Abstract
The main objective of this residential education trip is to encourage and motivate students so that they may appreciate the marketing concepts and techniques that they have been learning in class. It is meant to have them view a real application of these concepts in real organizations. Therefore, this field trip program has been conducted by a visit to a number of organizations in Glasgow, Scotland. They include; The Glasgow Science Center, Celtic Football Club, New Lanark, Burrell Collection Arts Center and Commonwealth House. Over this 8 day period, there were direct interactions through visits to each of these organizations in order to attain the objectives.
Objectives
The main objective for this residential field trip was to add substantial value to marketing education and experience marketing education on a first hand basis.
Introduction
The residential objectives for this exercise were several. The first objective was to experience learning outside the classroom and theoretical context. This objective was meant to expose us to the real application of the concepts of marketing that we have been studying in our lectures. The other residential objective was to improve understanding of marketing education. This objective entailed giving the students a chance to appreciate and assimilate the marketing tools they have gained from their lectures. The trip had this objective since attainment of a high level understanding of marketing concepts was possible only through a field exercise (Williams & Mullin, 2009). Finally, there was the objective of exposing students to the real world so that they may find out the organizations where marketing concepts and tools are applied in real life.
The visits were meant to depict a clear image to students with regard to individuals and organizations where the class concepts are applied. As such, student confidence, self belief and attitude would be promoted towards this area of specialization. By viewing individuals and organizations apply marketing techniques from lectures; students were meant to feel that they were in the right career direction (Cole, 2012).
As far as the types of visits are concerned, the 8 day trip was an all round event. There were several places that were visited to give the students a lot of experience. The locality that was selected for the visit was Glasgow. This is the largest city in Scotland and it has all the facilities and organizations for conducting the required visits (Hill, 2011). It has an excellent environment for executing such field events for students. There was Jury’s Inn; which was our accommodation facility over the 8 day visiting period.
The range of experiences for this program revolved around physical exposure for academic purposes in the marketing platform. This program was designed to create experiences about benefits of residential education such as promoting comprehension of class concepts (Williams & Mullin, 2009). In this experience, students were meant to have a three dimensional view of the materials that they have been learning in theory only. The other experience was the creation of a platform where students can interact freely with employees and managers of the organizations visited. This experience would encourage students to put in a lot of efforts and dedication in their marketing classes. Finally, this program was aimed at promoting studying experience for students. It was a shift from the paperwork and studies that these students undergo on a daily basis. The program was aimed at removing this monotony and boredom (Claiborne, Morrell, Bandy, & Bruff, 2013).
Literature review
This residential education program was meant to inculcate several values to students. The first value is student development. It was devoted to creating a residential environment that would lead to the emergence of opportunities for individual and also communal growth. In addition, student development is expected to promote understanding and respect for other individuals (Cole, 2012). Such efforts lead to academic and social success in order to foster long life learning in the marketing arena. The other value that this residential education created was individual and also multicultural respect among marketing students. This residential education program was meant to cultivate the value of inclusive and also respectful equitable community for promotion of growth and development (Williams & Mullin, 2009). The interaction was expected to promote the development of individuals through the visiting programs to promote and support diversity.
Thirdly, there was the value of retention and persistence from the perspective of these students. These programs are expected to generate opportunities for assisting students in transitioning from the college life, in addition to persisting in work, and social relationships (McCuskey, 2012). To add onto this value, this field trip was meant to promote paraprofessional development for participating students. It was expected to provide opportunities and consequently avenues for students so that they may gain skills to assist them in excel in future careers and in their employment and entrepreneurial lives (Claiborne, Morrell, Bandy, & Bruff, 2013).
Fiscal sustainability was another value that was to be derived from this executive education. Students were supposed to make efficient use of all physical and technological resources and university financial capability (Cole, 2012). Innovative marketing services and top notch technology was expected to be obtained from this collaboration with other organizations and practitioners in the marketing platform. There are two key themes for this literature review. The first theme is residential education while the second is the enhancement of the student experience.
