility and accessibility. While it is paramount to address the issues related to physical interaction and access, integrating well-designed digital field trips into the curriculum can have immense potential for educating environmentally conscious and globally-minded citizens of the future. In this way, I believe virtual field trips can be a beacon of innovation, paving the way to a more sustainable and connected world.

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Geoffrey Alphonso

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Here’s how Newsday brought back field trips to its newsroom

Bring on the fifth graders!

advantages about field trips

This school year, Newsday started to focus on an important group of future news consumers — fifth graders. It launched Newsday in Education, a program that combines field trips with free digital access to all school districts on Long Island.

The reason — make Newsday cool again.

“Our initial reason for launching Newsday in Education was for it to be among our branding activations aimed at helping to change the perception of Newsday from a dated product brand to a highly relevant contemporary brand embedded in the culture of Long Island,” said Patrick Tornabene, Newsday’s chief consumer officer. “Not only it is highly successful at achieving that goal, but it’s also fulfilling a sense of our duty to educate students on journalism, and it’s heartwarming for staff across Newsday.”

The news has been part of the American classroom for generations , according to the Education Resources Information Center from the U.S. Department of Education.

Today, many communities still work with Newspapers in Education for resources and curriculum. But in Long Island, New York, the program at Newsday withered over time thanks to several factors, including shifting media habits and the economy. After 9/11, tours ended due to security concerns.

In 2021, publisher Debby Krenek decided to bring the kids back in some new ways with a program of Newsday’s very own.

“This is a big initiative for Newsday,” she said. “Educating our students is so important for Long Island’s future and Newsday is proud to be able to provide this program for our amazing schools and educators across Long Island.”

Via email, I spoke with the team at Newsday about what they built and how other newsrooms can do it. Our conversation has been edited for style and brevity.

Kristen Hare: How did this start?

Amanda Fiscina-Wells, editor/project manager: Newsday has a history of connecting with suburban Long Island students. During building tours decades ago at our former facility, students left with newspaper ink-stained hands from making newsprint hats and ringing ears from the loud printing presses, while stacks of newspapers were dropped off at Long Island’s 120-plus school districts daily.

While the Newsday building was closed during the pandemic, we began to build relationships with school districts by setting up complimentary access on school grounds and meeting with teachers/administrators to find out where journalism falls in the curriculum and field trip logistics. Once our building reopened, work started on creating the tour program based on this groundwork.

The program has two components: field trips to Newsday’s Long Island, New York, headquarters and complimentary digital access to all Long Island districts on school grounds.

The events team designed field trips for fifth graders to align with the introduction to journalism in their school curriculum. The program’s goal is to offer students a behind-the-scenes, first-hand look at how professional journalism is carried out through interactive experiences to keep the students engaged.

Melissa Carfero, head of events: We of course hoped the tours would be well received, but we never imagined the feedback and impact would be as positive as it has been. The best part of the tours is truly the students. They are all excited to be here and very engaged during the visit. It’s extremely rewarding to see the fruits of your labor have such a positive impact. We often receive feedback from the teachers and chaperones after their visits that the students are still talking about the field trip and many want to be reporters now.

Fiscina-Wells: Teachers on these tours today tell us they remember this from their childhoods and love seeing how we reimagined the experience for this era. It shows Newsday’s commitment to the region we cover and how Newsday has evolved into the multimedia organization it is today.

Hare: Tell us about the field trips. What do the kids do and see?

Carfero: As soon as students arrive, they’re handed a press pass and become a cub reporter for the day. They also receive a backpack with their very own reporter’s notebook and pen to cover a breaking news assignment created just for them. The cub reporters participate in a mock press conference and work alongside an experienced Newsday reporter to gather the most important information on their breaking news assignment — the Who, What, When, Where and Why.

They also collaborate with their classmates to anchor a Mad Libs news report for social media and enjoy taking photos at our green screen photo booth, complete with props and images related to the news story they cover. Students then tour the newsroom, where they meet Newsday editors and reporters and visit the NewsdayTV Studios broadcast control room for a behind-the-scenes look at how Newsday’s newscast is produced.

Back in the classroom, students receive unlimited access to Newsday.com and Newsday’s electronic edition and use what they learned during their trip to write articles on the news event they covered here.

Hare: What are you measuring that shows you this is successful

Positive NPS (Net Promoter Score): This is measured through a survey given to teachers and administrators following each tour. Our NPS score is currently 100, the highest possible.

Fully booked schedule: All available dates were booked immediately resulting in more than 1,700 students touring this school year. Next year we will move to a lottery system to accommodate all the interest.

Complimentary access configured for all Long Island school districts: 90% of all districts are set up, 112/125 school districts.

