Abstract

A field trip is any journey taken under the auspices of the school for educational purposes. A positive learning environment of field trips incorporates almost every component of the experience. This study assesses the students’ view of the ideal learning environment characteristics of a meaningful field trip for a non-science program. Specifically, it determines which of the seven learning environment scales are the most important and investigates any statistically significant differences between lower-semester students and higher-semester students in their views of important learning environment attributes of a meaningful field trip. The study sample consisted of students enrolled in Diploma in Tourism Management at a major university in Malaysia. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Results suggest that the students consider teacher supportiveness, interactive environment, and material environment as the most important learning environment characteristics when considering an ideal field trip. Higher-semester students are more agreeable with the importance of these learning environment attributes to form and shape a meaningful field trip experience. The study concludes by showing the importance of carefully planning and organizing a field trip from both the instructor’s and students’ perspectives.