Learning Outside the Classroom

Maritime Archaeology Trust > Education & Outreach > Learning Outside the Classroom

Learning Outside the Classroom

The MAT is an advocate of learning outside the classroom. Benefits include:

  • Learning can take place almost any time and anywhere: in school grounds, in the high street, at the beach, heritage sites, archives – the possibilities are endless!
  • It encourages personal development by broadening horizons, developing resilience, teamwork and self-awareness, and promoting physical activity.
  • It can provide a worthwhile and engaging experience for students who find learning inside the classroom a challenge, and provide new and otherwise inaccesible experiences for those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
  • It promotes an appreciation for the world, from nature and heritage to social issues and cultural awareness.
  • It’s exciting! Learning outside the classroom helps young people to cope with and experience a wide variety of challenges while learning in novel and engaging ways.

History on your doorstep

Studying local history brings the past to life in a very personal way. Rather than events occurring in a distant place and time, a familiar location can provide a meaningful bridge between the past and the present.

Studying local history enables students to:

  • develop an understanding of how and why their local community has developed in the way that it has, and forge stronger links with that community,
  • compare and contrast history on a local level to a national and international one,
  • appreciate why the area in which they live is worth knowing about, and take pride in where they live,
  • more easily access heritage.

The format and content of the session will be bespoke to you and your area, but previous sessions have included:

  • Southampton schools exploring WWII through visits to the D-Day wall.
  • Working with SEN schools aboard the SS Shieldhall and recording sites at Hamble Point.
  • Guided, interactive walks along the River Hamble and Forton Lake, and around Southampton.

The Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum

The Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum is located in Arreton Barnes Craft Village on the Isle of Wight, and it houses thousands of relics from shipwrecks and delights from the deeps. Here you can see fascinating displays of antique diving equipment, prehistory in the Solent, dramatic shipwreck stories and much more.

The museum offers sessions for schools and groups. For more information, please contact museum@maritimearchaeologytrust.org.