This instructional technique comes from CTLT’s Instructional Skills Workshop materials. How do you think this technique can and should be adapted to interdisciplinary learning contexts and content?

Field Trip

A field trip is a planned visit by a class that:

• incorporates community resources unavailable in the classroom
• provides visual education that offers first-hand experience with a place of interest or object, thus bringing realism to learning
• provides a change of pace
• is good for courses involved with community development
• should be preceded by a brief introduction in class and followed by a period of discussion

Instructor’s Role

• survey local community or region to locate points of significance to field of study
• obtain approval of owner or host
• detail arrangements in advance as to purpose, number of visitors, time of arrival, and duration
• provide class with information on the objectives of the field trip
• allow for discussion and questions after the field trip
• summarize the experience
• suggest further study

Learners’ Role

• Prior to trip
  • understand purpose and objective
  • listen to instructions given by leader
  • obtain information about place to be visited
• On the field trip
  • obtain information from the guide
  • ask questions and request additional information as trip progresses
  • relate what is seen and heard to the objectives
• After the trip
  • analyse and interpret knowledge gained on the field trip, through group discussion