Positive testimonials/feedback

Hare: How could other newsrooms do this, regardless of resources?

Fiscina-Wells: From the start, our directive was always to create a dynamic program that highlighted Newsday’s journalism without interfering with that work. Most planning for this is at the front end, so once the program was developed, it became routine, and many were willing to support the program across departments. Our events team did an incredible job creating a unique, immersive experience for the students, and it has been great for morale seeing elementary students in the newsroom weekly.

Carfero: My advice for others looking to create tours is to first focus on building a rapport with as many districts in your market as possible. Our team opened this door by bringing journalists into the classrooms. The relationships we built with administrators and teachers across Long Island were instrumental in developing the programming for our field trips. Managing the visits is straightforward once they’re up and running. The challenge here was creating programming that aligned with the fifth grade curriculum and was inclusive of all learning levels, but also kept students engaged throughout their visit.

Hare: Can you share a playbook about how you put this together?

Fiscina-Wells: 

Compiled a database of all school districts on Long Island with contact information and went district by district to enable complimentary access through IP address whitelisting. (Our market has 120-plus individual districts but in other areas with county districts this would be simpler.)

Consulted with teachers and administrators to learn when journalism is introduced in curriculum and field trip logistics.

Met with newsroom editors, studio staff, facilities department, security and others to collaborate and develop plans.

Used the learnings to create tour programming, scripts, video elements and other assets aligned with our facility resources to ensure a turnkey project.

Identified one school district to pilot the program and followed up with educators and administrators after for feedback.

Sent newsletter out to districts opening tours for booking.

This is a general overview, we are happy to elaborate if needed and welcome inquiries from other publishers.

advantages about field trips

Fifth graders participate in the Newsday In Education visit on Nov. 29, 2023 at the Newsday headquarters in Melville, NY. (Courtesy Newsday)

advantages about field trips

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advantages about field trips

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advantages about field trips

Men's Track and Field 3/17/2024 9:15:00 AM

Track & Field Teams Begin Outdoor Season at W&L Carnival

The Case Western Reserve University men's and women's track and field teams began their outdoor season with a trip to Lexington, Virginia, for the W&L Track Carnival, hosted by Washington and Lee University on Friday and Saturday.

The Spartans, represented by a smaller team because of the university's spring break, won four events at the meet and totaled 16 top five finishes.  

Graduate student sprinter  Juan Perez  won the 100-meter dash in 11.03 seconds and placed second in the 200-meter dash in 22.31 seconds. In the longer race, graduate student sprinter  Keith Cartwright  placed fifth in 22.67 seconds.

The 4x400-meter relay of graduate student  Pierce Boucher , first-year  Nico Matt , sophomore  Josh Bates , and senior  Yusuf Shaaban  placed first with a time of 3:22.71. Shaaban was the runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing just 0.03 seconds behind the winner in 55.16 seconds. Bates was third in the event in 55.54 seconds.

In the other hurdles event, graduate student  Peculiar Nzegbuna  finished the 110-meter hurdles in 15.45 seconds to place third.

In the field, junior  Andrew Qi  recorded a personal-best mark in the triple jump, bounding 13.13 meters to place second. Junior  Joshua Berman  tied for fifth in the pole vault after clearing 3.64 meters.

The CWRU women's track and field team earned all its top five finishes in the field.

Three Spartans placed in the top five in the hammer throw, led by junior  Lauren Roskuszka  who recorded a personal-best mark of 48.93 meters, the sixth-farthest throw in program history. Sophomore  Michelle Lee  finished fourth with a heave of 44.78 meters, and senior  Adrienne Wachtman  placed fifth by throwing 43.60 meters,

Wachtman added three runner-up finishes in the other throwing events, placing second in the shot put with a personal-best throw of 12.01 meters, second in the discus throw with a heave of 37.38 meters, and second in the javelin throw with a mark of 39.42 meters. Roskuszka placed fifth in the javelin with a throw of 36.49 meters.

Junior hurdler/jumper  Sarah Ozeki  won the triple jump for Case Western Reserve by bounding 10.91 meters.

The Spartans will travel to New Concord, Ohio, on March 22 and 23 for the Amy Adams Memorial Invitational, hosted by Muskingum University. Events are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Players Mentioned

Josh Bates

Joshua Berman

Pierce Boucher

Pierce Boucher

Keith Cartwright

Keith Cartwright

Peculiar Nzegbuna

Peculiar Nzegbuna

Juan Perez

Yusuf Shaaban

Nico Matt

Michelle Lee

Sarah Ozeki

Sarah Ozeki

Lauren Roskuszka

Lauren Roskuszka

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Fernando Tatis Jr. ready for bigger role in right field for Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. stretches during a workout at the Gocheok Sky Dome

Team plans to take advantage of ‘special athlete’ by having Platinum Glove winner move around, cover more ground in his second season as a right fielder

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Back before Merrill Madness, when the Padres didn’t know who their center fielder would be, manager Mike Shildt joked about petitioning the league to have Fernando Tatis Jr. play both right and center.

