Using field trips in project based learning suggestions for efl high school teachers and students

TEACHING INNOVATION USING FIELD TRIPS IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: SUGGESTIONS FOR EFL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS SUBJECT: ENGLISH School year: 2022-2023 TABLE OF CONTENT PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Scope of the study 1.4 Organization of the study PART 2: CONTENT 2.1 Theoretical Background 2.1.1 Overview of Field Trip 2.1.1.1 Definitions of Field Trip 2.1.1.2 Steps of a Field Trip 2.1.1.3 The Role of Teacher and Learners in the Field Trip 2.1.2 Overview of Project-based Learning 2.1.2.1 Definitions of Project-based Learning 2.1.2.2 Characteristics of Project-based Learning 2.2 The Relationship between Field Trip and Project-based Learning 10 2.3 Solutions and Discussion 11 2.3.1 A Connection between Collaborative Field Trips and Project-based Learning 11 2.3.2 Demonstration of Productions from Projects After the Field Trip 13 2.3.3 Discussion 43 2.3.4 Feedback of Using Field Trips in Project-based Learning 44 PART 3: CONCLUSION 45 3.1 Conclusion 45 3.2 Teaching Implication 47 REFERENCE 48 APPENDIX 1: SURVEY FOR TEACHERS APPENDIX 2: PRODUCTS OF PROJECTS BASED LEARNING FROM STUDENTS PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale A classroom without walls is entirely possible, and from what we know, it is engaging students all the time, all across the country, in schools that use placebased learning It can start as a simple field trip with an idea to go out into the world and experience something beyond the limitations of the classroom Field trip can be defined as a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment When done for students, as it happens in several school systems, it is known as school trip or school tour According to DeWitt & Storksdieck (2008), field trips provide opportunities for more affective learning including feelings and attitudes They also foster thinking skills, and they set up a substructure for future learning by raising awareness In addition, field trips, which aim to meet children’s needs for direct and meaningful learning through research, problem-solving and on-the-spot observation, have been found to support permanent, positive changes in their knowledge, skills and attitudes Such trips are among the most effective means of providing children with opportunities to learn experientially about natural environment and of magnifying the benefits of classroom education At the same time, this experience makes positive contributions to teachers regarding planning a trip, coordination of students, time management, and collaboration with other teachers It is true that field trips are important for all development domains, including social-emotional development, and if carefully prepared, can provide rich experiences for students For instance, whether students are visiting a local library to learn more about their community’s history or visiting a museum to then build their own micro-museum exhibits, project-based learning offers both teachers and students a pathway for thinking outside the walls By planning instruction in correlation with experience, teachers can add authenticity and deeper layers of meaning and engagement for students Last but not least, with a trip that further supports the community, the relationship between its residents and the schools comes full circle The matter of fact I mentioned above inspired me to choose the topic “Using Field Trips in Project-based Learning: Suggestions for EFL High School Teachers and Students” Hopefully with this study, teachers can use it as a source of reference in their teaching process 1.2 Aims of the study The aims of the study are as follows: - To provide a brief review of field trip and project-based learning - To observe the subject in its natural state and possibly collect samples - To suggest stages of field trips used in lessons to enhance EFL learners in conducting projects - To explore the perception of teachers and learners to this approach in practice 1.3 Scope of the study The study pays a focus on the stages of field trips used for enhancing the projectbased learning at upper secondary level Therefore, the study is conducted on the subject of teachers and learners coming from some high schools in Vinh city The innovation of this study is that field trip is beneficial to be applied in the language classroom as it presents more effective active project-based learning It is true that the modern approach in learning a language is that we need to build classroom without walls This may sound antithetic to our assumptions about traditional schools because after all, a school is the place where students go to learn, and classrooms are the place where teachers instruct students However, when students have been on a school field trip, then they have already experienced a classroom without wall Also, the learners’ experience is strengthened, project-based learning is used more efficiently and more interactively, peer learning is enhanced, greater control of content delivery, assimilation of knowledge can be observed and students can learn on demand In the light of project-based learning after the field trips, students work in groups on a project which involves the use of the target language, or put another way, hands-on projects that involve them in the entire process of learning This approach to learning can motivate students and create positive communication and collaboration as they develop language, content, and thinking skills 1.4 Organization of the study The study will consist of the following parts: Part 1: Introduction This part consists of the rationale, aims, scope, and organization of the study Part 2: Content This part mentions the theoretical background of the topic with an overview of field trip as well as project-based learning It also suggests some stages before, while and after the field trips to evaluate students’ demonstration of skills and knowledge, their performance and products as well as their attitude during learning process The application of these techniques is on the scale of units for students at high school Additionally, the perception of teachers and learners to this approach will be discussed and identified This part also shows a demonstration of using field trips to support learners in completing projects in some periods of English lessons The data collected from the study will be discussed more in detail in this part