What is the Importance of Excursion in Teaching Science?

Planning of Excursion used in Teaching Science

A wise Teacher will always use the resources of the community for purpose of enrichment, supplementation and correlation of his class work. Community, whether rural, or urban offers a large number of opportunities which are of immense value from educational viewpoint. Some of the community resources, appropriate for science teaching are:

i. Museum. Zoological parks and Botanical gardens.

ii. Chemical and other Industrial plants.

The entire planning and conduct should be done by the students under the guidance of the teacher. While it should be and enjoyable experience it should also be a serious undertaking. Each student should feel that he has some responsibility not only for appropriate observation, information or other skills but also for co­operating with the teacher and other members of the trip. There should be the following three major steps for the proper organization of an excursion:

A. Follow-up Work:

The value of trip can be greatly increased by a planned follow-up. A few suggested activities are listed below:

a. Writing letters to the news papers or authorities concerned on problems brought out by the trip of suggestions for improvement of facilities for tourists.

b. Written papers, sketches, drawing, paintings, assignments of articles for bulletin-board or school magazine.

c. Preparation of guide sheets for another group who would take the same trip on some other occasion.

d. General discussion on the trip with students, their questions, reactions and suggestions for similar future trips should be invented.

B. Conducting the Trip:

It is up to the teacher-in- charge to conduct the trip to his best possible way, so that there is no mishap on misconduct and all take it as a source of enjoyment and education.

C. Preparing the Guide Sheet:

A Guide Sheet, which is nothing but detailed planning, should contain two major divisions. Learning activities, Physical details.

Items relating to learning activities should include:

i. Particular processes, devices or departments to be observed, Items relating to physical Detail should include- Transportation arrangements, First-aid- emergency provisions, Provision for refreshment and meals and Dress.

ii. Lists of questions, terms, principles, Personal equipment-cameras, binoculars, umbrellas, Provision for refreshment and meals, Time schedule, Routes or itinerary to be followed and their application to be studied.

iii. Responsibilities of individuals on various committees for observation, data collection, recordings etc.

iv. Apparatus and materials to be taken, such as graph paper, rulers, tape, thermometer, lens, tape recorder etc.

In order that trip well-planned, it is usually necessary that one or more members of the class have some fist hand contact with and information about the place to be visited, its resources and information about the place to be visited, its resources and possibilities. Sometimes it is desirable that the teacher has such an overview, in order that he may guide and direct discussion, planning and preparation.

Certain administrative details should also be carefully pre-planned such as:

i. Transportation such as Government of Private buses & Railway concession order should be arranged sufficiently before the commencement of the tour.

ii. Arrangements with other teachers. If students are to miss other classes, the co-operation of the teachers concerned should be parents.