“If anyone could do it,” Shildt said in February, “it would be him.”

Now, even after 20-year-old Jackson Merrill has locked down the center field spot to start the season, it appears Shildt’s jest wasn’t 100 percent silliness.

The Padres do intend for Tatis to cover more ground this season, including often shading further toward center field than he did in 2024 — when he was transitioning from shortstop and the team had two-time Gold Glove winner Trent Grisham in center field.

With Grisham gone and Tatis comfortable in his new position, the Padres are in the process of game-planning when and where to move him around. It will vary based on factors such as the batter, the pitcher and the game situation. The team has a general idea of how it will deploy Tatis, but its research and development (analytics) department is still working on the most advantageous scenarios.

“(If) we see an outlier somewhere we think we can plug him in,” Shildt said, “we’re gonna think about doing it.”

Fernando Tatis Jr. won a Platinum Glove in his first season playing the outfield.

The Padres have also discussed the possibility of employing a five-man infield in certain situations, such as when another team is clearly bunting. In that case, Merill would likely move to the dirt while Tatis takes on extra territory in the grass.

“We just want to be able to maximize his abilities,” outfield coach Dave Macias said. “… We didn’t get too cute last year, just because we knew we had two guys on the right side of the outfield that really covered a lot of ground. But now that we’ve seen him play a full year and seen what he can do now, you start thinking about the scenarios.”

Tatis, who won the National League Gold Glove in right field and was then voted by fans as the league’s Platinum Glove winner, hinted at a subtle shift early in spring.

He had long wanted to be a center fielder, and the Padres were at least willing to consider his preference in the offseason. He played some center field in winter ball, but even then he had pretty much made up his mind that right field was where he belonged .

“When I got back there and I really paid attention to the dimensions of our ballpark, I saw the difference,” Tatis said in February. “I was catching fly balls in center field and right field, and I felt like I was able to run more in right field, cover more ground. We just need to have the right approach in the outfield now this year that maybe they can even let me cover a little bit more ground (toward) center field and skip a little bit to the corner.”

Fernando Tatis Jr. signs autographs as he arrives at the Incheon International Airport.

Tatis often stood further from the line in spring training, and there was at least one occasion he sprinted to catch a fly ball in right-center field and ended up grabbing it in front of Merrill far closer to center than right.

That is something that would not have happened in 2023.

Grisham was more of a traditional center fielder. It was his defense that kept him in the lineup, and he was among the game’s rangiest outfielders.

Grisham was traded along with Juan Soto to the Yankees. Merrill has looked like a natural in the outfield, but he is not (yet) Grisham.

“It’s not about Jackson,” Shildt said Saturday in Seoul. “It’s more about if you think about defending what is most likely to happen, and you’ve got a special athlete, we want to make sure we can move him around.”

Whatever it ends up looking like, the bottom line for the Padres was summed up by Tatis.

“We are just gonna play smarter,” he said, “take advantage of our abilities and play the game with our best tools.”

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Aaron Jones wants to ‘make a statement’ when he returns to Lambeau Field with the Minnesota Vikings this fall

advantages about field trips

GREEN BAY – The last time Aaron Jones was in Minnesota , he took a punch to the face.

It was friendly fire, a recoil off Green Bay Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks’ backhand during a postgame scrum on New Year’s Eve. Jones put himself in a vulnerable position, trying to break things up, simultaneously having his teammate’s back. He ended up grabbing Minnesota Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth’s facemask and pushing him out of the fracas.

The memory serves as a stark contrast to these past couple of days. Jones sat at a podium in Minnesota on Thursday, wearing a purple-and-yellow hat, introducing himself to the other side of this NFC North rivalry. After the Packers released him Monday, Jones was intent to not look back. His focus is on what’s ahead in Minnesota .

Jones thanked the Packers for drafting him seven years ago, giving him a chance in the NFL and building his brand off the field, but downplayed taking his career west of the border.

“It’s not strange at all,” Jones said, wearing that purple-and-yellow hat, a sight undoubtedly strange to Packers fans. “It’s football. I’ve played for many different teams growing up. Middle school, high school, you change teams. You change teammates. That’s part of the game. I’m blessed to be here (in Minnesota), I’m excited for what’s to come, and get to work with these guys.”

There is one setting upcoming that could be strange. Jones is now set to stand on the opposing sideline at Lambeau Field when the Vikings travel to Green Bay this fall and, just like Brett Favre, Greg Jennings and Ryan Longwell before him, play in front of his former fans wearing a rival’s uniform.

