Throughout elementary and middle school, field trips were a frequent occurrence. There were trips to the zoo, various museums, and a theater to watch educational plays. Field trips offered students a way to bring the topics they were learning in their classroom to life; Instead of just learning about environmental science in school, you can experience hands-on learning at a nature center.

Going on field trips can be very beneficial because they offer students a new perspective or learning and allow them to partake in real world applications of the topics they are being taught. Unfortunately, many high schools do not offer nearly as many field trips opportunities as they could to ensure that students have the opportunity for a new type of learning.

Learning in a classroom is completely different from learning outside of school. Hands on learning can make a great impact on how students process information. According to a 2018 article published by Goodwin University, “Learning by doing is one of the most effective ways for students to learn. That is because when students are engaged with their hands and their minds, they actually are more focused and motivated to learn.”

Being exposed to the outside world of a classroom allows children to be more involved with their own understanding as well as applying what they’ve already learned to real world experiences. Not everything you’ve learned now in high school will be relevant in the future but, let’s say you were taking a class about money and spending habits, maybe you could go to a place like JA Biztown that allows you to listen to a professional talk about investments and even teach you on how to invest on your own time.

The Nea Members education association, an organization that works with teachers to create better learning environments to ensure students’ success, states that, “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 better understanding and tolerance, and expose them to worlds outside their own.” Because of the fact that students get to see and experience a different form of learning, this allows them to widen their perspective which also enforces their understanding.

Especially for children that struggle with understanding the lessons during instruction, getting a hands-on version of that lesson would help them majorly. Having two different versions of understanding both your own interpretation and a more structured one can be helpful to how you process information.

A common phrase that you probably have heard before is that “practice makes perfect.” The relevance in this statement is that hands-on learning gives you more practice. The more learning you apply in real life, the more knowledge you gain. There may have been useful things you’ve learned in school but may have thought you wouldn’t need them in the future, but that is only because you haven’t been given the chance to apply the skills you have already learned.

Being able to experience a different level of independence; depending on your daily life it could be something new to you and it’s always great to try new things and build new habits, regardless of how accustomed you are with your ways of living. Being able to have a different experience of responsibility by being sent out in groups with your friends to learn and explore on your own. It even sounds fun to be able to enjoy a different learning experience with people you get along with.

Start by recommending and giving suggestions to your teacher about what type of field trips you could have, whether it be a science museum, laboratory, art center, it could be almost anywhere. Preferably affordable so more people can join. Learning, having fun, and gaining knowledge is always a great thing; hands-on learning has the power to change student’s perspectives and interests.