Part 3: Conclusion In order to convey an overall conclusion of the study, Conclusion reviews the main findings of the study As for the implication of the study, some suggestions are recommended to contribute to the success of assessing students’ outcomes PART 2: CONTENT 2.1 Theoretical Background 2.1.1 Overview of Field Trip 2.1.1.1 Definitions of Field Trip A field trip is considered as a didactical and pedagogical tool that in, a broad sense, motivates the students, stimulates the interest in discovering something more about a particular subject It also enhances the strengthening of competences related to themes already studied in classroom context As a result, in the specific case of second language learning (SLL), the field trip assumes a greater role in the way the learning and teaching process is understood, especially when promoting the correlation between the theory and the practice of a language learning, between the school context and the real context A single field trip can embrace and contain several themes and, subsequently, several different curricular units, as it fuels the discovery and the comprehension of the whole view of the reality (Monteiro, 2002) [1] Actually, the number of goals of a field trip are greater than the ones that can be reached in classroom contexts considering similar periods of time The teaching inside the classroom in association with the field trips enables "learning to know, combining general broad culture with the possibility of studying in depth a reduced number of matters: learn to learn, to benefit from opportunities offered by lifelong learning." (UNESCO, 2010, p.31) [2] It is believed that the field trip is a resource with a never-ending set of educational potentials, as it can happen in different places, such as museums, historical sites, exhibitions, companies, zoos, hospitals, government agencies, amusement parks, fire stations, outdoor activities, among many others In any of the cases mentioned, the first objective is always to discover something, to add more knowledge This acquisition is then completed in a fun ludic way Furthermore, this type of activities not only strengthens interpersonal relationships among the members of the participating group, but it also facilitates the relations with the people of the place we are visiting According to Montero, 2002 at a certain point in the teaching – learning process, a field trip provides students with experience and knowledge that can enhance their academic performance This type of field trip is seen as a source of enrichment as it provides students with real experiences in the way of doing and acting In other words, it favors discovery and the broad comprehension of reality There is no doubt that this field trip offers a learning opportunity that enables the development of different work techniques as well as socialization among learners It is considered as an active learning process as it allows the brain to learn better when students build their own knowledge in direct interaction with the environment and cultural of the local by consolidating the contents taught in the classroom Field trips also arouse curiosity in students and desire to expand cultural knowledge In short, field visit or outdoor learning is any learning activity, exercise or simulation that can be done outside the classroom environment It is believed that this type of learning does work, as long as the field visit is planned and executed well Therefore, clear objectives, skilled facilitation, a plan to transfer the knowledge gained back to the work and credible evaluation must be drawn before the trip 2.1.1.2 Steps of a Field Trip It is believed that the purpose of the field trip is usually an observation for education, non-experimental research or to provide students with experiences outside their daily activities The value of this activity is that learners can observe the subject in its natural state and possibly collect sample for educational aim Field trips are most often done in three steps: preparation, during the field trip (activities) and after the field trip (follow-up activities) • The preparation stage In order to make a fieldtrip successful, a good preparation is necessary Therefore, the preparatory activities might include: Research on and selection of field trip visit sites In term of pedagogical method, there could be various objectives in regards to the site and the field visit Teachers often take the time to learn about the destination and the subject before the trip such as visiting a project that demonstrates the theoretical practices that students have been taught in their course, i.e a project where water management, sanitation and agriculture are linked successfully because this will motivate participants and further foster their understanding Students can also visit a site with problems in regards to water management and sanitation, i.e a slum with a lacking water or sanitation access This helps students to understand the problems and respective solutions Logistical Preparation In order that the field visit runs smoothly, teachers also need to concern the following issues: - Number of participants: How many participants take part in the fieldtrip? - Date and time: When will the fieldtrip take place? What is exact meeting point and departure time? - Access: What is necessary that participants reach the site? Do you need a bus transport, or participants arrive individually at the site? Traffic jam and other problems also should be expected in the plan - Catering / Overnight stay: Is an overnight stay required? What about food? - Equipment: Do you need any special equipment such as shoves, watering cans, gloves, etc./ Do participants require special clothing (rain jacket, good shoes, boots, etc.) Preparation of an Instructional Document This step reveals the objectives and learning outcomes of the trip This phase of any field trip is considered the most demanding and time consuming However, it is significant to the success of the experience for learners It is true that the participants given pre-trip instruction can learn and retain more from a field trip than those who receive no preparation In the field visit instruction document the following information should be included: - General information: obtain a rough map for reference - Schedule and timeline: including exact hours for meeting points, and contact numbers - Specific information: Review of existing information on the project site, experiences, and potentially some important