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Educational reform: Henry VIII contributes to critical debate, Simon Taylor
Educational reform: Henry VIII contributes to critical debate
Simon Taylor examines lessons to be learned from history
The English Reformation is associated with the dissolution of the monasteries, the separation of Tudor England from Rome’s Catholic influence and Henry VIII’s divorce(s). However, a more subtle reformation – in 21st century educational experiences – has been taking place in Portsmouth, UK, home port of Britain’s Royal Navy and resting place of Henry VIII’s flagship, The Mary Rose. The Mary Rose, a carrack-type warship, sank during a battle with the French in 1545. She lay on the seabed for over 400 years until she was raised from the Solent floor in 1982. Since then, an award-winning museum has been built around her and, from the equipment and supplies on board, she contributes one of the greatest collections of Tudor artefacts to be found.
So how has this historical event and nautical relic from the past been influential in reforming educational experiences in the present day? The answer lies on the seabed, or more specifically on how she got to the seabed. By taking students out of their usual classroom and asking the question What sank the Mary Rose?, the museum’s Education Department, working initially with International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma students and staff from Portsmouth Grammar School UK, has set up a day-long, cross-curricular enquiry for Sixth Form students – which is also now open to students from all schools, exploring critical thinking in its broadest sense.
Theories abound, and imagination stirs. Was the recent refit to blame, with too many heavy guns placed on the higher decks? Was it a sudden gust of wind, with lower gun ports left open? Was it a French cannonball, or friendly fire? Was it too sudden a turn? Was it disorder or incompetence within the (foreign) crew? Or a combination of these?
These questions pit the historical and archaeological evidence against the scientific. Not all correspond though, and in the battle of corroborating and conflicting evidence, students are challenged to step back out of the cross-fire, and to think critically about both the detail and the big picture. They are encouraged to evaluate their observations and to draw conclusions about the nature of knowledge in general, as well as within specific disciplines such as history and science. The broadside of documentary evidence comprises written accounts and drawings, some English, some French, one in code, some contemporaneous, some retrospective, some modern. These self-contradict and are not all consistent with an examination of the ship itself or Critical Thinking hands-on experiments with scientific concepts such as ‘centre of gravity’ and ‘centre of buoyancy’. At the end of Experience Day the session, each student group presents and defends their What sank the Mary Rose?
At the end of the session, each student group presents and defends their hypothesis of what sank the Mary Rose.
Portsmouth Grammar School students
hypothesis of what sank the Mary Rose and, as the smoke of conflicting theories clears, how they have ordered and/or reconciled the clashes of evidence. In so doing, they reflect more broadly too on what they have learnt of the nature of knowledge in its different aspects.
Students think critically and abstractly, across traditional subject boundaries, as well as within a subject’s established methods and conventions. The IB Diploma’s Theory of Knowledge course encourages this ‘meta-thinking’ specifically, as do critical-thinking programmes and of course traditional subject disciplines as well, to the extent that they explore awareness of their own limitations, scope and purpose. However, not always is the dilemma so neatly encapsulated as in this fascinating excursion into the past, with 21st century perspectives, cutting-edge technology and fierce teenage scrutiny.
On reflection then, yes, perhaps a reformation of educational experience is too strong a claim – but keeping history alive and learning present-day lessons from the past are not. Thank you, Henry, for this opportunity, even if it was an unintended consequence of a particularly bad day for your navy.
