NEWS IN DEPTH | COMMENT Exploration as education


Children can only aspire to what they know exists.” This


is the absolute truth when it comes to children’s aspirations. It is equally true when it comes to children’s understanding of the world around them and how they can help shape this world into a better place in the future. In educational terms then, we


need to think more broadly than our current ‘schooling-testing- inspecting’ regimes. Not every classroom has four walls. Empowering our children


to broaden their horizons and their co-curricular menus means embracing thinking, experiences, curiosity, and exploration, leading to self- confidence, independence and a sense of purpose. The word ‘exploration’ is key.


Synonyms include analysis, examination, expedition, research, study, travel. So, in our quest to widen children’s horizons and enhance their experiences, let us focus on exploration as education, on experience-based learning.


Writing the narrative


We must think of education as travelling on a journey during which children experience writing their own narrative of the possible. Travel is key to any child’s learning and understanding of the world in which they live – any travel: metaphorical, virtual and real. The benefits of what we


call ‘educational travel’ (how, by the way, can travel not be ‘educational’?) are beyond conventional measure. Travel invites curiosity, fosters teamwork, grows self- awareness and confidence and invites us to be in charge of our own compass.


Can we together consider this, be committed, creative and fair, and meaningfully bring our corporate and social responsibilities into play? Is social mobility not travel? Answers on a postcard from a nice place please. At KidZania we do learning-


by-doing, for all children, offering four- to 14-year-olds fun, experiential learning opportunities to empower them to take charge of their own aspirations and learn from experience. There is not a subject area you


cannot find: we are curricular, co-curricular and cross- curricular. We work closely with schools


and listen to our children – the launch of our pet-welfare activity earlier this year happened because 79% of children told us that was what they wanted most.


Ger Graus, global director of education for KidZania – children’s learning and entertainment venues – says travel can help transform conventional learning for young people


Travel allows us as educators


to better explain and exemplify through experience what we teach in school. There is not a single subject area that would not benefit from travel. And not a single young person. I believe it imperative for the education travel industry to work with schools and other groups even more closely on how they can better develop their offers to cater for children’s real learning. Dovetailing into and extending current learning, and becoming


the conduit through which theory is turned into practice, all help transform the four- walled-classroom into a world of experiences – they help join the dots. They turn a national curriculum into a real curriculum.


Access for all


The most important challenge we face however, is making travel accessible to all children – not just those whose socio-economic context affords them their passport.


4 For more columns by industry leaders go to travelgbi.com 12 TravelGBI | February 2018 travelgbi.com Need to evolve


KidZania London can also say that a significant number of school visits are by children whose socio-cultural contexts are more challenging than most. Guiding us, we have a think-


tank which sits at the heart of everything educational – the UK’s top educationalists aiding such developments not just in the UK, but globally. The educational travel industry does many things very well and for this it needs to be applauded. However, it also needs to keep evolving. Most importantly, it needs to


journey off the map to be there for all children. Its mission and responsibility need to be clear: “The mind, once enlightened, cannot again become dark.” Standing ovations would


follow!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32