Jones, with new Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold sitting to his left, suggested he’s looking forward to the trip.

“It’s going to be fun,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m just, ball. You know what it is? I mean, I’ve played in hostile situations, hostile areas, whatever. But to me, at the end of the day, it’s just going to be ball. I’m going back to where I used to play at the end of the day, but it’s just ball.

“Just go out there and make a statement.”

After Packers released him, Aaron Jones wanted to sign ‘where I felt wanted’

Jones said agent Drew Rosenhaus called him before Monday’s release, warning him it was possible the Packers would release him. The Packers had required Jones to take a significant pay cut to remain on their roster, but Rosenhaus likely knew a better offer was attainable on the open market.

His release was a shock to many who follow the organization, and Jones’ resistance to taking a pay cut indicated he felt deserving of more from the team. The veteran running back would not admit to being caught off guard, however.

“I’m never surprised by what goes on in the league,” Jones said. “The longer you stay, the more crazier stuff you’ll see or things you think shouldn’t have happened, happen. Whatever it may be, nothing really catches me by surprise anymore in this league.”

After his release, Jones quickly pivoted to his next team. He signed with the Vikings one day later, signing a one-year, $7 million deal. Shortly after Jones’ news conference concluded, the Packers announced they signed former Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.

While the money certainly was a motivation, Jones said feeling desired was why he signed with the Vikings.

“It’s part of the business,” Jones said. “You know what you sign up for. My agent had called me before all of that happened, told me it was a possibility. So my mind was already prepared, and I just wanted to go where I felt wanted. That’s here, and I’m excited to be here.”

Jones said his release provided no further fuel for him to have a strong 2024. When he entered the 2023 season, Jones felt he was embarking on his best season yet. Injuries prevented that, forcing him to miss six games, but Jones closed with the best five-game stretch of his career. In his last three regular-season games and both postseason matchups, Jones rushed for at least 100 yards. It was the first time in his career Jones has reached the century mark in five straight games.

Maintaining that standard is what Jones said motivates him, whether his jersey is green or purple.

“I think you guys saw how I finished the season last year,” Jones said. “So just because they didn’t re-sign me, it’s not fuel to the fire. My fire has already been lit. It’s going to stay lit. I’m on a mission to be the best running back in the NFL, and I’m glad I get to prove that here in Minnesota with a great organization. They’ve opened up their doors to us, loving, kind, and we’ve had a great time here so far. So I’m ready to enjoy it.”

Aaron Jones especially excited to play in same offense with Justin Jefferson

While the Vikings quarterback situation is in disarray, Jones will have a chance to form perhaps the NFL’s best running back-receiver duo with All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson.

Jones has seen Jefferson torch the Packers multiple times during the past couple of years in Green Bay. Sharing the field with Jefferson should lead to only more opportunities for him in the run game, not unlike when Jones shared the Packers offense with Davante Adams.

“I think he’s one of the best receivers in the game,” Jones said. “I’m super excited to play with him. I know he might get different coverages thrown at him, or double teams. So I feel like I can help take some of that off of him, or just come in to help, you know. I’m definitely excited to play with him. Playing against him for a little while, seeing him dominate, definitely glad to be on the other side of that.”

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Aaron Jones said he appreciates the Vikings culture

Jones said he doesn’t have much of a relationship with his new teammates, but he named a few Vikings players he’s gotten to know. After the fracas subsided on New Year’s Eve, Jones calmly chatted on the field with Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. and safety Harrison Smith.

“I’ve played against some of these guys,” Jones said. “I have a lot of respect for them. I wouldn’t say necessarily a relationship, but when we see each other, it’s mutual. It’s all love. Because football is kind of like a fraternity. We’ve all been through the same thing, we’ve all put in that work. So when you see somebody who’s been there doing the same thing you do, it’s mutual love.”

From afar, Jones said he’s been impressed with the Vikings “culture.” He pointed to the gameday experience at U.S. Bank Stadium especially. “The fans are echoing the culture here,” Jones said, referring to the Vikings’ “Skol” chant.

After the questions were finished, Jones closed his news conference mimicking that echo.

“Skol,” Jones said, clapping his hands above that purple-and-yellow hat as he walked off the podium.

North Carolina grabs No. 1 seed, rest of NCAA Tournament spots decided in final Bracketology

The field is set. We think. (We're pretty sure.)

From No. 1 through No. 16, our final update for the 2024 NCAA men's tournament is locked into place with hours to go until the committee unveils the official bracket Sunday evening .

