2G INNOVATION ABSTRACTS ‘\"
a)

AC —_
CAN Published by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
‘a With support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation

 

 

 

CONDUCTING SUCCESSFUL EUROPEAN STUDY TOURS

A European Study Tour can provide an unparalleled opportunity for learning through real-life experiences.
We have conducted five such tours and are convinced that we have positively affected the lives and education of
our students with this instructional method. Our three-hour on-campus art history course is designed to
incorporate a two-week European art study tour during either the spring break or a summer semester. Besides
their normal classroom responsibilities, the students participate in moneymaking projects to partially fund their
tour and take on operational duties related to the tour itself, such as: tour coordinator, working directly with
the travel agent; baggage comptroller, responsible for all the baggage at the terminals; or projects director, in
charge of moneymaking projects. [Only those students who have been actively involved in the moneymaking
projects are allowed to participate in the tour.]

General Considerations
1. The course includes both content subject matter as well as travel basics.
Students can enroll for the course with or without the tour included.
Background history, customs, and etiquette in the countries to be visited are presented.
c. Information about packing, exchanging money, basic hygiene, and group cooperation are other
discussion items.
d. Those participating in the tour are required to write a personal tour reaction paper in addition to the
usual class tests and research paper.
2. Two or more courses in other disciplines can be offered in conjunction with one study tour (i.e., literature,
drama or history).
a. Individual instructors can design semester courses which include the study tour.
b. The classes can meet independently to study course subject matter and jointly to cover special topics
like "survival language." 7
c. Teachers and students alike benefit from designing interdisciplinary experiences into the tour.
d. Teachers who are new to foreign travel may want to jointly sponsor a tour with a more "seasoned"
traveler/teacher.
3. Options for financing the instructors’ tour can be explored.
a. Institutions may see the tour as a faculty development expenditure.
b. Travel companies often offer a free or reduced rate to tour sponsors, or divide the cost among the
other participants.
c. Student enrollment fees for the courses might include a "tour fee" to help cover some of the costs.
4. A physical exam should be required of all tour members.
a. Perhaps the college's health center could provide the exams.
b. Each participant should be properly immunized.
c. Teachers should be aware of any tour member’s health problems or medications.
d. Instructors should have the right to refuse anyone deemed a health "risk" from participating.
5. Instructors and students should be aware of college liability, travel insurance, carrier regulations, and
passport procedures.
a. College liability releases, signed by participants, serve to protect the teachers and the college.
b. The carrier or travel agent can provide reasonable travel insurance.
c. Passports should be acquired far ahead of the departure date.
6. A Study Tour can be offered every other year.
a. This affords each student at the college an opportunity to participate at least once.
b. The tour can be used as a recruitment and retention tool.
c. Moneymaking projects can be extended for a year or longer if desired.

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# Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712