Fleid Trips
Having field trips instead of lecture?
Kiona,
My program has nearly 1000 hours of clinicals, but guest speakers come into the didactic classes to amplify, explore, and share information about a specific segment or topic related to our general course of study. One way to think about field trips is to examine every resource you use (from supplies, to media, to cuuriculum, to faculty). Then ask yourself, where in my region is someone or someplace that can bring more perspective to...whatever category you're considering. With little exaggeration, with some careful thought, I'd bet someone could come up with 1-2 field trip possibilities a week! Not saying that many are needed but suggesting that with planning, it's easier than many think to identify effective or potential sites for good field trips.
Barry Westling
I think field trips are great, but I often wonder how to include them into a nursing teaching plan. Our students complain that they don't get to go on field trips like the other career students, but they have over 600 hours of clinicals. Any suggestions how to organize a field trip that will actually teach nursing students? How does this differ from clincals?
Hi Ashley:
Field trips are a great way for students to interact with people in their chosen field, and possibly have the opportunity to get answers to questions with an entirely different perspective than what you discuss in class.
Regards, Barry
I will be teaching a class in pharmacy systems. Since there are several kinds of pharmacy settings my students may one day work in, I think it will be very important for them to see each one. When teaching a career focused curriculum, all things practical are good. I think a field trip is a great way to generate and new interest in the course work, make it seem relevant, and spark new thoughts and questions among the students.
Hi Kirsten:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
Hi Theresa:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
Hi Lynette:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
This is an initiative I am working on currently. My pastry students work on different specific topics over the course of several weeks. For example, we have a daily lecture and discussion about ice cream over ten weeks. We have daily demo and production of the topic. I'd love to have my students take a field trip to an artisan ice cream producer to further their contact. They would have a short assignment based on this trip.
I think it is one thing to read about a topic and another to actually see it. I imagined one thing about Venice from reading about it but to actaully go there...quite a difference!
In the culinary world there is so much to see and very hands-on. I think that a balance of field trips with class time is good for certain types of classes and they can prove to be effective.
I teach a lesson on Assisting with minor office surgery, so I take my students to see a live surgery at the Whitaker Center. It is aired from Hershey Medical Center to the Whitaker center. It is like being in the operating room with the doctor. My students love it. They then complete a worksheet designed for them to to explain what they saw and how it applied to their lesson in class.
I agree entirely. I hope to take my Env. Sci. class to a recycling center soon. I've been to one of those places and to witness the AMOUNT of recyclable waste is quite amazing. The chapter on recyclable materials would of course be assigned before the trip. And a place like that would certainly drive home the point that people produce a vast amount of waste!
That may be a good idea in theory but you need to have a basis of structural information that the students can build upon. they need to discuss the topics and ideas before virtually being introduced to them. It gives the students an opportunity to tangibly apply what they have heard and learned, been exposed to already: they have a reference point to expand on.
I think they're a great idea. My students will read the assigned chapter and do homework during the week, but a trip to a place that the chapter TALKS about makes the topic real and relevant.
In my field of el construction field trip reall turn a student on to the future