Let’s start at the top, where Tennessee’s early exit from the SEC tournament puts North Carolina on the No. 1 line with Connecticut, Purdue and Houston despite the Tar Heels' loss on Saturday to North Carolina State .

Only the Huskies will enter the tournament on a winning streak. The Cougars lost ugly in the Big 12 tournament to Iowa State and Purdue suffered a surprising loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten. The overall resumes for each team are still good enough to fend off Tennessee and Arizona, who land on the No. 2 line. Joining the Volunteers and Wildcats as No. 2 seeds are the Cyclones and Marquette.

BUBBLE WATCH: How Saturday shaped the tournament field

IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Upsets over the weekend had a huge impact on the bubble picture. One at-large spot was taken away by Florida Atlantic's loss to Temple in the American semifinals, opening up another spot for the conference for the winner of the title game between UAB and the Owls.

Another spot was filled with Oregon's win against Colorado to take home the Pac-12. North Carolina State was not going to make the tournament without winning the ACC title .

That was costly for teams hovering on the fringes of our field. That includes Seton Hall, bumped out after losing its Big East tournament opener to St. John's. Virginia went 23-10 in the regular season but posted just two Quad 1 wins and finished outside the top 50 in the NET rankings. The Ducks' Pac-12 championship made St. John's the first team out.

Two of the Power Six conferences were won by teams (Oregon and N.C. State) that were not going to get automatic berths. That basically shut the door on some deserving teams on the bubble.

Last four in

Northwestern, Florida Atlantic, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

First four out

St. John’s, Seton Hall, Virginia, Indiana State

Next four out

Providence, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Wake Forest

NCAA Tournament bids by conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues:  Big 12 (9), SEC (8), Big Ten (6), Mountain West (6), ACC (4), Pac-12 (4), Big East (3), American Athletic (2), Atlantic 10 (2), West Coast Conference (2).

The 2024 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament brackets

Connecticut players celebrate in the final moments of their Big East Conference championship victory.

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The 68-team bracket for the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament is set, with start times and TV channels finalized for each game.

Here’s a look at the NCAA men’s tournament bracket (click on link below for a downloadable version of the bracket):

PRINTABLE NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET

2024 NCAA bracket

Here’s a look at the First Four and first-round matchups for the men’s NCAA tournament:

No. 16 Wagner (16-15) vs. No. 16 Howard (18-16) — Tuesday, 3:40 p.m. | TruTV

No. 10 Colorado State (24-10) vs. No. 10 Virginia (23-10) — Tuesday, 6:10 p.m. | TruTV

No. 16 Grambling State (20-14) vs. No. 16 Montana State (17-17) — Wednesday, 3:40 p.m. | TruTV

No. 10 Colorado (24-10) vs. No. 10 Boise State (22-10) — Wednesday, 6:10 p.m. | TruTV

FIRST ROUND

EAST REGION

No. 1 Connecticut (31-3) vs. No. 16 Stetson (22-12), Friday, 11:45 a.m. | CBS

No. 8 Florida Atlantic (25-8) vs. No. 9 Northwestern (21-11), Friday, 9:15 a.m. | CBS

No. 5 San Diego State (24-10) vs. No. 12 Alabama Birmingham (23-11), Friday, 10:45 a.m. | TNT

No. 4 Auburn (27-7) vs. No. 13 Yale (22-9), Friday, 1:15 p.m. | TNT

No. 6 Brigham Young (23-10) vs. No. 11 Duquesne (24-11), Thursday, 9:40 a.m. | TruTV

No. 3 Illinois (26-8) vs. No. 14 Morehead State (26-8), Thursday, 12:10 p.m. | TruTV

No. 7 Washington State (24-9) vs. No. 10 Drake (28-6), Thursday, 7:05 p.m. | TruTV

No. 2 Iowa State (27-7) vs. No. 15 South Dakota State (22-12), Thursday, 4:35 p.m. | TruTV

Long Beach State head coach Dan Monson participates in a net cutting ceremony.

It’s madness at Long Beach State as Dan Monson heads to NCAA tournament on his way out

Dan Monson was informed last week he would no longer coach Long Beach State after this season, yet the team has advanced to the NCAA tournament.

