Field trips are a way for learners to experience the content in a new way. If you are to do a field trip it must be related to the material, so that learners can easily see its purpose and value to them. Field trips can be done by leaving the classroom and visiting somewhere on the campus or around the community, as well as through distance technology for things that are too far away or people that are not able to travel. Another option is to have the “field trip” come to the classroom. Guest speakers are useful real-life application and allow students to learn content in a new way. Field trips must be an attainable distance away and there needs to be some level of safety for students as well. If you need a bus, or the students need material to take with them there needs to be a certain amount of time in advance for people to prepare and have a warning.
Application:For this method, I could have my intro class go around campus with a map to the different departments. The difference between this and a typical scavenger hunt is that there would be riddles and QR codes at each place they are led to. The riddles would involve not only the location of the building but also the purpose of that building. For example, for ARC I could have a riddle involving its location and then a QR code that shows a picture related to the purpose of the building such as a change your major form. They would then go to that building and either take a picture or pick something up to prove they were there. This would involve a lot of work on my part, but it would be incredible how much they would learn compared to a scavenger hunt.
Assessment: Muddiest Point (Angelo & Cross, 1993, pp. 154-158)For the formative assessment, doing muddiest point would be useful, so that the students could reflect on the experience and I could get feedback on anything that needs improving or that worked well. The preparation is low, as well as the implementation, but the analysis would be vital for the success of the assignment in the future.