One major debate in the educational world is the value of school field trips.  Many question what these trips bring to the table for students, and whether schools should continue to hold them.  Today, we’re going to be evaluating this concept right here at Olympia; on December 12th, the AP Art classes were taken on a field trip to the Orlando Art Museum. Students and teachers alike involved in the recent outing have been asked to provide their opinions on how field trips benefit the educational experience.

First, AP Art teacher Ms. Levine, who organized and planned the trip, has given us her opinion on what the event showed us about field trips as a whole.  “Every couple of years the Visual Arts Department attends either the docent-led tour, self-guided gallery, or the Portfolio college panel,” she explains.  “Students have responded positively, noting that it deepens their appreciation of art and enhances their learning experience.”  Levine goes on to suggest that the museum tour pushes students to focus and discuss art, “enhancing their ability to articulate their thoughts and interpretations,”  and that field trips can “foster curiosity and personal engagement.”  It is clear that these events can be “a memorable learning experience that helps engage students,” and that there is definitely value in incorporating them into the school system.

Next, we’ll look at field trips from a student perspective.  AP Art students Natalia Semaan and Solenne Odaleji were asked similar questions about how they felt the field trip added value to their school experience.  “I think that the field trip was a valuable experience for all the students to gain inspiration from successful artists,” Semaan explained.  “But I also think that art is subjective,” she elaborated, “focusing on your own art and personal inspiration is more important.” Odaleji illustrated a similar viewpoint, stating that adding value to the education experience isn’t necessarily the point or value of field trips. She expressed that she enjoyed “seeing other artists’ styles and techniques,” and that she believes “field trips are important for students because they are fun, and give the student something to remember and think back on for a lifetime.”  Semaan closes off with a similar thought on field trips overall, claiming that they “are a great way to allow students to have a break from the classroom and get a more hands-on experience.”  Both students supported the idea of more school outings in the future.

Overall, the Orlando Art Museum was visibly a successful, enriching experience that added value to students’ education.  In general, field trips have often been thought to lack educational significance; a lot of negative public opinions surrounding these events center around the idea that they do not involve direct, traditional learning.  However, many students propose that this isn’t really the goal of field trips; the benefit of having a more immersive, active learning experience can supplement and motivate students to achieve.