It’s a rare privilege in this digital world to take a break from social media and online communications.
Many young people have not known a time without the pressure of constantly being present online. So, when phones are down, eyes should be up, allowing them to disconnect from devices and connect to the world around them and themselves – it’s truly a gift.
To maximise the benefits of their school trip abroad, students need to be free to be fully in the moment, engaging in the activities on offer and focusing on the people they are travelling with. For this reason, World Expeditions Schools strongly advises against the use of mobile phones during all school trips abroad.
Below we would like to list four reasons why we think students should refrain from using their mobile phone while on an experiential learning experience.
- 1. Gain more opportunities
Students embarking on a travel experience with World Expeditions Schools are being given the opportunity to learn important values of teamwork, to build their self-confidence and to develop an understanding of other cultures and ways of doing things.
In most cases, your students are travelling to a destination they have not travelled to before and are taking part in new and different activities. It’s an incredible opportunity to make long-lasting friendships with travel companions, learn new skills and understand themselves a little better. It’s no wonder that the experience often has profound, life-changing effects on students.
Without the distraction of technology and the urge to scroll on screens, students are more free to look around and notice things. Without mobile phones, students are open to receive information from all their senses. This allows them to fully engage in the travel experience, to maximise the potential for learning and growth.
At the same time, it gives them the chance to top up their creative fuel by being in tune to their own thoughts and responses in a way that is not possible when they are beholden to the phone.
- 3. Build their resilience
Being reliant on themselves and overcoming challenges they encounter during the school trip will help build resilience. By encouraging your student to step away from online communication, you are giving them the space to grow their confidence and build independence.
- 4. You can find alternative ways to connect without phones
Your school may wish to make arrangements to keep parents and friends in touch with how the journey is going. Alternative, more structured ways to do this are via blogs on your school’s website or via Facebook groups. This information can be updated on rest days in major towns or cities, where access to the internet is commonplace. The added benefit is that this allows for very clear lines of communication between the group, school and parents.
This article was written by Scott Pinnegar, General Manager of World Expeditions Schools.
