The importance of Learning outside the classroom

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• The reasons to justify doing out of classroom
  learning are -
• There are some things young
• people need to learn that can
• only be learnt out of the
• classroom
• There are some things that
• young people need to learn
• that are better learnt out of the
• classroom
• In terms of that in terms of
• knowledge/understand, skills,
• values
• But is this TRUE ?

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• 1. What does the research say?
• Alan Peacock,
• University
• of Exeter 2006.
• Changing Minds
• The Lasting Impact of
• School Trips (UK)

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• Found that -
• School childrens learning about
• their local environment influenced the way they
  treat it.
• Found that not only was this
• the case, but high quality,
• out-of-classroom
• learning also influenced how
• children behave and the lifestyle
• choices they make.
• It shows the potential for schools
• trips not just to change
• individual lives
• but the lives of whole
• communities.

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• B. Review of Research on Outdoor Learning
• by Mark Rickinson et al.
• National Foundation for
• Education Research,
• Kings College London and
• Field Studies Council, 2004

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• Found that -
• 1. Substantial evidence exists to indicate that
  fieldwork,
• properly conceived, adequately planned, well
  taught and
• effectively followed up, offers learners
  opportunities to
• develop their knowledge and skills in ways that
  add
• value to their everyday
• experiences in the classroom.
• Specifically, fieldwork can have a
• positive impact on long-term
• memory due to the memorable
• nature of the
• fieldwork setting

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• 3. Effective fieldwork, and residential
  experience in particular,
• can lead to individual growth and improvements
  in social skills.
• 4. More importantly, there can be reinforcement
  between the affective and the cognitive, with
  each influencing the other and providing a bridge
  to higher order learning.

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• 5. Attitudes, beliefs and self-perceptions -
  examples of outcomes include
• independence, confidence, self-esteem, locus of
  control, self-efficacy, personal effectiveness
  and coping strategies
• 6. Interpersonal and social skills -
• such as social effectiveness,
• communication skills,
• group cohesion and
• teamwork improve.

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• And that other reports found that
• School trips are vital for children to connect
  with nature.
• School trips influence lives.
• Community spirit is
• developed from school
• trips.
• School trips help bond
• families.
• School trips improve
• childrens learning.

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• C. Inspection Reports
• Other evidence comes from the Office of
  Standards in Education -
• OFSTED - the government
• department that inspects
• schools .
• Out of classroom
• activity is a sign of a
• good school

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• Geography in schools Changing Practise
• Learning outside the classroom how far should
  you go?
• Schools with a good programme of fieldwork find
  that this motivates pupils and enhances their
  interest in geography
• Such hands-on activities led to
• improved outcomes for pupils
• and students, including
• better achievement, standards,
• motivation, personal
• development and behaviour. ..
• positive effects on young people
• who were hard to motivate

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• Support for out of classroom learning
• In the Curriculum
• Out of classroom learning is mentioned in the
  national curriculum for some subjects Geography
  Biology
• and is strongly supported in
• the assessment system
• for older students.

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The importance of Learning outside the classroom

• For example - in the Geography Programme of Study
• Geographical Processes
• 2.1 Geographical Enquiry
• 6. plan geographical enquiries, suggesting
  appropriate sequences of investigation
• 2.2 Fieldwork and
• out of classroom learning
• 1. select and use fieldwork
• tools and techniques
• appropriately, safely
• and efficiently