Everybody has a different method of learning that works for them. Some people learn by studying, reading, or listening. Some learn best when they explain the topic to someone else, and others learn by doing. Whatever your favoured method is, it can be agreed that not everyone is best suited to classroom learning. Which is why we think educational travel tours, offering all kinds of different learning experiences wrapped up into one, are so valuable.
An educational tour offers students experiential learning in an exciting and stimulating new environment. It is an opportunity for students to start experiencing the world outside of their home in the safest way possible, allowing them to gain a broader perspective and greater cultural understanding. The informal learning environment takes the pressure off academic achievement, and instead offers students a chance to engage and interact on their own terms, immersing themselves in whatever genuinely interests them within real-world contexts.
For some, the difference between an educational overseas tour and an all-expenses-paid holiday might not be entirely clear, and in fact, an educational tour can seem like quite the hefty investment when you’re considering sending your child on one. But there is so much more to an educational tour than just sightseeing. Every part of a tour itinerary, from the places visited, to the activities, workshops, fixtures, performances, and any other outing specific to your tour, is carefully crafted with a specific educational purpose. Sports Tours encourage international interaction through fixtures and post-match events, and students on Music or Education Tours can also meet and connect with their peers through school exchanges or billeting. With such a variety of activities, excursions and workshops organised for each tour, there will certainly be something to appeal to everyone’s preferred method of learning.
Why is it beneficial to take students out of the classroom?
1. Learning is fun! An overseas trip is an exciting experience for anyone, and for students, when the pressure to achieve and do well is lessened, they can absorb information for the enjoyment of it. Reinforcing concepts that have been discussed in class through practical and memorable experiences will also help students to understand and remember those concepts more easily.
2. Gain a global perspective. Visiting new places, interacting with different cultures and connecting with people different from yourself is an important part of personal development, especially for a young person. More experience of the world helps teens to become more empathetic, tolerant, and respectful to other cultures, as well as providing a healthy look outside their own. Many students return from their educational travel tour with a renewed sense of gratitude for what they currently have.
3. Step out of the comfort zone. Many of our most rewarding experiences arise out of challenges, and to be challenged in a way that helps us to expand our horizons and grow as a person, we must step outside of our comfort zones. Taken away from the familiar environments of home and school, students can become more mature, self-sufficient and self-aware. They can gain confidence and learn to problem-solve a little more independently, helping them on the way to becoming forward-thinking and well-rounded adults.
Astronaut Training Experience Kennedy Space Center
4. More career opportunities. With more life experience comes greater wisdom, and overseas travel is basically a fast track to more life experience. Having taken an educational trip overseas is something that is favourably perceived by potential employers, not only for the extra commitment to education or extra-curricular activities, but also for having the courage to look for new adventures. Touring with their peers and meeting new people can enhance students’ communication and social skills, and they might even pick up some planning, time management and budgeting skills along the way! The students may also have the chance to explore overseas tertiary education options as well.
The benefits of educational travel are many, and our tour itineraries are so carefully built around maximising those benefits, that there can be no comparison. A holiday is absolutely fantastic, but a Student Horizons Tour gives so much more.
“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand,”
– Confucius, Chinese Teacher and Philosopher
Get in touch with us for your next overseas educational tour!
