Bringing History to Life: The Pedagogical Power of Heritage Sites

In Mauritius, educators have long struggled with the teaching of abstract historical concepts and ideas in primary and secondary schools. The traditional narrative approaches to history teaching within the four walls of the classroom disengage learners. The inability of learners to relate to abstract historical concepts and ideas is one of the main reasons for the declining interest in history as a subject in the Mauritian context. Adoption of innovative practices and pedagogies which can translate abstract concepts and ideas into realistic hands-on learning experiences for learners is one of the ways to arouse interest in the subject and palliate its decline. This study examines the use of field trips, museums, and visits to heritage sites as non-traditional ways of teaching history, thus, adding value to the learning experiences of students. A qualitative methodology was adopted to understand the perception of eight pre-service trainee teachers on the use of field visits to museums, monuments, and heritage sites as tangible resources to teach history and their experiences towards the learning of abstract historical concepts and ideas. Findings revealed that integrating field visits at museums, monuments, and heritage sites enhanced the learning experiences of learners and aroused more interest in the subject.