Sonia,
Yes, often students begin to realize they will soon be out in the workforce, and as a result of the field trip or guest speaker, are motivated to take things a bit more seriously, or are driven to excell based on the information chives from either of these experiences.
Barry Westling
I feel that guest speakers and field trips are important because they remind the students about the seriousness of their profession. It makes them realize how important lectures and labs are.
Russell,
Well, we work with what we have and within the scope of the environment given to us. I agree that field trips may not always be applicable for whatever reasons. Stimulating students to learn and improving their understanding can occur by many methods, and creative instructors will always strive to find engagement activities that will motivate students for better outcomes.
Barry Westling
Barry,
Field trips are problematic at my institution. The legal and financial constraints are challenging, and making certain that the field trip could fit within the parameters of the school's travel policy is difficult at best.
Happily, there are numerous places in town that the students could go to see their industry in action. However, when I asked about the possibility of taking the students to lunch at one of the "luminaries" that they had studied and reports on in class, the push back was significant.
Consequently, I do not think that field trips, as valuable and professionally enhancing as they would be, will ever exist in my institution for Gen Ed instructors.
Great suggestions, though. Perhaps in another time and another place I will be able to implement the suggestion and use the trip to enhance my students' understanding of their industry.
Best wishes for the continued success of your course.
Russ Mauch, Ph.D.
Barbara,
As engaging as we can make our classroom and lab settings, there is nothing more realistic than actually visiting a live, current, work setting example of some segment of the profession the student is preparing for. Students get inspired, and their level of motivation nearly always improves, translating to better performance in the classroom.
Barry Westling
I think this is a great for the students. They can really see how people in the field they are interested in operate
Asha,
It's interesting how bold some students are to ask questions of quest speakers. Perhaps they feel the guest is sort of anonymous, and so "no holds barred". Also, guest speakers often zero in on areas that, although interesting, may not be emphasized by the regular instructor, therefore, students may get a "value added" learning experience.
Barry Westling
I have seen that field trips always excite the students. I think they are all egar to see the careers they have chosen in real time action. They are enthusiastic about seeing for themselves how it works. It gives them a perspective into how much they need to learn before they are ready for their chosen careers.
Guest speaker also does the same job but is better as they get to ask questions and see the speaker as their role model if they like the presentation.
I always try my best to include field trips and guest speakers to my class. I have always seen it work to my advantage as students get very excited and their heads are filled with lots of questions.
I think this thinking process is what we instructors are all striving for in our students young brains.
Michael,
Yes, and this can be motivational, instructional, and encouraging. Students need reassurance their efforts in school will be productive.
Barry Westling
They get to see first hand how what they are going to learn is used in the actual real world setting.
Susan,
Yes, and often stimulates thinking about areas that have not been presented in class. Each speaker or trip offers something different from what could be normally offered in the classroom setting alone.
Barry Westling
Nicely breaks up the instruction . Keeps students interested. Brings new ideas.
David,
It's true, linkining with another instructor or class when it is known that an interesting or informative speaker may be visiting is a terrific method to share resources. Also, asking past graduates to be guest speakers can be a an abundant resource.
Barry Westling
Appropriate when the experience is spscific to the contenct area of the program. Lots of possibilities abound to team up with other programs and share resources.
Virginia,
Creating a vision for a hoped for area of interest is sort of like icing on the cake, where being exposed to a variety of work settings or employment opportunities contributes to fine tuning and discorvery of career areas that will be sustained, long lasting, and satisfying.
Barry Westling
Namisha,
Another outcome is increased vision about work opportunities.
Barry Westling
Ali,
Another "voice", or change of routine nearly always brings focus, attention, and added interest that can lead to involvement and participation in the instructional portions of class sessions.
Barry Westling
Field trips will enhance the learning experience because it will show the students how all the courses they are taking are being used in a real work world environment.
Guest speakers will share their on the job experiences and different avenues of employment and opportunities in different job fields that their degree can take them.
Such as nursing of example, they can move into Optometry, Dermatology, Public/Private schools, Dental Specialities as Surgical Nurse, Spa's, etc.
One can expand into many different fields with their newly acquired skills and knowledge, the individual only has research what they have an interest in.
Virginia
The actual real world experience and knowing what to expect ahead of time.
Learning about the medical offices setup and the flow of the clinic.
Students receive many benefits from taking field trips and listening to guest speakers. If gives them insight to the different jobs in the workforce. This can help them decide if what direction they want to go in their select field of work or even what direction they might not want to go. It also provides another alternative to learning besides from the instructor or in the classroom, hitting on different learning styles.
