NEST methodologies develop and encourage methods to go beyond the four walls of the classroom when it comes to education. Learning beyond the parameters of a classroom can facilitate an effective form of education.

This includes short visits to the local community including places like farms, factories, offices, neighbourhood science centres and natural settings such as a forest, a beach or a national park.

Training students with high-quality learning activities in relevant situations vital for helping students appreciate their first-hand experiences from a variety of different perspectives. Such experiences outside the monotonous learning techniques followed in the most classroom also enhance learning by providing students with opportunities to practice skills of enquiry, critical analysis and problem-solving in everyday situations.

However, taking students outside the classroom requires careful planning for the learning activities and attention to the health and safety risks that might be faced. This chapter provides guidance on these aspects of planning for learning outside the classroom.

Aims and objectives-

  • To foster awareness for the positive impact that experiences outside the classroom can have on a relevant Education.
  • To develop an understanding of the planning, organisation and risk management required for teaching and learning outside the classroom.
  • To identify appropriate strategies and proper balance for teaching and learning outside the classroom.

Activities

  1. Guided Field Research

Guided Field Research is a combination of Field Teaching and Field Research. It combines the teacher guidance and structure of Field Teaching with the independent research focus of Field Research.

  1. Field Teaching

This is the traditional approach to teaching and learning outside the classroom. It involves taking students to a field location and delivering a mini-lecture from which students are expected to take notes.

When done well, this approach can involve students in the careful observation and description of a scene or activity and in suggesting possible explanations based on previously acquired information.