Progress in Heritage Education: Evolving Techniques and Methods

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a special issue titled "Progress in Heritage Education: Evolving Techniques and Methods".

For several decades, heritage education has been among the fastest-growing scientific disciplines within the social sciences, adopting a wide array of research procedures. Some of these procedures originate from quantitative methodologies, but an increasing number are derived from qualitative approaches, relying on strategies related to ethnographic methods, for instance, as well as the application of complex algorithms in collaboration with artificial intelligence.

Among the new thematic orientations that the discipline has been adopting are the application of cultural identity to educational actions related to heritage, the ability to form heritage communities, the application of heritage-making processes as educational and data gathering strategies, strengthening ties with heritage, the female perspective on heritage, or heritage education as an asset for economic development in rural areas. These lines of work are increasingly featured in publications selected by reference journals.

As heritage education has grown as a research topic in academia, there has also been a shift in how it is introduced in the classroom. It will be of great interest to explore how it is incorporated into teaching curricula, especially when done through educational innovation marked by transversality, transdiscipline, artificial intelligence, and disruptive or artistic methodologies.

This special issue on heritage education aims to gather original research papers and review articles that highlight the techniques and methods of studying heritage education that are currently under development, as well as specific examples of work where such procedures are applied, especially from multifocal, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches. The areas of research may include (among others) the following:

• Learning and knowledge technologies in heritage education.
• The role of heritage education in heritage sustainability.
• Sustainability in promoting heritage education from public administration and in the dissemination of cultural goods (accessibility, dissemination).
• Heritage education in the social, cultural, and family spheres.
• Gender, equality, and rural areas in heritage education.
• Cultural heritage in higher education.
• Heritage education and citizen participation.
• Educational innovation and heritage.
• Learning and evaluation of heritage.
• Access to heritage through education for vulnerable groups.
• Heritage communities.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Olaia Fontal-Merillas
Prof. Dr. Alex Ibañez-Etxeberria
Dr. Pablo De Castro Martín
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.

• heritage education
• higher education
• heritage sustainability
• heritage communities
• quantitative methodologies

Title: 360 tour for educational purposes on a technical museum
Authors: Julio Rodríguez Bona; María Isabel Lamas Galdo; Laura Castro Santos; José Manuel Pérez Canosa; Juan José Cartelle Barros; José Antonio Orosa García
Affiliation: University of Coruña (Spain); Escuela Politécnica de Ingeniería de Ferrol, Campus Industrial de Ferrol, CITENI, Universidade da Coruña,15403 Ferrol, Spain.
Abstract: : This paper explores the implementation and impact of 360 tours for educational purposes in a technical museum setting. With the advancement of immersive technologies, 360 tours offer a novel approach to museum education, providing an interactive and engaging experience for learners. The study examines the development of a 360 tour of a technical museum, focusing on its design, ex-ecution, and educational benefits. Besides, the possibility to examine students through 360 tours is also analyzed. The effectiveness of 360 tours in enhancing visitors' understanding and retention of technical concepts is evaluated. The findings indicate that 360 tours significantly enrich the learning experience by offering detailed, panoramic views of exhibits, enabling remote access, and sup-porting self-paced learning. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential of 360 tours to broaden the reach of museum education, making technical knowledge accessible to a global audience.

Title: Intangible heritage as a resource for developing historical and heritage consciousness in Portuguese Primary students (1st CEB)
Authors: Solé, Glória; Pereira, Sofia
Affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Educação (CIEd), Instituto de Educação, Universidade do Minho, Portugal, [email protected] Instituto de Educação, Universidade do Minho, Portugal,
Abstract: Local Intangible Heritage is a resource and source of rich and varied historical information, which, as such, should be used for learning History and building and developing students' historical and heritage consciousness. Due to its nature of generational transmission, there is a permanent recreation and adaptation of Intangible Heritage, which proves the cultural diversity of the place and contributes to understanding and respect for difference and, simultaneously, cohesion between communities. The study presented was developed in a class of 26 students in the 4th year of the 1st CEB (Primary), aged 9-10 years, of a school in the north of Portugal, in which we sought to understand how students develop their historical learning process having based on the intangible heritage of its location (Guimarães), through the exploration of traditions and historical recreations, in a constructivist teaching and learning approach. The study involved the development of historical skills, at the level of research, interpretation, reflection, critical spirit, and active involvement of students in the construction of knowledge. Data were collected through various techniques and instruments such as direct, systematic and participant observation, field notes, survey sheets of previous ideas, work carried out by students, as well as, through evaluative instruments: skills recording grids, self-regulation learning sheets and metacognition sheets. Subsequently, the data collected was analyzed and categorized based on the Grounded Theory methodology. The study allowed us to conclude that Local Intangible Heritage can play a fundamental role in the teaching and learning of History in the 1st CEB (Primary), as it is possible to promote historical consciousness in students based on contact and analysis of heritage sources, when treated as historical evidence. In this particular case, the use of Local Intangible Heritage – traditions and historical recreation–proved to be effective in developing students' historical cognition and inference, as it allowed them to be able to attribute significance to intangible heritage for a better understanding of history local and national, reducing the spatio-temporal distance between the present and the past.

