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Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches

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A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2023) | Viewed by 18063

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Olaia Fontal-Merillas

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Guest Editor

Department of Didactics of the Musical, Plastic and Body Expression, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
Interests: heritage education; art education; heritage studies; museum education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Marta Martínez-Rodríguez

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Guest Editor

Department of Music, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: heritage education; intangible cultural heritage; music education; curriculum; identity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you contribute to a Special Issue titled “Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches”.

Heritage education has been consolidated in recent decades as a scientific discipline, and as a strategic field in heritage management. Both in the international and supranational institutional sphere (e.g., UNESCO, EU, Council of Europe), and in the regulations of different countries (and, in parallel, in scientific production), cultural heritage and its education have developed in an exponential manner. In addition, focusing on the identity component has revealed that cultural heritage constitutes an important factor of social cohesion. All this places heritage education as a relevant axis of Strategic Line 4: Quality Education, which contributes to sustainable development in the 2030 Agenda and, therefore, as a priority of EU policy to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Within these challenges, the need to safeguard our heritage is a fundamental aspect, where education is a key factor to guarantee the achievement of this goal. Heritage education has become a common element in the educational laws of many countries, and in the teaching and learning processes in general, particularly for the didactics of social sciences, the didactics of experimental sciences and artistic education. Research projects, doctoral theses and publications that address heritage as an objective, content and resource are increasingly abundant, being a field of great consequence also in educational research and innovation. This Special Issue on heritage education aims to bring together original research papers and review articles that highlight recent achievements in the study of heritage education from transdisciplinary approaches. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Learning and knowledge technologies in heritage education;
The role of heritage education in the sustainability of heritage;
Analysis of social media and digital environments in non-formal education;
Initial and permanent teacher training for heritage education;
Program evaluation, educational innovation and heritage;
Heritage learning and assessment;
Analysis of heritage in the curriculum and educational laws;
Heritage education and gender;
Access to heritage through education for vulnerable groups.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Olaia Fontal-Merillas
Prof. Dr. Marta Martínez-Rodríguez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

heritage education
identity
teacher training
cultural heritage
curriculum analysis
assessment
learning and knowledge technologies
program evaluation
museums
digital environments

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 21446 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Body-Camera Approach: Teacher Identity through Video Elicitation and Video Essay to Create Shared Heritages

by Ángela Barrera-García and Dolores Álvarez-Rodríguez

Heritage 2024, 7(4), 2055-2070; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7040097 - 30 Mar 2024

Viewed by 640

Abstract

This paper presents an approach to teacher identity heritage as a result of the implementation of a research device created through Arts-Based Research (ABR) methods, specifically with video elicitation and video essays used as research tools. Two main objectives were addressed. The first one was to establish the real relevance of focusing performance on teacher identity. The second one involved testing a new methodological proposal specifically designed for this purpose, but still useful in other contexts where heritage identity is as present as in teaching. The device, a body camera, involves a process that allows new ways to understand the creation of identities using video to encourage the production of new meanings through visual and oral data. The participants were teachers in training during their internship period. Some notions about teachers’ identity heritage were revealed, and also preserved, firstly through personal perspectives by video elicitations, and secondly through collective perspectives by video essays. Both are video structures used in ABR which mix creative experience, memories, life experiences, relationships, and links that shape the teachers’ professional identity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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17 pages, 289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions on the Use of Heritage in Secondary Education and Their Reception of Educational Materials from the Heritage and Museum Sector: A Case Study in Flanders (Belgium)

by Joris Van Doorsselaere

Heritage 2024, 7(2), 948-964; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7020045 - 12 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1111

