Field trips and other teaching resources in natural and social sciences: educational implications from past experiences in Spanish primary schools

This paper describes the use of Natural and Social Sciences teaching resources in Spanish primary schools during the second half of the 20th century, based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of 250 recollections of retired teachers. Differences were identified between groups of teachers determined by gender, previous teaching context (urban vs rural) and higher education qualifications. Our results show that the academic background had a direct impact on the variety and type of teaching resources used and was a determinant factor to promote experiential learning. The study also highlights the comprehensive use of school field trips in the past as teaching resources to motivate students and develop different inquiry skills. Finally, the importance of mastering different educational resources in the teaching profession is discussed.