Amos, R. and Reiss, M. (2012): The benefits of residential fieldwork for school science: Insights from a five-year initiative for inner-city students in the UK. International Journal of Science Education, 34(4), 485-511.

"Out of classroom learning is often cited as contributing positively to students’ ideas about and enjoyment of science (Cerini, Murray and Reiss, 2003; Zoldosova and Prokop, 2006; Prokop, Tuncer and Kvasnicak, 2007).

Our findings revealed that students’ collaborative skills improved and interpersonal relationships were strengthened and taken back to school. Gains were strongest in social and affective domains; behavioural improvements occurred for some students. Individual cognitive gains were revealed more convincingly during face-to-face interviews than through survey items.

Students from socially deprived backgrounds benefitted from exposure to learning environments which promoted authentic practical inquiry.

Over the five year programme, combined physical adventure and real-world experiences proved to be popular with students and their teachers. Opportunities for learning and doing science in ways not often accessible in urban school environments were opened up.

Further programmes, which build upon the provision of mixed curriculum-adventure course design, have been implemented across the UK as a result of the London experience. The popularity and apparent success of these combination courses suggest that providers need to consider the value of developing similar programmes in the future."