By: Randi Chapman
05/16/2019
Travel and education are made for each other, and this relationship has been at the heart of our organization since we started in 1967. Since then, we’ve made it possible for students to earn academic credit as part of our educational travel programs, ensuring that as our company grows, so does our academic strength and capability. That’s why we’re excited to share that – after a year in the making – Canadian students from Ontario can now earn academic credit on WorldStrides Explorica programs.
There are various ways in which to pair an educational travel program with relevant academic coursework. In Ontario, that route requires us to earn a designation as a private school from the Ontario Ministry of Education, a distinction that we are honored to have now received.
This effort began in 2018 with a thoughtful and thorough review of our curriculum. We worked diligently to demonstrate that our learning expectations were clear, that assignments were differentiated to meet students’ needs, and that individualized feedback was meaningful. After meeting initial requirements, we demonstrated how our course and school policies aligned with the Ministry requirements during our private school inspection. We were proud to see that our high standards aligned perfectly with the Ministry of Education’s own rigorous requirements for student assessment in learning, instruction of curriculum expectations, and student communication.
“Our organization has been providing incredible learning experiences for students for over five decades,”
says WorldStrides Chief Academic Officer Wendy Amato. “Being able to grant credits toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma means that student learning on our programs is formally and officially recognized. For us, it’s also evidence of our partnership with teachers and schools in the learning process.”
So what does this mean exactly for our Ontario students? They can now register for a one-credit high school online course, Travel and Tourism: A Geographic Perspective (CGG3O). As online learning is becoming less of an exception and more of an expectation, this offering is one way to make sure that Ontario students stay ahead of the curve. With our online coursework, students will gain insight into the global travel and tourism industries. Once they return from their travels, they will synthesize what they’ve learned in class with their own experiences, furthering their understanding of how travel and tourism influence culture, local and global economies, the environment, and even their own previously held beliefs. When students successfully complete the course, it will appear on their Ontario Student Transcript along with other courses they have taken at their home school.
“Being approved as an Ontario Private school, and being the only tour provider in Canada to invest and commit into education, validates our corporate commitment to learning beyond the classroom,” says David Conklin, General Manager of WorldStrides Explorica. “This is one of many reasons why we spend so much time on itinerary development, in order to maximize the educational experience. It’s also why we choose to deliver in-depth Tour Director training annually, to ensure education and student learning is central to every tour experience.”
We’re proud to see that many of our Ontario students have already enrolled in this course, and the feedback we’ve received from students and teachers alike confirms what we’ve always known about the connection between travel and education – they’re better together.