documents on the subject - Questions: Identify and prioritize a list of key questions and potential sources for the answer such as key informants, sites to visit, things to observe Clearly identify sensitive issues These will be based on the purpose of the visit (to size up a reported problem or to check program implementation), as well as the review of background information • During the field trip stage (activities) It is necessary to have a field coordinator for the field visit Activities that happen on the field trip often include lectures, tours, worksheets, videos and demonstrations Therefore, it is important to have a designated person who can facilitate the whole visit and take the responsibility for the whole planning of the program This person should be an expert on the subject, so he/she can really provide participants with additional information and can answer upcoming questions At the same time, participants have to be asked to collect all the information they read, hear, observe, see and feel Teachers can provide specific questions in the overview document Encourage the participants to be open-mined and flexible They may have to adjust their expectations and plans on arrival Teacher should also encourage students to build relationships with the group members and to respond to their needs and interests as much as possible • After the field trip stage (follow-up activities) In this stage, teachers should allow time for students to relax especially when your field visit has been to a site that is emotionally challenging, provide enough time for participants to exchange experiences and to answer questions Occasionally, teachers may provide time after the visit so that students can prepare their presentation or feedback on what they learned through the visits The nest day, or any time after the visits, students could reflect on the learning Students should be encouraged to exchange these experiences and ask questions so that everyone can learn from the experience They key to enhancing any trip for a student is the value of talking about it, expressing one’s opinions, listening to others’ points of view and participating in a respectful discussion of the experience Teachers should also organize hands-on activities to help student share their experiences and learn from others Some suggestions may include: Invite the learners to recall their field trip experiences - To begin, involve the class in a casual conversation about the trip What interesting things did they see and hear? - Suggest to the students that they draw something they remember from the trip Then they can dictate or write a few words about their drawings The drawings can be the basis for more discussion about the trip - Let children report on specific tasks they carried out or any items they collected during the trip If A and B collected some samples or took some photos and C and D interviewed a park worker, be sure that they all have time during class meetings to share their experiences and findings and answer classmates’ questions - Help the participants revisit the questions they asked before the trip What answers did they find? If they predicted what some of the answers might be, ask how their findings compare with those predictions What new questions they have? Help the class share information from the field trip with others - Work with small groups of students to create a book, Web page, or wall display about the trip If the trip was part of project work, the display can be part of their project documentation They might include specimens they collected; graphs of data; drawings, notes, and photographs; and a list of new vocabulary learned during the trip - Invite students to dictate the story of their trip while an adult writes their words on large paper or the computer Encourage them to discuss the order of events Display the completed story for parents and others to see - If the students collected objects during the trip, help them set up a table where they can label the items and explore them further Plan other activities to build on what the students learned during the field trip - Help the students write thank-you notes to the staff at the field trip site - Photocopy children’s field sketches, then offer them paint and other materials so they can add details to the copies of their sketches Provide clay, boxes, and other materials so they can make models of things they observed during the trip - Let students create a backdrop for dramatic play depicting the place they visited Add some related props to the dramatic play area - Encourage students to look nearby for the kinds of animals, plants, rocks, etc., they saw during the trip In short, follow-up activities are the collection of discussions or reports or the presentation of products that occur in the classroom once the field trip is completed 2.1.1.3 The Role of Teacher and Learners in the Field Trip Field Trip Safety Tips for Teachers The active teacher was knowledgeable in the subject matter, related activities to prior learning, participated in active questioning, and promoted critical thinking skills While taking children on a field trip, teachers have a huge responsibility of their safety And as student are usually not so responsible and old enough to be at their best behaviors, teachers must keep a tab of the below tips as they are helpful in ensuring student safety: - Make students get their parents’ signature on a no-objection form which gives the school permission to take children on a field trip - Divide students into groups and assign a monitor to be able to give equal attention to all students and avoid mishaps - Inform students about the place they are going to visit and prepare them about what they are going to be doing there - Educate students about the safety tips for the trip and let them know who they are supposed to reach out to when they need any help - Let the students know they are going to be divided into groups and also let them know who they are going to be with so that they can be comfortable around the people - Choose a safe transport Instead of hiring private vehicles, school buses that students travel are safer and more preferred during field trips - Carry a first aid kit and also water and juices in case to avoid students from feeling dehydrated and low on energy Myers and Jones (2003) emphasized the role of teachers in monitoring and management as important, but stressed the teachers should also monitor learning through active engagement Nabors, Edwards, and