Abstract

There has been a growing policy interest in establishing connections between heritage and education. Nevertheless, there seems to be very little evaluation or critical reflection on what actually happens in practice, and it remains unclear how heritage education is employed in countries throughout Europe. The aim of this paper is to assess the current status of heritage education in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium) via a literature review and an exploratory case study. The perceptions and opinions of pre-service teachers (n = 17) were investigated using three instruments: a questionnaire, document analysis, and the think aloud method. The results show that the pre-service teachers had a traditional interpretation of heritage, mainly relying on well-known and monumental examples and following a rather historical–artistic conception. However, it was found that their opinions were positive towards the use of heritage as an educational resource, and their evaluations of educational materials from the heritage and museum sector provided detailed information concerning teachers’ desires and needs in this regard. The implications of this study should encourage initial teacher training in Flanders to further consider the epistemological and methodological challenges in the emerging field of heritage education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

15 pages, 1086 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis between Virtual Visits and Pedagogical Outings to Heritage Sites: An Application in the Teaching of History

by Mario Corrales, Fernando Rodríguez, María José Merchán, Pilar Merchán and Emiliano Pérez

Heritage 2024, 7(1), 366-379; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7010018 - 14 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1556

Abstract

In recent years, the teaching and learning of history have been transformed by the incorporation of active methodologies and digital tools. Virtual reality (VR) is one such tool that is being increasingly used in classrooms. It allows students to visit and experience spaces from other historical periods, even those that have been lost. However, due to its relatively slow adoption in formal educational settings, there is still a paucity of scientific references where this type of experience has been empirically tested to prove its potential benefits. Further research on this issue is therefore needed. This study presents a comparative analysis of the didactic use of historical heritage from the Roman period using two different methodological strategies: an educational visit to a museum and a virtual tour via electronic devices. The main objective is to compare the effectiveness of these two methods in terms of usability, learning outcomes, and emotional responses. The study was conducted with 51 primary school teachers in training. Data were collected using two ad hoc questionnaires, which were based on a previous one. A hybrid analysis methodology was adopted, with SPSS used for interpreting the quantitative data and Atlas Ti for the qualitative information. The results indicate that the two methodologies were perceived by future teachers as valuable resources for learning and teaching history. The emotions they evoked were primarily curiosity, joy, and motivation, with only minor occurrences of frustration, nervousness, or fear. The experience gained from this first application will make it possible to extend the study to other educational levels, to enrich the conclusions obtained and to evaluate the potential scope of using this combination of methods to develop historical competences and improve heritage education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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13 pages, 282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Critical History of Formal Pedagogical Strategies for the Valorization of Cultural Heritage in Brazil

by Ana Laura Assumpção and Paulo César Castral

Heritage 2024, 7(1), 259-271; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7010013 - 8 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1292

Abstract

The paper in question is focused on (1) valuing the expanded and transdisciplinary approach for the definition of cultural heritage, consolidated in Brazil from the 1970s/1980s onwards, (2) and its subsequent applicability in the field of education, under the influence of a liberating pedagogy proposed by educator Paulo Freire. An important consequence of this process involves the conception of a formal education system structured to promote collectivity, equality, diversity, and educational equity, as a solution towards ensuring both the learning and development of students. (3) The paper discusses the contribution of the expanded context of cultural heritage and its relationship with the field of education in the development of pedagogical strategies that promote educational equity, through the Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC), a document that parameterizes the curricula from early childhood education to high school in Brazil. From a bibliographic review, the paper presents the conjuncture on which the new look at cultural heritage has been consolidated, and the consequent redefinition of heritage education actions, and then, as a result, analyzes the approximation between this new approach and the formal educational strategies present in the BNCC, as well as the possibilities of intercommunication between both. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

34 pages, 4512 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Heritage about Medicinal Plants in a European Transboundary Area (La Raya: Extremadura, Spain—Alentejo, Portugal): Transdisciplinary Research for Curriculum Design in Health Sciences

by José Ramón Vallejo, Geilsa Costa Santos Baptista, Helena Arco, José A. González, Dídac Santos-Fita and Salvador Postigo-Mota

Heritage 2024, 7(1), 225-258; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7010012 - 3 Jan 2024

