Step 1: Defining Educational Objectives for Student Travel

Dan Bartlett
Aug 27, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Oct 11, 2024

How to Plan a Successful Student Trip Abroad: A Teacher's Guide

Planning a student trip abroad is a thrilling opportunity that offers students experiences beyond the classroom, enriching their education and broadening their horizons. However, organising such a trip requires careful planning and consideration to ensure it is both safe and successful. Welcome to the first instalment of our blog series, "How to Plan a Safe and Successful Student Trip Abroad: A Teacher's Guide." This series is designed to provide teachers with practical guidance and insights into every aspect of trip planning, from setting educational objectives to evaluating the trip's outcomes.

In this post, we focus on the crucial step of defining educational objectives for student travel. Using film studies as an example, we explore how teachers can align travel experiences with curriculum goals, ensuring that every aspect of the trip enhances students' learning and engagement. Whether you're planning a local excursion or an international adventure, these strategies will help you create a meaningful and impactful educational journey for your students. Stay tuned for more posts in this series, where we'll delve into other essential elements of trip planning.

1.1 Identify Educational Objectives

Begin by identifying the educational goals of the trip. Consider what you want your students to learn and experience. Whether it’s language immersion, cultural exploration, or scientific study, clear objectives will guide your planning process.

Example - For a film studies trip, objectives might include:

- Understanding the film production process through behind-the-scenes tours.

- Exploring the history of cinema through museum visits.

- Gaining hands-on experience in filmmaking techniques through workshops.

Audience view of a TV set — Behind the scenes tour at Warner Brothers Studios

1.2 Align Objectives with Curriculum

Ensure that the trip objectives align with your curriculum. This will help in reinforcing classroom learning and making the content relevant. Clearly defined objectives also support getting approval from school administrators and parents.

Example - For a film studies curriculum, objectives might include:

- Analysing film narratives and techniques.

- Understanding the role of editing in storytelling.

- Exploring the cultural impact of film.

1.3 Consider Student Engagement

When students understand the purpose and expected outcomes of the trip, they are more likely to actively engage with the content and activities. This increases motivation and develops confidence.

Example - Encourage students to participate in workshops and discussions during the trip, such as analysing film scenes or creating their own short films.

1.4 Evaluate Past Trips

If you have taking students on a trip before evaluate the past trip’s success in meeting educational objectives. If possible also gather feedback from students and staff to identify areas for improvement. This reflection will be invaluable for planning future trips.

Example - Conduct a post-trip survey for students and use this along with experience to assess how well the trip met the educational objectives and gather suggestions for future improvements.

Planning a student trip is a rewarding endeavour that requires careful consideration and organisation. At TripBooth, we specialise in assisting teachers with every aspect of trip planning, ensuring a safe and enriching experience for students; and as teachers we understand the various cross-curriculum links that travel brings and can help identify these in your trip proposal.