March 17, 2024

SOUTH REGION

No. 1 Houston (30-4) vs. No. 16 Longwood (21-13), Friday, 6:20 p.m. | TNT

No. 8 Nebraska (23-10) vs. No. 9 Texas A&M (20-14), Friday, 3:50 p.m. | TNT

No. 5 Wisconsin (22-13) vs. No. 12 James Madison (31-3), Friday, 6:40 p.m. | CBS

No. 4 Duke (24-8) vs. No. 13 Vermont (28-6), Friday, 4:10 p.m. | CBS

No. 6 Texas Tech (23-10) vs. No. 11 North Carolina State (22-14), Thursday, 6:40 p.m. | CBS

No. 3 Kentucky (23-9) vs. No. 14 Oakland (23-11), Thursday, 4:10 p.m. | CBS

No. 7 Florida (24-11) vs. No. 10 Boise State (22-10) / Colorado (24-10), Friday, 1:30 p.m. | TBS

No. 2 Marquette (25-9) vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky (22-11), Friday, 11 a.m. | TBS

MIDWEST REGION

No. 1 Purdue (29-4) vs. No. 16 Montana State (17-17) / Grambling State (20-14), Friday, 4:25 p.m. | TBS

No. 8 Utah State (27-6) vs. No. 9 Texas Christian (21-12), Friday, 6:55 p.m. | TBS

No. 5 Gonzaga (25-7) vs. No. 12 McNeese (30-3), Thursday, 4:25 p.m. | TBS

No. 4 Kansas (22-10) vs. No. 13 Samford (29-5), Thursday, 6:55 p.m. | TBS

No. 6 South Carolina (26-7) vs. No. 11 Oregon (23-11), Thursday, 1 p.m. | TNT

No. 3 Creighton (23-9) vs. No. 14 Akron (24-10), Thursday, 10:30 a.m. | TNT

No. 7 Texas (20-12) vs. No. 10 Virginia (23-10) / Colorado State (24-10), Thursday, 3:50 p.m. | TNT

No. 2 Tennessee (24-8) vs. No. 15 Saint Peter’s (19-13), Thursday, 6:20 p.m. | TNT

WEST REGIONAL

No. 1 North Carolina (27-7) vs. No. 16 Howard (18-16) / Wagner (16-15), Thursday, 11:45 a.m. | CBS

No. 8 Mississippi State (21-13), No. 9 Michigan State (19-14), Thursday, 9:15 a.m. | CBS

No. 5 Saint Mary’s (26-7) vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon (29-4), Friday, 7:05 p.m. | TruTV

No. 4 Alabama (21-11) vs. No. 13 Charleston (27-7), Friday, 4:35 p.m. | TruTV

No. 6 Clemson (21-11) vs. No. 11 New Mexico (26-9), Friday, 12:10 p.m. | TruTV

No. 3 Baylor (23-10) vs. No. 14 Colgate (25-9), Friday, 9:40 a.m. | TruTV

No. 7 Dayton (24-7) vs. No. 10 Nevada (26-7), Thursday, 1:30 p.m. | TBS

No. 2 Arizona (25-8) vs. No. 15 Long Beach State (21-14), Thursday, 11 a.m. | TBS

Here’s a schedule breakdown for the men’s NCAA tournament (all times Pacific):

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Women’s tournament matchups

PRINTABLE NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET

NCAA women's basketball bracket 2024.

Here’s a look at the women’s 68-team NCAA tournament matchups:

No. 1 South Carolina (32-0) vs. No. 16 Sacred Heart (24-9) / Presbyterian (20-14)

No. 8 North Carolina (19-12) vs. No. 9 Michigan State (22-8)

No. 4 Indiana (24-5) vs. No. 13 Fairfield (31-1)

No. 5 Oklahoma (22-9) vs. No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast (29-4)

No. 3 Oregon State (24-7) vs. No. 14 Eastern Washington (29-5)

No. 6 Nebraska (22-11) vs. No. 11 Texas A&M (19-12)

No. 2 Notre Dame (26-6) vs. No. 15 Kent State (21-10)

No. 7 Mississippi (23-8) vs. No. 10 Marquette (23-8)

No. 1 Iowa (29-4) vs. No. 16 Holy Cross (20-12) / Tennessee Martin (16-16)

No. 8 West Virginia (24-7) vs. No. 9 Princeton (25-4)

No. 4 Kansas State (25-7) vs. No. 13 Portland (21-12)

No. 5 Colorado (22-9) vs. No. 12 Drake (29-5)

No. 3 Louisiana State (28-5) vs. No. 14 Rice (19-14)

No. 6 Louisville (24-9) vs. No. 11 Middle Tennessee (29-4)

No. 2 UCLA (25-6) vs. No. 15 California Baptist (28-3)

No. 7 Creighton (25-5) vs. Nevada Las Vegas (30-2)

No. 1 USC (26-5) vs. No. 16 Texas A&M Corpus Christi (23-8)

No. 8 Kansas (19-12) vs. No. 9 Michigan (20-13)

No. 4 Virginia Tech (24-7) vs. No. 13 Marshall (26-6)

No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 Vanderbilt (22-9) / Columbia (23-6)

No. 3 Connecticut (29-5) vs. No. 14 Jackson State (26-6)