Residential education
On an overall basis, residential education is meant to create a cluster of community leaders after ingesting community learners. It is meant to be a process through which this shift will occur effectively in a backdrop of self discovery (McCuskey, 2012). This happens amid intellectual attainment, which is gained in the entire academic coursework. Residential education, therefore, is a process of cognitive growth which creates synergy for future productive workforce, community leaders, citizens and volunteers (Williams & Mullin, 2009).
Residential education promotes call for an interdisciplinary focus on the students themselves. In order to achieve success in this field, there has to be teamwork coupled with strong leadership skills. Residential education provides a chance where students can interact in the breadth of human diversity in a community setting (Cole, 2012). This setting enables students to learn and solve problems together. A stage is set where students can interconnect throughout their careers. Due to interaction across career boundaries, students become positioned and learn that they are very similar with their classmates and that team work has the capability of producing great results in comparison to individual efforts (Claiborne, Morrell, Bandy, & Bruff, 2013).
There is a need to solve efficiency problems in organizations. Due to globalization, the needs to market products across the global platform are unprecedented. As a result, organizations must improve their effectiveness in marketing. An interdisciplinary focus must be adopted. This calls for the need to bridge the gap in the intellectual spectrum by tapping all the intellect (Hill, 2011). Such efforts can be attained in a residential education channel. This is because residential education provides a platform that values specialization and also sub specialization of knowledge. The ability to appreciate any multiple intellectual perspectives is honed in this form of executive education (McCuskey, 2012). In addition, students foster a channel for intertwining solutions to global marketing challenges. Through a residential campus, this mutual respect is incubated, and the potential for addressing such challenges is established.
Use of campus interconnections via residential education promotes tenacity and a drive for success. Students get a chance to serve in classrooms and student organizations. The residential campus, in this case, establishes a foundation for refinement of these critical success tools. Students can learn from their failures at these early stages (Williams & Mullin, 2009). As a result, their chances of succeeding in the future are increased. The other major perspective of the field trips is that they instill a sense of self satisfaction and pride in students. These values, when instilled well in the early stages, have the ability to be sustained over an entire lifetime. Human transformation is possible with a combined commitment for service to others. As alumni of their institutions, such students can give back to their campuses for their foundational role (McCuskey, 2012).
However, residential education has several challenges. The major setback is the financial constraint. Due to financial challenges to some parents, it becomes difficult for them to sponsor their children to field trips. In addition, this financial constraint affects states. Budget reduction to these learning institutions reduces (Williams & Mullin, 2009). As a result, these learning institutions are forced to reduce such executive education to avoid burdening the already strained parents. With financial challenges, execution of these field trip programs becomes difficult.
Enhancement of student learning experience
This executive education is student centered and spontaneous since it is an experience outside the classroom. This learning is unmatched in promoting student learning experience since it promotes a collaborative learning atmosphere that creates unique relationships out of the classroom context. These initiatives, especially when introduced early in their career, are formative and serve as inspiration for students to continue in that career path (Claiborne, Morrell, Bandy, & Bruff, 2013). This learning experience is interdisciplinary to a high degree. A direct engagement with the world through field trips gives the students a chance to experience it as a whole. Due to this inherent nature, the learning experience engages students in multiple modalities in spite of their disciplines. For marketing students, this experience enriches their individual disciplinary approach (Cole, 2012).
Field trips enhance the learning experience by engaging the required concepts. These concepts are adopted from the learning experience in classrooms. In addition, it creates a learning experience and community outside the class walls. This community fosters cooperation, which is carried onwards, as students take their studies in their career disciplines (McCuskey, 2012). To add onto this benefit, this executive education increases practical knowledge in the particular discipline despite a lack of work experience. For members of faculty members, these field trips empower them with valuable professional experience that is instrumental in developing their careers.
Executive education promotes learning through a four stage cyclical process. The first stage is the concrete experience stage. At this stage, the learner gains knowledge through an active experience of an activity. The second stage is reflective observation. It occurs after the field trip whereby the learner consciously reflects on the concepts acquired during the trip. Thirdly, there is abstract conceptualization. At this stage, the learner is presented with a specific theory or model that relates to the concepts and ideas to be acquired in the trip. The final stage is the active experimentation stage. At this stage, the learner plans how to test a model or the theory at hand. This is meant to shape the forthcoming experience (Claiborne, Morrell, Bandy, & Bruff, 2013).
