The meaning and significance of study tour

1. What is "study tour"?

"Study tour" is an emerging term in recent years. It is a new thing. It is neither pure tourism nor pure study abroad. Its content runs through language learning and sightseeing, and is between travel and tourism. It also integrates the content of learning and traveling. It is an important manifestation of modern people's increasing emphasis on spiritual life, and it is also a new way of education. Under the premise of high-quality education in the future, the development space will definitely become wider and wider. "It is better to travel thousands of miles than to read thousands of books" is a profound reflection of study tour.

2. Cultural background of study tour.

Study tour is mainly a professional service provided for students and social people who intend to go abroad in the future. With the changes in the economy and the times, more and more people now also want to learn about foreign countries. Participate in study tours to learn about local customs, customs and lifestyles. Study tour countries are mainly English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The age of participating students is generally between 13 and 23 years old. The age requirements also change according to different study tour projects; because study tours are different from Study abroad, so there are no hard language requirements. The United States is the number one destination for Chinese students to study abroad. Study tour programs will allow more students to understand the United States and prepare for studying abroad. In addition, study tours in Europe are also an emerging route. Universities in many European countries offer free tuition and provide good benefits. Governments of various countries also have preferential policies for the employment of highly educated students. The number of Chinese students studying in Europe is increasing year by year. More and more students will go to Europe to study.

Students will receive a foreign language course of varying lengths or an introduction to local cultural background at a high-quality local school. This is the most direct embodiment of the word "learning" in "study tour". A typical study tour course is set up as follows: intensive English learning in the morning, classes are generally scheduled from Monday to Friday, and are taught in small classes by experienced English teachers, with an average of 6-15 students per class; compared with domestic classroom teaching, foreign Teachers pay more attention to encouraging students to actively participate in class discussions, and the teaching content also revolves around topics that students are interested in; teachers often use various tricks to activate the classroom atmosphere and attract students' attention.

The school usually arranges classroom interactive learning and simple social activities for Chinese and foreign students in the afternoon, encouraging students to use the English they learned in class in the morning to communicate with local and students from all over the world. This kind of instant The instant learning method has been proven to be one of the most effective and quick ways to learn English. It is also the reason why study tours are so popular among students and parents.

The school also arranges reasonable travel and entertainment activities, including visits to local universities, famous historical and cultural sites and tourist attractions, so that students can improve their spoken English in real daily life situations and learn in person. Feel the teaching atmosphere of famous foreign universities and understand foreign customs, customs and habits. In foreign countries, Chinese students are generally arranged to live in the homes of local residents and have direct contact with the hosts in the host families. On the one hand, it can exercise students' confidence in the language and overcome their shyness. On the other hand, it is also the best way to understand foreign customs and customs. Convenient way.

3. The purpose of organizing study tour activities.

Broaden children's international vision, enrich children's life experience, enhance children's initiative, cultivate children's personality and international and diversified cultural concepts and thinking habits; train relatively independent survival ability and relative autonomy Financial management skills enable them to learn and think about how to cooperate with others; accept the influence of the advanced Western education system and educational concepts, feel the unique Western English teaching style and pure English learning atmosphere, and enhance students' understanding of foreign schools, education models and Quality has perceptual understanding and judgment; laying a solid foundation for future development such as studying abroad.

4. The significance of study tour.

Study tour is the most traditional way of learning and education in various countries and national civilizations around the world. The story of "Five Eastern Scholars congratulating the birth of Jesus Christ" recorded in the Bible and the Italian traveler Marco Polo's travels in China all reveal the rich information contained in ancient East-West study tour exchanges. Since ancient times, Chinese people have attached great importance to the important role of study tours in cultivating personality and forming knowledge. Confucius led his disciples to travel around the country to enhance their knowledge, cultivate their character, and broaden their horizons. “Read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles” is an ancient educational saying that has been passed down to every household in China.

Study tour in the modern educational sense is an international cross-cultural experiential education model that emerged in the 20th century with the trend of world peace and the development process of globalization and has gradually matured. Colleges, universities, and social institutions offer study tour courses for young people at home and abroad, actively encourage and correctly guide young students to visit and immerse themselves in different cultural environments, and learn and understand non-native or non-native cultures through personal experience. historical traditions, while strengthening and improving foreign language proficiency.

Practice has proven that by providing young students with a journey of cultural exploration and discovery with far-reaching educational significance, study tour courses are conducive to cultivating young students’ civilized qualities and cultural tolerance, and enhancing their understanding and respect for different cultures. , and also enable them to better understand and inherit the culture and historical traditions of their own nation and local people. It is particularly important in terms of intensive language training, ideological and moral education, personality development education, cultural knowledge education and world peace education. Its role and good results have been highly valued by governments, educational circles, and relevant international organizations and institutions around the world. It has become a global trend that combines education with culture and tourism, and is generally welcomed by young students around the world.

5. Study tours have the following characteristics:

1. Improve language skills

Through study tours overseas, you can create a real language for young people Learning environment, living in an ordinary foreign family, living with ordinary foreigners, eating and living together, improves young people's ability to express English information. In addition, only by living in the families of ordinary people and living the same life as them can the local culture truly be present. Culture is an abstract concept. It appears in books and manifests itself in different cultural forms. Culture is more concrete, vivid, and intuitive. It appears in the lives of ordinary people. The process of study tour is the process of transforming abstract culture into concrete culture.