No. 6 Syracuse (23-7) vs. No. 11 Auburn (20-11) / Arizona (17-15)

No. 2 Ohio State (25-5) vs. No. 15 Maine (24-9)

No. 7 Duke (20-11) vs. No. 10 Richmond (29-5)

No. 1 Texas (30-4) vs. No. 16 Drexel (19-14)

No. 8 Alabama (23-9) vs. No. 9 Florida State (23-10)

No. 5 Utah (22-10) vs. South Dakota State (27-5)

No. 4 Gonzaga (30-3) vs. No. 13 UC Irvine (23-8)

No. 6 Tennessee (19-12) vs. No. 11 Green Bay (27-6)

No. 3 North Carolina State (27-6) vs. No. 14 Chattanooga (28-4)

No. 2 Stanford (28-5) vs. No. 15 Norfolk State (27-5)

No. 7 Iowa State (20-11) vs. No. 10 Maryland (19-13)

[ Insert title here ]

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COMMENTS

  1. Pros and Cons of Class Field Trips

    Field trips provide students with the ability to learn by doing instead of just passively listening to the information being taught in class. Students are exposed to new experiences that, hopefully, broaden their horizons. This can be especially helpful for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who may not have been exposed to these ...

  2. 10+ Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trip (FAQs)

    The thrill of field trips is too much to handle, which encourages active involvement, contribution, and curiosity. 4. Fun memories: Field trip allows students or trip members to create fun memories with their peers and collogues. It gives them something pleasurable to always look back on for a smooth life journey. 5.

  3. The Educational Value of Field Trips in 2024: Advantages and

    Another advantage of field trip is it does not really require students to physically travel. In the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical constraints, online technologies have paved the way for learners to take excursions from the comfort of the classroom. Virtual field trips allow students to explore locations that are essential to ...

  4. Yes, Field Trips Are Worth the Effort

    A micro field trip to a nearby park or around school grounds, for example, can be a great opportunity to "enhance a unit on nature and wildlife while reinforcing vocabulary for senses, colors, and the concepts of quantity and size," Schwartz writes. "Afterwards, students might write descriptive stories set in the place you visited using ...

  5. Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trips

    Advantages of Field Trips. Sensational Sights - Field trips offer an extraordinary chance to immerse ourselves in real-world experiences, like stepping into the pages of a captivating storybook. They allow us to witness historical sites, explore museums, or even visit nature reserves. It's like having a front-row seat to witness the wonders of the world firsthand.

  6. The 10 Benefits of School Field Trips: Why it's Crucial to ...

    The 10 Benefits of School Field Trips. Students do better in school. Students learn more social skills. Students can visit new places. Students can become critical thinkers. Students learn by experiencing, not just by studying "theory". Students learn more time management skills. Students get to learn by doing.

  7. The Benefits of Field Trips

    Academic Impact. Field based learning increases test scores. A recent study by Emilyn Ruble Whitesell showed that middle school students who participate in science field trips through the Urban Advantage program score better on the state science test. Field trips and hands on learning make concepts more memorable. Just think back to what you learned in school, the field trips you took, and ...

  8. 27 Important Pros & Cons Of Field Trips

    School excursions are fun. Field trips can raise the awareness of pupils on important topics. Can be used to get back to the roots. May broaden the horizon of students. Pupils can relax. Information can be presented differently. Students can learn outside the classroom. May also improve the fitness of students.

  9. The Educational Value of Field Trips

    Daniel H. Bowen. Jay P. Greene joined EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the benefits of field trips, including how seeing live theater is a more enriching experience to students, on the EdNext podcast. The school field trip has a long history in American public education. For decades, students have piled into yellow buses to visit a ...

  10. The Benefits Of Learning Through Field Trips

    Museums, and many other kinds of field trips are multi-media experiences; therefore, learning is enriched and reinforced with superimposing sensory and intellectual inputs. Most museums are designed to stimulate curiosity and actively engage the visitor, so you have a very professional partner working with you to help your students learn.

  11. The 4 Big Benefits of Field Trips for Kids

    Field trips allow students to collaborate with their peers, explore new environments, make connections, problem solve, develop trust, and empathy. Unfortunately, we have seen field trips being used as a positive reinforcement for good behavior instead of being used as a tool to enhance social-emotional development. 3.

  12. How Field Trips Boost Students' Lifelong Success

    Here's why field trips are important. The study found that regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, children who take school trips have better grades (59%), higher graduation rates from high school (95%) and college (63%) and greater income (12% higher annually). In fact, 89% said educational trips had a positive, lasting ...

  13. Do Students Learn Anything on School Field Trips

    Field trips provide important instructional advantages that prove a significant payoff. Education Next, a journal on school reform that seeks to publish data-supported research on school change, recently published a summary piece of research by University of Arkansas professor Jay Greene, who heads the school's Department of Education Reform.

