Educational outreach is a core priority for the Australian National Maritime Museum says and its education program and special projects have proven incredibly popular with schools.
In fact, the institution’s Escape from Pompeii exhibit has attracted almost 4,000 students so far with a more than 1,000 still expected to attend.
“The education program associated with Pompeii has broken records for the museum, with school visits booked out for the duration of the exhibition,” says director and CEO Kevin Sumption.
The museum has responded to the popularity of the exhibition by developing education programs for both junior and senior students that respond to the NSW and Australian curriculum.
While a strong alignment with the curriculum made it a must-do for schools, Sumption says the exhibition was a hit with students as well as teachers thanks to its hand-on approach.
“Our education team pulled out all the stops to engage students with the history of Pompeii in imaginative and innovative ways,” says Sumption.
“Over 700 students were immersed in Roman life in a Roman festival featuring gladiator re-enactments, ancient bread making, mural and mosaic making.”
As well as immersing students in traditional Roman life, the museum has tapped into modern developments such as technology and gamification to ensure student engagement.
“Young people today are growing up in a different and exciting world,” says Sumption. “The use of games, such as The Voyage, via online and mobile internet-based technologies provides greater potential for innovative, effective and accessible contemporary teaching and learning.”
Aimed at students in years 5 and 6, the Voyage uses mobile and online technologies to engage students in learning about what life would have been like for the first migrants and convicts as they travelled from London to Tasmania.
“Two students can play the game at once, fostering collaboration in learning,” says Sumption, “As with many online games, students can also play with children all over the world via the internet.”