2. Broaden young people’s horizons

Visiting the history of different civilizations is conducive to a better understanding of the present and future of mankind; experiencing different cultures is conducive to a deeper understanding own nation and country; immersion in observation and research of non-native social life is conducive to the improvement of non-native language skills and the rediscovery of classroom knowledge; the experience of traveling around the world is conducive to broadening young people's horizons. Through a variety of study tour activities, young people are guided to actively participate in social practice, understand the national conditions and people's livelihood, feel the pulse of the times, cultivate hands-on and innovative abilities, cultivate sentiments, cultivate character, and achieve the state of "reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles".

3. Cultivate independent personality quality

Adolescence is the golden period in life to find yourself, build self-confidence, and cultivate independent personality. By living independently abroad, not only can young students learn a responsible attitude towards life early, but more importantly, they can receive international education early, become familiar with the language, have a deeper understanding of foreign diverse civilizations, and learn from their national excellence. cultural traditions, broaden horizons and expand interpersonal relationships.

4. Experience multiculturalism

Get close to the excellent history and culture of mankind, visit the historical relics of different civilizations in the world, experience the life experiences brought by different cultures, respect and rely on human beings maintain the same cultural, linguistic and spiritual heritage, tolerate social, political, religious and belief differences from our own, and inherit and enrich the common cultural and moral values ??of all mankind. Thereby ensuring and adhering to the humanitarian values ??and the spirit of democracy, freedom and tolerance that are universally accepted by human society

Studying abroad is by no means an enjoyment, but a feeling and an experience of life; approaching the process of internationalization , participate in international activities. I believe that the study tour summer camp activity, which lasts for about half a month to experience the customs and customs abroad and be influenced by the foreign cultural atmosphere, will definitely add some life training to you and improve your ability to be independent; it will provide you with a better life journey It will add an intangible wealth, increase your experience and knowledge, cultivate your thinking habits from a global perspective; leave you with an unforgettable memory, and fully experience the endless fun of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

Types of study tours:

1. Language study tours: Language study tours are themed around language learning, such as learning English, Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc. during the tour . Among them, English study tours are the most popular.

2. Specialized study tours: Go to various countries to learn local skills. This type of study tour requires a certain degree of professionalism, such as going to Thailand to learn Thai cuisine, going to New Zealand to learn wine making, and going to India to learn yoga, etc.

3. Customized study tour: Tailor-made study tour plans based on personal needs, such as study tour countries, study content, and travel time, have become the most fashionable study tour methods currently.

The purpose of the study tour:

The study tour is by no means an enjoyment, but a feeling, an experience of life; approaching the internationalization process and participating in international activities, I believe it will last for half a month Studying abroad for about half a year to personally experience the customs and customs and be influenced by the foreign cultural atmosphere will definitely add some life training to you and improve your ability to be independent; it will add an intangible wealth to your life journey and increase your experience and insights, cultivate your thinking habits from a global perspective; and prepare you for studying abroad in the future, leaving you with an unforgettable memory and fully experiencing the endless fun of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

Study tour—for Chinese teenagers in today’s globalized context—can be seen as the first response to the “call from afar.” The distance is first of all a concept of space, but it also has time, and it is also spiritual and spiritual... In other words, the distance is not only the outside world, but also the future world, and it is the world in our hearts.

——Yu Minhong, founder of New Oriental

Benefits of study tour:

1. Study in a pure foreign language environment and quickly improve your foreign language level;

2. Stay with local residents Family, learn about foreign lifestyles;

3. Have classroom interactions with foreign students and experience unique foreign learning methods;

4. Establish international friendships and make foreign friends;

5. Improve independence and cultivate teamwork spirit;

6. Visit internationally renowned universities and establish lofty ideals in life;

7. Visit scenic spots around the world and appreciate Beautiful scenery;

8. Establish a good visa record to lay the foundation for successfully obtaining a study visa in the future.

Modern concept

In 1965, Bertil Hult took a group of Swedish students to the UK to learn English and sightseeing in Europe. They learned and practiced the language in the actual environment and experienced different cultures. Overseas study tours have developed internationally for nearly half a century, and are now gradually being loved and pursued in China.

Thanks to China’s 30 years of reform and opening up, more and more Chinese families are able and willing to invest in their children’s education, and studying abroad and study tours have gradually become part of their children’s long-term training plans. Therefore, the number of students participating in study tours has been increasing year by year in recent years. In fact, for countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, which are major countries for study tours, the total number of students who go to these places for study tours every year is very different. It can only be said that students will choose a destination that suits them in different seasons or according to their own needs. For example, during the summer vacation, the weather in the United Kingdom and the United States is very pleasant. At this stage, the United Kingdom and the United States are much more popular than Australia. During the winter vacation season, it is the height of summer in Australia. Chinese students who go to Australia can get rid of the harsh winter and enjoy the blue sea and golden sands on the other side of the ocean. At this time, the popular trend points to Australia.

The insights and knowledge students can gain by participating in overseas study tours are actually closely related to the type, schedule, staffing, and teaching arrangements of the study tour they participate in. If students only participate in a study tour group that is no different from an adult overseas sightseeing group, taking a quick tour of the local attractions in a short period of time, this type of purely touristic summer camp can only be used for children in the short term at best. It brings sensory stimulation, but it cannot provide a deep understanding of the history, origin, local cultural customs, customs and customs of these scenic spots.