  14. Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trip

    Advantages of Field Trip. Hands-on learning experience - Field trips let students touch, feel, and do things themselves, making lessons stick better than just reading or listening.; Enhances social skills - Being with classmates outside of school helps kids make friends and learn to work with others.; Encourages curiosity and discovery - Going new places and seeing new things makes kids ...

  15. What are the advantages and disadvantages of field trips?

    The Advantages and Disadvantages of Field Trips Field trips are often seen as a valuable way for students to learn and broaden their horizons. They provide an opportunity for students to engage with the world outside of the classroom, gaining real-life experiences that can enhance their understanding of different subjects. However, there are also drawbacks …

  16. What is a Field Trip: Exploring the Benefits, Challenges, and ...

    Advantages of Virtual Field Trips. Virtual field trips come with a number of advantages. They are often less expensive than traditional field trips, and they can be used to explore destinations that would otherwise be inaccessible. Additionally, virtual field trips can be tailored to fit the curriculum and the specific needs of the students. ...

  17. The Benefits of Field Trips for Students

    Field trips have long been a staple of the educational experience, providing students with opportunities to explore and engage with the world outside the classroom. In recent years, the undeniable value of these excursions has come into sharper focus as research has shed light on the numerous benefits that field trips provide. Continue reading to learn about the primary advantages of field ...

  18. The Benefits of Field Trips: Why Taking Students Out of the ...

    Field trips provide invaluable educational and social benefits to students. This article explores why field trips are essential for classroom learning, sparking creativity and imagination, fostering collaboration, building a sense of community, exposing students to different cultures and environments, and providing new perspectives and knowledge.

  19. The Reasons Why Educational Field Trips Are Important For Students

    The Importance of Field Trip in Teaching. Educational Field Trips can associate with a variety of benefits for teachers and students. In terms of teaching, it would be better for the teacher to take part in field trips mostly because of its advantages. It is true that the trips provide teachers with ample opportunity to develop personality and ...

  20. Virtual Field Trips: Bringing Environmental Education To ...

    Digital field trips have emerged as a new force in K-12 environmental education, offering numerous advantages in cost-effectiveness, flexibility and accessibility. While it is paramount to address ...

  21. Here's how Newsday brought back field trips to its newsroom

    March 14, 2024. This school year, Newsday started to focus on an important group of future news consumers — fifth graders. It launched Newsday in Education, a program that combines field trips ...

  22. Track & Field Teams Begin Outdoor Season at W&L Carnival

    The Case Western Reserve University men's and women's track and field teams began their outdoor season with a trip to Lexington, Virginia, for the W&L Track Carnival, hosted by Washington and Lee University on Friday and Saturday. The Spartans, represented by a smaller team because of the university's spring break, won four events at the meet ...

  23. Fernando Tatis Jr. ready for bigger role in right field for Padres

    March 16, 2024 12:07 PM PT. SEOUL, South Korea —. Back before Merrill Madness, when the Padres didn't know who their center fielder would be, manager Mike Shildt joked about petitioning the ...

  24. Московский метрополитен. Moskovsky Metropoliten. Moscow Metro

    Видео, аудио, фото: Московское метро в 2015 году.

  25. Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) to Elektrostal

    Find all the transport options for your trip from Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) to Elektrostal right here. Rome2Rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. Rome2Rio also offers online ...

  26. Golden Gates Review

    Everything you need to know about Side Trips from Moscow from our travel experts. Go. Destinations Hotels Travel News Cruises Forums Trip Ideas. More . Forums; Trip Ideas ...

  27. Aaron Jones wants to 'make a statement' when he returns to Lambeau Field

    Jones is now set to stand on the opposing sideline at Lambeau Field when the Vikings travel to Green Bay this fall and, just like Brett Favre, Greg Jennings and Ryan Longwell before him, play in front of his former fans wearing a rival's uniform. Jones, with new Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold sitting to his left, suggested he's looking ...

  28. Bracketology: Final NCAA Tournament prediction for March Madness

    The field is set. We think. (We're pretty sure.) From No. 1 through No. 16, our final update for the 2024 NCAA men's tournament is locked into place with hours to go until the committee unveils ...

  29. March Madness bracket: 2024 NCAA tournament field is set

    March 17, 2024 3:38 PM PT. The 68-team bracket for the 2024 NCAA men's basketball tournament is set, but matchup starting dates and times beyond the First Four will not be announced until later ...

  30. Elektrostal to Moscow

    Find all the transport options for your trip from Elektrostal to Moscow right here. Rome2Rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. Rome2Rio also offers online bookings for selected operators ...