Looking For Out of the Box Teaching Techniques? Try Active Learning

When students have the opportunity to approach their learning in a fun and interactive way, they become more engaged and can retain more information. Active learning can be incredibly beneficial, especially for unengaged learners, as it uses various methods to capture their interest and hold their attention.

But what is active learning?

Active learning is a practical approach that requires students to take more ownership of their education, increasing their focus, accountability and independence. Because active learning is a practical form of education, it involves engaging students with the course material through group discussions, problem-solving, role plays, group travel and other methods.

The chance for students to delve deeper into key areas of the curriculum is vital, especially for revision purposes. So try teaching outside the box, and find whacky and wonderful ways to make trickier topics more intriguing and digestible.

Active learning strategies

Contemplating how to engage students in active learning? Then you've come to the right place. There are so many active learning strategies for you to explore with your students.

Here are a few of the active learning techniques that we’re fans of at NST:

Think-pair-share

The think-pair-share method is a collaborative learning style where students work together in small groups to solve critical thinking problems. An effective way to implement this learning style is by engaging in an educational activity outside the classroom, such as a topic-driven scavenger hunt.

This problem-based learning strategy requires students to think creatively about a topic or the answer to a question. They can then be encouraged to share their solutions with the rest of the class.

Educational school trips with active learning opportunities

Wondering how to engage students in active learning on an educational trip? School trips will always be the classroom's biggest allies, as they support classroom learning and are a fantastic way to keep students interested and engaged. They also provide the perfect canvas for practical learning. School trips offer so many activities that make learning more interactive.

Educational travel provides a wealth of learning opportunities to students of all ages, which is why our mission is to provide inspiring and engaging educational trips all over the world.

On an NST school trip, active learning is a significant part of what we do because we know that educational trips create deeper student engagement rather than surface-level learning, allowing students to transfer and process information more effectively.

With that in mind, here are some fantastic school trip locations to consider:

Geography in the Swiss Alps

The Valais region of Switzerland makes a fantastic location for a geography field trip overseas.

A geography school trip to this stunning region of Switzerland offers pupils the perfect opportunity for active learning through hands-on data collection and various fieldwork techniques. Our most popular Swiss Alp geography tours are specifically designed to cover a variety of topics to make learning more interactive and fun.

Take a look at our Geography school trips to the swiss alps.

Orlando science trips

There is so much to see and do in Orlando. Students can experience enriching scientific activities such as exploring the Kennedy Space Centre to learn all about the solar system. When they need a break, treat them to a visit to one of the many impressive theme parks in the area!

We can tailor-make your itinerary to include the following learning outcomes: space, physics, ecology and conservation, forces and motion, the impact of science, and science through the ages. This will ensure you make the most of your trip with as many learning outcomes as possible.

A school trip to the USA is a great experience, and Orlando is the perfect place to create active learning opportunities and feed students' curiosity about science.

Explore maths in Paris

Paris provides the backdrop to explore mathematics, from calculating how many glass panels make up the Louvre Pyramid to having a go at converting currency in real-life situations.

On a school trip to Paris, your pupils will have fun investigating the maths behind this vibrant city. Remember, we'll also create an engaging itinerary for your group that covers an array of learning possibilities. Plus, we'll help you to get even more from your trip with our specially designed Paris Maths Explorer learning resources.

We offer a range of maths trips for schools, don't hesitate to get in touch with us for more information/locations.

Limitless active learning possibilities

Active learning provides so many imaginative and inspiring ways to keep students on their toes. So if you're wondering how to engage students in active learning, look no further than embarking on an enriching educational trip with NST, using our active learning methods.

Our dedicated team is here to make the whole process seamless, creating inspiring itineraries that keep everyone thirsty for knowledge.