Murray (2009) compiled a survey of 60 site-educators from a variety of nationally recognized field experience sites The site-educators responded to the following questions with comments and recommendations for the well-planned field-trip • How should teachers prepare students for a visit? • What are the advantages to your organization when students come prepared? • What you expect students to while visiting your site? • What are problems or conflicts when students come unprepared? • What you think students gain as a result of visiting your site? A summary of their remarks recommended that teachers should visit the site in advance, then prepare the students for the logistics of the site and the educational concepts they would experience The site-educators suggested that learning was facilitated when the students were familiar with the topic, had questions prepared, and were receptive to an informal assessment at the close of the visit to demonstrate understanding They commented positively on groups of wellbehaved students who were advised in advance of the expectations and complimented the student’s respect for the site’s resources When students were not prepared, instruction, behavior, interest, and safety issues became problems Students who were prepared and showed respect for the safety rules and regulations enjoyed their experience The prepared students built lasting memories, discovered learning can be fun, were involved in more hands-on learning, and made personal connections with peers, teachers and site-educators In closing, they emphasized “Plan, Plan, Plan” Field Trip Rules for Students It is very essential for students to follow rules and regulations as they may have a trips that are for more than just a day and usually outside the city This makes it more significant for them to abide by the rules to ensure their safety The students should: - Stick to the instructions given by teachers and chaperones courteously and respectfully - Keep the transport vehicle, hostel or hotel room clean at all times - Not go beyond the mentioned boundaries of the place they are staying at - Strictly adhere to the time lines and report on time, as suggested by teachers - Carry appropriate clothes according to the weather and the place - Not ride any form of public transportation during their free time - Make no excessive noise in hotel or the hostel through music or shouting - Follow the buddy system and leave no student alone in his or her hotel room 2.1.2 Overview of Project-based Learning 2.1.2.1 Definitions of Project-based Learning As an alternative approach to learning, Project-based learning (PBL) is defined by Buck Institute of Education as a systematic teaching method that engages students in learning essential knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks It is also defined by ACTFL (2002) as an effective model for creating curriculum units and authentic assessments that engage students while supporting development of language/culture proficiency, global competency and 21st century skills Through participation in project-based learning, the value of language learning in an interconnected world becomes immediately apparent to students of all ages These definitions suggest that PBL is an instructional strategy whereby students work cooperatively over a period of time to create a product, a presentation, or a performance It stresses the necessity of students learning by investigating a complex question, problem or challenge while promoting active learning, engaging students, and allowing for higher order thinking (Savery, 2006) Besides the need for inquiry into new knowledge, life-enhancing or success skills are also the key gains expected out of students once they are engaged in PBL 2.1.2.2 Characteristics of Project-based Learning The past decades have seen a growth in the use of project-based learning (or PBL) in many educational settings While attempts have been made towards assimilating the natural learning environment of a child into the language classroom, making language learning occurs naturally in the way rich experiences could be gained for learners of varying levels of language proficiency is no easy tasks For students majoring in English, what is expected through years at college is more than a mastery of language competence With increasing demands for preparing students to be competent users of English in a professional work setting, the ability to work in a team together with critical and creative thinking is deemed as important as these are considered essential 21st century skills for future professionals With this enhanced reconceptualization of teaching for better learning experience, it is important that learning should go beyond the conventional practice of the chalk and board with the teacher being the sole transmitter of knowledge and students being passive recipients In fact, in a traditional classroom, the time allocated for the development of the natural curiosity of the learner can be limited, especially when the focus remains on the subject being taught rather than on how students learn Such a teacher-based approach tends to embrace a more structured form of learning, delivering content rather than new learning A more learner centered and holistic approach to learning is thus needed because it favors efforts that arouse the students’ interest, that ignite their eagerness to learn, that engage them in meaningful learning environment, and that give them a sense of societal miniatures where they can function with real objects and real people where learning is shaped by direct contact with, or direct exposure to, more real-life situations To meet these requirements, problem-based learning was introduced Under this approach, the teachers are expected to present course material in a way that their students “not only gain knowledge of the discipline but also become self-directed learners who develop problem solving skills that they could apply in future courses and in their careers” (CTL, 2001) Also, in problem-based learning, students work with classmates to solve complex and authentic problems that help develop content knowledge as well as problem-solving, reasoning, communication, and selfassessment skills (Campbell, 2014) By tackling problems that might occur while learning, students can sustain their interest in course material because they realize that they learn the skills needed to be successful as language teachers and language professionals There are several components which