Once Upon a Time… Creative Methodologies to Teach European Culture and Heritage

Description

Concept by Łukasz W. Kosowski

In an increasingly interconnected global landscape, where cultures intertwine and traditions serve as the threads weaving societies together, the comprehension of cultural heritage emerges as an indispensable facet of education and social understanding.

Thus, holidays serve as a wonderful base to exercise cross-cultural, blended methodologies for the students to better understand the world and practice some of the most important competencies.

This course explores how teachers can use various tools, digital platforms, and apps or games, to share knowledge and spark curiosity in the topics of cultures and cultural heritage (holidays and traditions being part of its intangible face).

Participants will get to know how to map various cultures, what is tangible and intangible cultural heritage, what are various holidays across the world, and how to incorporate them in teaching various subjects with the help of the chosen tools.

At the end of the week, participants will have documented their training course using photography and filmmaking, allowing them to communicate their learning process and bring to their classrooms new tools to discuss all the different shades of cultural heritage.

Please note: If you plan your course accordingly, each city becomes a vibrant learning environment: December invites you with its enchanting Christmas markets, while March/April celebrates Easter with joyous festivities and much more.

Learning outcomes

The course will help the participants to:   

• Use ICT tools to teach culture;
• Discuss cultures, history, arts, and sustainability through holistic activities;
• Use cities as learning tools;
• Use photography, video making, and other visual art content as a teaching tool;
• Use Game-Based Learning and Project Based Learning methodologies to teach cultural and intercultural communication;
• Incorporate heritage education into a curriculum.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Course introduction and setting goals

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Identification of needs and goals for each participant;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools;
• An overview of culture and cultural heritage;
• Using holidays as a first step to create lesson plans for different age groups.

Day 2 – Intangible cultural heritage: traditions

• Mapping holidays relevant for the students;
• Connect the student’s experience in a broad context;
• Creating infographics;
• Create content: memes.

Day 3 – Telling stories

• Use different tools for storytelling;
• Writing poems, making music;
• First steps into video-making;
• Make a stop-motion animated film about a chosen holiday.

Day 4 – Culture of games for education

• Discussions and reflection on the issues related to culture and gaming;
• Explore Game Based Learning from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage;
• Games on the topic of culture, and game design;
• Experience and design your own educational city quest (treasure hunt).

Day 5 – Cultural heritage in your class

• Practical workshop: prepare a lesson plan that focuses on cultural heritage using all the tools discovered;
• Share your work and discuss it with your colleagues.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.