Title: Comparative Analysis of Legal and Managerial Components in Postgraduate Heritage Studies: A German and Polish Perspective
Authors: Izabella Parowicz; Piotr Stec
Affiliation: Viadrina University in Germany Instytut Nauk Prawnych / Institute of Law
Abstract: This paper presents a comparative analysis of the legal and managerial components in selected postgraduate Heritage Studies programs in Poland and Germany, in response to the growing demand for such specialized education. These programs are designed for graduates from fields such as restoration, archaeology, architecture, and cultural studies, who seek to expand their expertise and advance into leadership roles. However, many students face a challenge: the need to acquire knowledge in areas of law and management specifically applicable to heritage preservation and heritage institutions, while struggling with an internal reluctance or fear of these unfamiliar subjects. Through an examination of curricula from selected Polish and German institutions, this study explores how these programs address the development of legal and managerial competencies crucial for effective management within the heritage sector. The analysis will focus on the specific legal frameworks and management strategies relevant to heritage preservation, assessing the extent to which current curricula prepare students for these specialized roles. Additionally, the paper will propose areas where the curriculum could be refined to better support students without prior legal or managerial training. The ultimate aim is to provide constructive recommendations for enhancing postgraduate Heritage Studies programs to ensure a comprehensive and accessible education tailored to the needs of the heritage sector.

Title: Mixed Reality for Natural Heritage Education: A Design Framework for Enhancing Indoor Experiences
Authors: Alexandros Kleftodimos
Affiliation: Department of Communication and Digital Media, University of Western Macedonia. Greece
Abstract: Mixed Reality (MR) integrates the user's real-world environment with digitally generated content, creating a hybrid experience where both realities coexist. This paper explores a mixed reality application developed for natural heritage education, specifically designed to enhance indoor learning experiences. The focus is on a learning activity titled "Exploring the Aquarium," implemented by the Education Center for the Environment and Sustainability of Kastoria as part of an environmental education program. The activity aims to enrich students' knowledge and experiences during their aquarium visits, foster active participation in the learning process, stimulate cognitive interest, and promote actions that contribute to the ecological restoration of aquatic ecosystems. This paper outlines the design criteria, thematic focus, and learning objectives of the application, along with its core functionalities. Additionally, it presents findings from quantitative research evaluating the learning experience. A questionnaire tailored for MR applications was employed to assess aspects such as challenge, educational value (knowledge gained), user collaboration, and intention to reuse the app. Data were collected from 148 K-12 students during the 2023-2024 school year. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed high scores across all evaluated factors. The results indicate that the MR-enhanced educational activity captured students' interest and facilitated a collaborative learning environment. The application was positively rated for its functionality, usability, informational content, and the satisfaction it provided, as well as for its ability to encourage cooperation and future reuse.

Title: Creativity and perceptions aspects in “co-creation of art” using Artificial Intelligence based system in Heritage Education
Authors: Francesca Condorelli; Francesca Berti
Affiliation: Free University of Bozen
Abstract: This article investigates a learning setting contextualising the use of Artificial Intelligence in art and heritage education, with a particular focus on AI systems utilizing text-to-image processes. The setting is the one of a university interdisciplinary seminar which merge the topic of communication with virtual tools with the one of heritage education. The paper illustrates the didactics steps needed to introduce a highly technical and, for most of the students, unknown topic, such as AI. The article necessarily addresses the issue of so-called ‘artistic co-creation’, and examines critical aspects such as the role of the artist, creativity, and authorship. For example, the artist's role and its shift from a sole creator to a collaborator or director influencing the AI’s output. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the development of teaching and learning tools fostering Heritage Education through AI based systems. The latter are seen as a potential educational tool to engaging students, in approaching the understanding of the heritage framework and its safeguarding, with a particular focus on the relationship between community, territory and active participation, as emphasised by both the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) and the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (Faro Convention 2005).