#  Engaging students via field trips, near and far 

 



   ![James Hanken, MCZ](/sites/g/files/omnuum12666/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/vpl/files/hanken_preferred_original_cropped.jpg?itok=e_I4Js25) 

 

**James Hanken, Professor of Biology and Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ)**, increases student engagement by taking students out of the traditional classroom. Whether organizing his [freshman seminar](https://locator.tlt.harvard.edu/course/colgsas-156182/2016/spring/23063) around weekly excursions to Harvard’s museums, or guiding a [spring break field trip](/file_url/272) to Costa Rica for undergraduates enrolled in OEB 167 *Herpetology*, these immersive experiences “provide opportunities for students to see and understand things they simply won’t get in the classroom.”

## The benefits

While Hanken favors the traditional lecture for certain material, field trips expose students to people and ideas unavailable in the classroom setting, like interviewing museum directors about the challenges of curation and exhibit administration. The field exposure in Costa Rica, a trip largely sponsored by the MCZ, gives students an understanding of animals as living organisms, not just static entities—an [immersive experience](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=639ZK381zbU&feature=youtu.be) "we are uniquely qualified to offer."

## The challenges

Hanken and his OEB 167 colleague Jonathan Losos experiment with assignments and itineraries in an effort to strike the right balance of structured and free time abroad. “Despite advance planning and deliberation, a lot of the success is due to trial and error.”



 

##  Takeaways and best practices 

 



 ### Student-driven assignments augment experiential learning. 

Hanken requires students to submit interview questions for museum directors, and [short video](https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/10409/files?preview=1914466) essays describing an assigned species, in advance of excursions to increase their engagement with the content and their investment in the experience.



 

 ### Shared experiences promote deeper engagement. 

Whether touring museums behind the scenes or getting caught in an unexpected tropical rainstorm, shared moments personalize the learning experience: “Many students who take lecture-only courses don’t even know one another’s names, let alone bond. Ditto for the instructor.”



 

 ### Don’t overlook the logistics. 

Hanken relies on University [policies and resources](http://travel.harvard.edu/) to coordinate travel for two-dozen students and distributes [critical itinerary information and emergency protocols](https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/10409/files/folder/Field%20Trip%20Information) via the course website to aid advance preparation. His unrelenting attention to fighting off mosquitos earned him the nickname "Dr. DEET."



 

  

 

 

 

### Bottom line

Hanken’s field trips are inspired by his own scholarship (“I get to learn a lot”), but also his role as an educator: “These students stand to hold influential positions in the future. Whether or not they change their career trajectory based on these immersive experiences, they gain an understanding of an area of study they may not have otherwise.”



 

##  Related Research 

 



  [###  Engaging the Senses: Object-based Learning in Higher Education

 ](https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1mdq5o5/TN_cdi_openaire_primary_doi_d72836f6f3368aaa7632d0e42569c4b9) A series of case studies provide firm evidence of the value of museum-higher education relationships and, in some cases, ways to create or sustain such relationships. Over time educational thinking and practice has ranged from behaviorist to postmodernist... 

 

 

   [### Object-Based Learning: A Powerful Pedagogy for Higher Education

 ](https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1mdq5o5/TN_cdi_informaworld_taylorfrancisbooks_10_4324_9781315596471_15_version2) This chapter explores experiences of implementing Object-Based Learning (OBL) using university museum collections across a range of academic departments at University College London (UCL) 

 

 

  

 

 [ More Research arrow\_circle\_right ](/intopracticeresearch) 

 

 

 

##  Related Resource 

 



  [### HAM Faculty Resources

 ](https://harvardartmuseums.org/teaching-and-research/education-departments/faculty-resources) Looking to collaborate with the Harvard Art Museums in your course? Check out their Faculty Resources to learn more about opportunities to connect! 

 

 

   [### Harvard University’s Commitment to Community Engagement

 ](https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:6719c1d6-9ffa-4f3a-9be0-db18f789453d) Check out this report of existing Harvard University projects for community engagement to see how you or your class could potentially get involved. 

 

 

   [### Who do I contact at my school for help with Canvas, lecture video, and other academic technologies?

 ](https://harvard.service-now.com/ithelp?id=kb_article&sys_id=a3d3d53637a9b2809aa163d2b3990e89) Consult with your School’s local academic technology support staff to get technological support and learn what resources are available for offering virtual simulations or experiences in your classroom. 

 

 

  

 

 [ More Resources arrow\_circle\_right ](/intopracticeresources) 

 

 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ FAS ](/featured-faculty/fas)
- [ Into Practice Issues ](/practice-categories/practice-issues)
- [ Museums ](/museums)
- [ Experiential Learning ](/experiential)