Expanding horizons with educational tours

Navigating airports, foreign environments and potentially languages in a supportive environment of peers and educators represents a huge confidence boost for many young people. They will come to see themselves as capable, able to take on new risks and have exciting new experiences that add to their sense of self.

An international trip can not only help achieve tangible learning goals, it will also leave a lasting impression on students which they bring with them for the rest of their lives. This includes improvements in confidence, flexible and broad thinking, and improved knowledge retention.

Read the latest print edition of School News online HERE.

International trips place learners into unfamiliar situations where they must practise critical thinking. This can include learning new ways of seeing the world as they continue on the journey of cultural and language exchange. 

Practical experiences are also a foremost method for improving knowledge retention. As learners experience immersive overseas environments, they are provided opportunities to not only use their theoretical knowledge learnt in-class through visiting museums, landmarks, participating in workshops and more, but also to practise soft skills like verbal and non-verbal communication, teamwork and cooperation.

International trips can also improve student-teacher relationships as trust is built. These constructive relationships can improve learning outcomes far beyond the end of the trip, increasing intrinsic motivation and encouraging excellence. 

Altogether, an international experience can be crucial for expanding a child’s worldview, which is particularly critical as an individual develops. An international experience can expose students to different religions, attitudes, experiences, politics and perceptions. This can improve future problem solving and resilience. 

Many areas curriculum areas can be enhanced by travel abroad. Some experiences can span multiple learning areas and subject matters, and can encompass a range of year levels.

Language learning is one of the best-known subjects for overseas tours as immersion in a language and culture can accelerate acquisition of a target language. Being in a sociocultural environment of the target language can enhance motivation, as learners are socially motivated by interacting with fluent speakers.  

Sports is another big reason for students to take overseas trips. International tournaments enable students to learn from the best players and play in different environments. Students may gain extra motivation from seeing some of the world’s best stadiums and meeting their sporting idols.

Travelling with a school orchestra, band or choir is another opportunity for overseas trips. As with sports tournaments, travelling in a team provides strong bonding opportunities which show in their performance.  Music groups could rehearse with other school or professional orchestras, and see world class performance venues.

Students who are interested in STEM fields like robotics, engineering or space science can also benefit from trips to state-of-the-art facilities where cutting edge research is being conducted. Students can be inspired to pursue their passions.

Educational tours abroad can also help students develop some soft skills, like resilience, team work, and problem solving. Away from home and out of their comfort zone, students may need to manage their finances during the trip, make decisions about what to eat or wear each day, as well as navigate the city. As a learning activity students could be tasked with planning a day of activities, and incorporating travel arrangements and budgeting.

Additionally, students will need to demonstrate courtesy and respect as they explore a new city and country. Listening to and following instructions from guides and adhering to local customs and laws will be key to a fulfilling overseas experience.

Planning an overseas trip may seem overwhelming. A budget, itinerary, accommodation bookings, parent permissions and a host of other things will need to be organised. To ease the burden for schools many external providers are available to help plan trips, as well as taking care of health and safety and liaising with overseas organisations. To protect against financial loss and ensure peace of mind for young people and their families around their investment, schools should choose bonded travel agents through Travel Agents Association New Zealand (TAANZ) or the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as recommended by the Ministry of Education.

Planning your educational tour

The team from Travel to Learn said there are many advantages in using a travel advisor to plan and book your school trip. “Travel advisors have vast experience of many destinations, and have strong relationships with suppliers here in New Zealand and on the ground. This means travel advisors can confidently organise accommodation, activities, and more for students, knowing they will be safe, and have plenty of opportunities to get the most out of their trip. It also means that if something is to go wrong, you have someone to call 24/7 who can use many different resources to get you back on track,” they said.

“We would encourage every school group travelling and booking through a school group travel organisation or travel advisor to make sure that they are a bonded agent with the Travel Agent’s Association of New Zealand. This bonding, especially for school groups, provides much-needed peace of mind when it comes to the financial security of your funds and safety of your travellers.”

The Travel to Learn team said educational tours can be flexible and tailored to school requirements. “Tour groups could combine two different subjects, for example, Commerce and History, Geography and History, Spanish and French Language. Multiple sporting teams could also travel together.”

This article was first published in the Term 4 edition of School News. Read it online HERE.