Heritage education: challenges in dealing with the past

Abstract

Heritage education is an approach to teaching and learning that uses material and immaterial heritage as a primary instructional resource in order to increase pupils’ understanding of history and culture. This publication presents the initial findings of a research programme on heritage education (2009-2014) undertaken by the Center for Historical Culture at Erasmus University Rotterdam. The introduction reflects on such concepts as historical distance, commonality and multiperspectivity, each of which plays an important role in the dynamic approach to heritage in education. The chapters based on empirical studies show the relevance of these concepts when studying the pedagogical decisions of history teachers and heritage educators, when investigating heritage educational resources, and when exploring how pupils who visit a heritage site or museum learn. They all focus on the topic of the transatlantic slave trade and how it is taught in multi cultural classrooms. The aim of this publication is to encourage fruit ful discussion among researchers, history teachers and practicioners working in the field of heritage education.