Field trips aren’t just for kids: the benefits of hands-on learning for adults

Post by Liz M.

Remember the anticipation and excitement as a child when you would board the big yellow school bus for a trip to the science museum or Plimouth Plantation? Without classes or pop quizzes to worry about, it was a school day filled with exploration and fun beyond the classroom. While your best friend’s mom is no longer needed to chaperone and the brown paper bag lunches have been replaced by a quick trip to Market in the Square, the occasion for field trips as an adult learner are no less important and equally as enriching.

As Confucius once said, “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” Recent studies show that students who experience and practice what they are learning are much more likely to retain the information.

This January and spring, several courses will provide students with the opportunity to get out of the classroom and explore their subjects in the real world. (more…)

December 21, 2011. Tags: , , . Courses. Leave a comment.

6 back to school tips

Welcome back, Extension School community! Whether you’re taking your 5th course or your first, we wish you the very best in your academic pursuits this semester.

Students walk through Harvard Yard on their way to class.

Students walk through Harvard Yard on their way to class.

For any new students, going back to school can be a daunting task, but if Billy Madison did it, than so can you. Feel proud about your decision and excited about what lies ahead.

Here are a few tips and reminders to get you started:

  1. Take advantage of your instructor’s and teaching assistant’s office hours. They are your most valuable resources when it comes to course-specific questions.
  2. Read your syllabi and plan ahead for projects, papers, and exams around any work or family obligations you may have. With the right motivation and energy, balancing all of your responsibilities is possible.
  3. Stay connected and follow us, like us, and watch us all semester long on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
  4. Check out m.harvard.edu from any web-enabled mobile phone for campus maps, directions, and library hours on the go.
  5. If you have general questions, our staff on the 1st floor of 51 Brattle Street is happy to help you. Call (617) 495-4024, e-mail extension@dcemail.harvard.edu, or stop by Mondays through Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm.
  6. Make any course or credit status changes by the appropriate deadlines.

And if you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for?! Pick a course and register now through September 11.

Now go forth and learn!

August 29, 2011. Tags: , , . Announcements, Calendar, Courses. Leave a comment.