Perceptions of Heritage among Students of Early Childhood and Primary Education

Abstract

In recent decades, a growing awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage as a means of promoting sustainable development has been accompanied by a similar re-evaluation of the role of heritage education as a key driver of citizen engagement. The development and implementation of heritage education at all levels, particularly in the context of teacher training, is of vital importance. The aim of this study is to analyse student teachers’ understanding of heritage and its potential as an educational tool, in order to identify measures to enhance teacher training and practice with respect to heritage and heritage education. The research design consists of a comparative study of a non-random sample of 149 trainee teachers undertaking Bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education at the University of Córdoba (Spain). The results reveal a mainly cultural conception of heritage among both groups, based on local material elements, and little sense of the link between heritage and present-day life. The students studying early childhood education were found to display a more specific knowledge of heritage in their answers, while the primary education students showed a greater awareness of identity and values as features of cultural heritage.

Challenges with Complex Situations in the Teaching and Learning of Social Sciences in Initial Teacher Education

“…Other works that have preceded ours confirm the need for this type of study and, above all, to be able to incorporate these methodologies in the classroom, for which it is essential that future teachers receive the best possible training (Cuenca 2013;Estepa et al 2005;Fontal et al 2012;Fontal and Ibáñez 2017;López-Fernández et al 2021;Moreno-Vera et al 2022;Morote and Colomer 2021;Yáñez andGómez-Trigueros 2021, 2022). In this sense, it is essential to introduce an aspect that, despite not being the specific object of this article, is closely linked and is therefore undeniable.…”

Integrating historic preservation into a wider framework of urban development through comprehensive planning: an evaluation of local comprehensive plans in U.S. state capitals

“…Both the basic survey of historic preservation and the entire process of comprehensive planning requires significant financial support [22,23]. The integration of historic preservation into comprehensive planning also requires a bottom-up public-education level of heritage awareness [23][24][25]. Furthermore, clear law and regulatory requirements may bring higher quality historic preservation into planning [26][27][28].…”

Maximizing Engagement with Cultural Heritage through Video Games

“…This is especially relevant in light of the massification of tourism, the digitization of cultural heritage, and the deterioration or disappearance of cultural heritage in some parts of the world [1][2][3]. These issues can be addressed by preparing young people to promote new ways of communicating cultural heritage, develop new methods of participation in culture, and potentially alter their own behavior and influence social change [4][5][6].…”

“…It also includes the physical remains of a society, such as monuments, architecture, and archaeological sites. Cultural heritage is often seen as a way to pass on knowledge, values, and beliefs from one generation to the next [2,6].…”