Viewed by 2581

Abstract

Traditional knowledge about medicinal plants, and the biocultural heritage derived from them, can be a useful tool for curricular design in health sciences. Research on this topic oriented toward university students has an interesting potential from a multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary treatment. This field allows for establishing relationships between socioeconomic and environmental problems and the health and well-being of people from the perspective of the intangible heritage of rural communities. On the other hand, traditional knowledge draws from very diverse sources such as empirical, magical, and religious components, primitive medicines, and even from academic medicine itself when it ceases to be scientific. Methodological triangulation is used in terms of data (times, spaces, and people), as well as researchers from different areas of knowledge integrating approaches with an interpretive purpose. Located in a European transboundary territory, the study area contains the mountain ranges of Alor (Spain) and São Mamede (Portugal), two cross-border areas where key informants have been interviewed. The observation unit is people who perform traditional practices to gather natural products, and other randomly selected informants. The study was completed with information collected from the undergraduates of the Escola Superior de Saúde de Portalegre (Portugal). The purpose of this work was to highlight the application of traditional knowledge based on medicinal plants in university studies of health sciences. Based on the results obtained and an epistemological discussion, we propose an educational intervention to broaden the professional mindset from a biocultural perspective. Our proposal directs the student’s gaze toward the investigation of medical history and biocultural heritage to understand the determinants of health and to respect the idiosyncrasies of their communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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15 pages, 1923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Local History and the Development of Heritage Bonds: A Primary Education Intervention

by Sara I’Anson Gutiérrez, Miguel Ángel Suárez Suárez and Roser Calaf Masachs

Heritage 2023, 6(11), 7215-7229; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6110378 - 18 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1543

Abstract

The Roman Baths of Valduno (Spain) possess significant educational potential, as recognized by visitors in a previous study, even though the facilities have not been maintained properly or have not been given enough publicity , which has resulted in their neglect. Through participation in a school project, a specific intervention is planned, following the ideas of community archaeology, regarding the study and dissemination of the Baths by following the ideas of community archaeology throughout. This study aims to analyse the impact this intervention has on 16 students regarding their knowledge of heritage and the bonds forged and reinforced concerning the site, as well as to identify the difference in historical knowledge acquired after a classroom explanation of the Baths and an open guided tour focused on the interests of the students. A case study was designed following the educational ethnography method, as it facilitates daily attendance as well as close observation of the case in question. The instruments developed (a register for participant observation and a semi-structured interview) reveal that symbolic appropriation of the site occurs as interaction and related knowledge increase. Furthermore, open guided tours facilitate greater significant learning in contrast to a classroom explanation on a heritage site. Educational experiences that embrace experimental, transdisciplinary, and participative methodologies contribute to a holistic understanding of heritage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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14 pages, 1065 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Educational Dimension as an Emergent Topic in the Management of Heritage: Mapping Scientific Production, 1991–2022

by Olaia Fontal, Marta Martínez-Rodríguez and Silvia García-Ceballos

Heritage 2023, 6(11), 7126-7139; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6110372 - 10 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1667

Abstract

Heritage is increasingly present in educational discourses, yet research on heritage education still lacks literature overviews that identify trends in its scientific production worldwide in order to get to know the discipline’s advances, evolution, and impact. This article collected a bibliographic review of n = 223 documents indexed in Scopus and the Web of Science between 1991 and 2022. The analysis was carried out in two phases. During the first phase, distance-based maps were constructed using the VOSviewer 1.6.16 software. During the second phase, a systematic review was carried out based on methodological classification and a content analysis. The study identified thematic networks of (C1) heritage education in formal education, (C2) heritage education, cultural heritage, and educational innovation, (C3) archaeological heritage education, (C4) heritage education, case studies, and historical awareness, and (C5) heritage education, and classified research genealogies and methodologies, which, in turn, led to the definition of two emerging genealogies: teacher training and instrumental, which were added to re-conceptualizing, contextual didactic, and evaluative, and ultimately identified a predominantly qualitative methodology. A classification of the methodologies, methods, and techniques of heritage education research was also made. This study constitutes a clear and pioneering contribution to our understanding of this discipline. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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Review