In order for these field trips to improve the learner experience successfully, there is a need to have a productive educator. These educators enhance the understanding of students in order to promote their understanding. They are the individuals who have experienced a high level of truths in specific industries. They transfer this knowledge to students in order to improve their awareness. Usually, their work is conducted in three main stages. The first stage encompasses all pre-trip activities. These educators prepare students for learning during the actual trip (Williams & Mullin, 2009). Assessments are done aided by guest speakers. This step is directed towards ensuring that maximum knowledge is gained during the actual trip. The second stage houses all the on-trip activities. The educator plays the role of a facilitator at this stage. An effective educator should provide a chance for students to perform active learning through independent participation. The final stage for the educator comes in the post-trip stage (Cole, 2012). At this point, students embark on conceptualizing their pre-trip theories and relate them to their on-trip experiences. By playing these three roles, the educator enhances the student experience for the overall trip.
Education in marketing is meant to promote a strategic fit with positive support from both lecturers and their students. These experiential methods lead to reporting of positive student responses and also beliefs that understanding of marketing improves with field trips (McCuskey, 2012). In addition, education in marketing is meant to achieve an enhancement of learning. In general, it is meant to provide the students a chance to relate the concepts that they learn on these trips with their course objectives.
Discussion and conclusions
The student experience at the residential education program was involving and motivating. The entire field trip was encouraging since there were many marketing concepts that would be related easily to the class materials. Generally, it was an interesting experience, and it promoted a sense of satisfaction since the real application of theoretical concept was evident clearly.
The other finding is about New Lanark. This world heritage site attracts visitors from around the globe by the use of holistic marketing approach. This site is marketed to tourists in many world locations by recognizing that marketing involves many and varied concepts. It is integrated with the facilities at this site so that tourists may get a full view of New Lanark. The major areas for advertising this site are hotels such as the New Lanark Mill Hotel, conference halls and its unique wedding gardens. From this site, concepts of the holistic marketing approach as broad and integrative were clear.
The Burrell Collection Art Centre houses unique art collections in a setting of woodland. This facility requires marketing itself efficiently in order to attract high revenues for sustenance. In order to attain these revenues, The Burrell Collection Art Centre uses branding. It uses the concept of positioning itself as the best destination where travelers can find ancient paintings including Islamic Art, Ancient Paintings and French Paintings. The advertisement is conducted online and through annual trade shows in Scotland.
As far as the relationship with the literature review is concerned, the visit attained its objectives. It led to self confidence and motivation on the part of students. In addition, it promoted student development substantially by exposing each student to the marketing arena on a first hand basis. With respect to the theme of residential education, the field trip inculcated self-discovery and intellectual interactions on a practical basis. It also refined success drive since we managed to see how marketing concepts are applied in real organizations. For the theme of enhancing the student experience, this executive education program provided a direct collaboration with organizations. It has served as an inspiration to me in marketing as a business option. There has been a positive attitude from both lecturers and students from this trip. I have understood marketing concepts in a deeper manner than I used to in the class platform.
The appropriate framework that should be adopted in managing and assessing the residential experience is the administration of questionnaires. They should be targeted at both students and faculty members in order to obtain their views on the entire exercise. The findings from this exercise will be applied when carrying out such field trips in the future (Williams & Mullin, 2009).
References
Claiborne, L., Morrell, J., Bandy, J., & Bruff, D. (2013). Teaching Outside the Classroom. Center for Teaching Guide, 67-72.
Cole, P. (2012). Application of Marketing Techniques in Field Trips. The Journal of Marketing, 45-48.
Hill, M. (2011). A list of World Heritage Sites. The Traveler's Guide, 78-82.
McCuskey, B. (2012). The Value of a Residential Education & Why We Should Care. Businessweek, 31-36.
Williams, A., & Mullin, R. (2009). The Handbook of Field Marketing: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Outsouring Face to Face Direct Marketing. Oxford: Oxford Publishers.