can be characteristic of PBL Boss and Krauss (2007), for example, suggest the following considerations: - Students can shape the project to fit their own interests and abilities - Students collect and analyze information, make discoveries, and report their results - Students conduct research using multiple sources of information - Students must draw on a broad range of knowledge and skills - The project cuts across a number of disciplines - The project extends over a significant period of time - The project involves the design and development of a product, presentation, or performance that can be used or viewed by others - The context for the subject matter is larger than the immediate lesson - The instruction and facilitation are guided by a broad range of teaching goals 2.2 The Relationship between Field Trip and Project-based Learning It is true that students all have fond memories of field trips - the trip to the museum, a local zoo, or the state park, historical places, etc Many times, these trips helped to spark an interest in real-world topic, or provided opportunities to enrich or connect us to what we were learning about, which we never would have had the chance to explore on our own Project-based learning (PBL) is helping students make those connections in their daily work and through fieldwork While many times, fieldwork is done individually, combining fieldwork into a field trip can make some of the real-world experiences that we hope students are enjoying even more memorable and impactful and encourage them to collaborate Combining fieldwork and field trips can also present some real challenges Therefore, it is important to create field trips that bring her students’ PBL coursework to life Here are some tips to successfully combine and make the most of PBL fieldwork and field trips 10 Start planning early As with any other field trip, the key is to start early It is not just a field trip, it’s also planning around the project and their lessons When creating a PBL fieldwork field trip, you also need to plan around additional factors, such as timing around the project-based unit you will be exploring, building relationships, and planning and scheduling with a partner or organization, as well as other variables Communicate the purpose of the trip Orient the students to the idea that this trip is not only intended for enrichment but also for covering specific objectives and goals An explanation of the objectives of the field trip, along with details and background information should be sent to students before the trip This helps orient students to learning Consider creating and bringing along a project-planning form or a list of objectives and questions for students to cover so that they can stay on track and focused Expect students to come prepared to work Fieldwork is just a work Whether you plan on using the trip as material for discussion later or you expect students to gather information, be sure that they are prepared to the work For instance, if you are observing leaf shapes, be sure to bring crayons and paper for leaf rubbings, notepaper and pens for taking notes, or graph paper and pencils for recording Make participation a key Be sure to include a multitude of ways for students to participate actively Placebased learning is always valuable when having experiences in the community Tap parents as a resource Teacher should ask for volunteers to help lead projects Working on a physical science unit? Try asking that mom who just happens to be an engineer if you can visit her office with the class Maybe A’s dad is the manager at the local bank Ask if he will help connect some of the math concepts you are teaching with real-world accounting examples Connect with organizations in your area It can be a good idea to have students participate in PBL field trips to a local organization such as frozen yogurt shop and a grocery store It was so exciting for the students to see local government in action It was a good experience for them to see too because most people don't have a chance to that 2.3 Solutions and Discussion 2.3.1 A Connection between Collaborative Field Trips and Project-based Learning Project-based learning is a fun and interesting way to enhance learning on any trip However, project-based learning is much more than producing an innovative final 11 product In addition, students reach out and engage with the community, organize relevant learning experiences and share their new skills and knowledge with the others through an authentic presentation Students are encouraged to participate in service learning projects on their trips, engage in cultural experiences, immerse themselves in ecological and human ecosystems, set up interview/shadowing experiences/ exchanges with local and more Below are some kinds of projects that teachers can assign for their students Travel Journal Have students write a travel journal as they go Have them publish it for personal use and as a keepsake for later on in life Travel Blog Students can keep a blog of their adventures, posting at the end of each day This is a good activity because they can share the link with friends and family from home who can then follow along on their travel adventures My students kept a school wide travel blog Behind the Scenes Project Students go behind the scenes of specific communities This type of project is a great way for students to immerse themselves in the place they are visiting They connect with residents, businesses owners, city planners, etc to fully experience the inner workings of community Plan the Trip Sometimes, I not plan our school trips Our students plan them (with my guidance) Trip planning is a profound learning experience that involves a variety of essential skills such as planning, organizing, decision-making, communication, and collaboration, to name a few It includes lessons on finance, fundraising, geography, culture, geology, biology, etc Heritage Project I have my students heritage projects in school all the time They are asked to organize authentic experiences about one culture of their choosing When traveling, authentic learning experiences are much easier to arrange because students are immersed in the culture they are studying Video Promotion Ask students to create a short movie that summarizes their trip Students should produce it as if it were a promotion for their school or homeschool Or they can produce it as a campaign that encourages parents, educators, and students to embrace travel as a learning tool 12