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13 pages, 813 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sharing Heritage through Open Innovation—An Attempt to Apply the Concept of Open Innovation in Heritage Education and the Reconstruction of Cultural Identity

by Adam R. Szromek and Marek Bugdol

Heritage 2024, 7(1), 193-205; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7010010 - 2 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1570

Abstract

The topic of cultural heritage is the subject of many interdisciplinary studies. So far, these studies have focused on the issues of classifying particular types of heritage, their functions and benefits, components and determinants. However, relatively less attention was paid to the dimension of a methodical approach to education and rebuilding cultural identity through heritage. Meanwhile, generational changes, especially in the dimension of knowledge perception, indicate such a need. The aim of this article is to present the perspective of using open innovations in the transfer of cultural heritage used in shaping cultural identity and education. Our review and conceptual article is an attempt to draw attention to the problem of changes in the perception of cultural heritage by generations born in the era of the digital revolution and the need to take these changes into account in heritage education. Taking these conditions into account allowed the authors to develop a model for generating open innovation in the outside-in process and then to develop a model for making it available through the inside-out process. The role of education in this process was also emphasized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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Other

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13 pages, 1779 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Status of Didactic Models for Heritage Education: A Systematic Review

by Yenifer Karina Valencia Arnica, Jackeline Lorena Ccasani Rodriguez, Fabian Hugo Rucano Paucar and Fabiola Talavera-Mendoza

Heritage 2023, 6(12), 7611-7623; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6120400 - 8 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1977

Abstract

Heritage education is very important because it implies a holistic and transdisciplinary approach, where teachers must use resources and educational proposals that promote the conservation, appreciation, and care of heritage. The objective of this study is to analyze heritage education from a global perspective to identify didactic models, areas of educational action, categories, and typologies used in teaching and learning processes. A systematic review of the literature is proposed using the PRISMA methodology in three multidisciplinary databases by carrying out an exhaustive search with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results highlight that teachers develop learning experiences focused on didactic models with pedagogical intervention in the classroom with formal action, focusing mainly on intangible heritage related to festive acts and rituals; so, they only achieve identity levels and do not reach the heritage levels necessary to create a legacy and promote the appreciation of cultural heritage. The use of digital educational strategies and resources is required to integrate real and simulated spaces with new educational and didactic approaches using virtual technologies. Consequently, this study implies that teachers need to develop digital skills to achieve more effective and meaningful heritage education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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16 pages, 2313 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Edu-Communication from Museums to Formal Education: Cases around Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Co-Creative Paradigm

by Pilar Rivero, Gloria Jové-Monclús and Alodia Rubio-Navarro

Heritage 2023, 6(11), 7067-7082; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6110368 - 1 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1913

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced museums to rethink their activity in the context of social media, thus generating new ways of communicating and educating about the heritage they preserve. This article explores the indissoluble relationship established between these emerging edu-communication models and the spaces destined to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage (ICH), since the latter is a sociocultural phenomenon whose museumization requires education and civic participation. In order to determine to what extent museum edu-communication inspired by the co-creative paradigm can be extended into formal teaching contexts for the generation of heritage bonds and communities around ICH, two cases produced at the J. Trepat Factory Museum in Tàrrega (Spain) are analyzed through an autoethnographic approach. Both examples encourage a reflection on how the co-creative paradigm makes it possible to raise awareness and involve the entire community in the safeguarding of heritage, while at the same time promoting the expansion and reformulation of the institution’s proposals. We conclude that the integration of this approach into formal pedagogical practices contributes to overcoming some of the limitations of non-formal and informal edu-communication, as well as to generating a rhizomatic identization around ICH. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Heritage Education: Transdisciplinary Approaches)

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