They feature project-based learning expeditions, where students engage in interdisciplinary, study of compelling topics, in groups and in their community, with assessment coming through cumulative products, public presentations, and portfolios.
According to the ELS website students undertake tasks requiring perseverance, fitness, craftsmanship, imagination, self-discipline, and significant achievement.
[2][3][4] According to the ELS website, the following design principles serve as a moral and cultural foundation for each Expeditionary Learning School.
People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected.
Empathy and Caring believes that learning is fostered best in communities where students' and teachers' ideas are respected and where there is mutual trust.
Solitude and Reflection argues that students and teachers need time alone to explore their own thoughts, make their own connections, and create their own ideas.
[7] The Rand Corporation, The American Institutes for Research, The National Staff Development Council, and The Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR) have all evaluated ELS models and practices and cite positive outcomes such as higher student achievement, participation, and a more positive and productive school culture.