Research Group: Educação e Desafios Societais

Connecting History Education and Heritage Education, this research aim to develop educational activities related to use of objects and heritage sites, grounded in a systematic process and methodological criteria. Through a descriptive empirical study and a mainly qualitative approach, it was intended to seek out how students infer from heritage sources, taking part in history teaching and learning activities. Data here reported refer to a PhD study in which specific instruments were applied to a sample of 87 students (40 students attending year 7 and 47 students from year 10), from several secondary schools of Guimarães municipality, in northern Portugal, and their history teachers. The analysis of data followed an increasingly refined categorization process in order to find out a model of students’ conceptual progression and of teachers’ profiles concerning the use of heritage sources and types of historical consciousness. This study highlights the interest of approaching heritage sources as historical evidence, and not only as illustration or information, in history teaching and learning activities.

Resumo: Relacionando Educação Histórica e Educação Patrimonial, pretende-se desenvolver de forma sistemática e segundo critérios metodológicos, atividades educativas relacionadas com o uso de objetos e sítios históricos. Apresentam-se resultados de uma investigação desenvolvida no âmbito de um doutoramento em Ciências da Educação, na Universidade do Minho (Portugal). Num estudo empírico descritivo e numa abordagem essencialmente qualitativa, pretendeu-se investigar de que forma os alunos inferem, com base em fontes patrimoniais, em atividades de ensino e aprendizagem de História realizadas no exterior da escola. Os dados aqui apresentados reportam-se ao estudo principal de investigação, no qual instrumentos específicos foram aplicados a uma amostra de 87 alunos (40 alunos do 7º ano e 47 do 10º ano de escolaridade) de cinco escolas do município de Guimarães, no norte de Portugal, e aos respetivos professores de História. Os dados foram analisados mediante um processo de categorização progressivamente refinado no sentido de encontrar modelos de progressão conceptual relativos a alunos e perfis de professores sobre o uso de fontes patrimoniais e tipos de consciência histórica. O estudo salienta o interesse do uso de fontes patrimoniais no ensino e aprendizagem de História, como evidência histórica e não apenas como ilustração ou informação.

Palavras-chave: Educação Histórica, Educação Patrimonial, fontes patrimoniais, evidência histórica

To discuss the heritage issue within the history education framework this paper regards the use of historic sites, buildings and objects as historical evidence for out-of-school students’ activities. Data here reported refer to a part of a PhD study in which specific instruments were applied to a sample of 87 students, attending year 7 (12/13 years old) and year 10 (15/16 years old), from several secondary schools of Guimarães, in northern Portugal. The analysis of data from students’ answers followed an increasingly refined categorization process in order to find out a model of students’ conceptual progression concerning the way they inferred from heritage sources. Reflecting on the results of this study, it should be stressed the need of approaching teachers and students’ education activities in a systematic and consistent process, providing tasks that can challenge students' preconceptions and encourage historical interpretation of heritage sources in terms of local history, connected to national and European history.

This paper shares some results of a PhD research study focused on students and teachers’ conceptions, with particular with reference to the use of heritage evidence in history teaching and learning, in order to make a connection with and to make sense of the past. Within a double framework – history education and heritage education – the empirical study followed a mainly qualitative approach based on grounded theory, and was carried out with a sample of 87 students, 40 attending year 7 and 47, year 10, accompanied by their history teachers (N6) from several secondary schools of Guimarães, in northern Portugal. Students took part in an outside school history activity to interpret specific objects, buildings and historic sites, and answered a questionnaire designed for that purpose; teachers answered another questionnaire, before and after the field activity. The analysis of data has suggested diverse students’ patterns of ideas in terms of conceptual progression, and several teachers’ profiles concerning the use of evidence and types of historical consciousness. As intended in this study, approaching heritage education in a systematic and consistent process might improve multiple competences in youngsters, particularly in the context of historical understanding, fostering students’ ability to 'read' objects, buildings and sites as historical evidence.

This paper presents a part of a doctoral research in History and Social Sciences Education, held at University of Minho (Portugal), within a mainly qualitative approach, connecting Education Historical and Heritage Education. It was intended to deepen the understanding of how students and history teacher make sense of heritage as historical evidence. In the main study, specific instruments were applied to a sample of 87 students (40 of Year 7 and 47 of the Year 10) of five schools in the city of Guimarães, northern Portugal, and the respective history teachers. Data were analyzed through a process of progressively refined categorization, allowing stress that the use of heritage in methodologically appropriate tasks can facilitate the understanding of abstract historical concepts by students, and the role of teachers in developing students’ understanding of evidence, involving them in building their historical knowledge, with a view to meaningful learning.
Keywords: History Education, Heritage Education, heritage sources, historical evidence

Resumen: Se presenta parte de una investigación doctoral en Educación en Historia y Ciencias Sociales (Universidad do Minho, Portugal), que ha adoptado un enfoque esencialmente cualitativo, intentando relacionar la Educación Histórica y la Educación Patrimonial. Aspirando a profundizar la comprensión de los significados atribuidos por alumnos y profesores de historia a las fuentes patrimoniales como evidencia histórica, en el estudio principal se han aplicado instrumentos específicos a una muestra de 87 estudiantes (40 del 7º grado y 47 del 10º grado) de cinco institutos del municipio de Guimarães, Norte de Portugal, y respectivos profesores de historia. Los datos han sido analizados en un proceso de categorización progresivamente refinado, lo cual ha permitido destacar que el uso del patrimonio en tareas metodológicamente adecuadas puede facilitar la comprensión de conceptos históricos más abstractos por los alumnos, y el papel de los profesores en el desarrollo de la comprensión de la evidencia por los alumnos, implicándolos en la construcción de su conocimiento histórico, según un aprendizaje significativo.

Resumo: Sintetiza-se aqui parte de uma investigação de doutoramento no âmbito da Educação em História e Ciências Sociais, realizada na Universidade do Minho (Portugal), que assumiu uma abordagem metodológica essencialmente qualitativa, procurando relacionar a Educação Histórica e a Educação Patrimonial. Pretendendo aprofundar a compreensão dos sentidos atribuídos por alunos e professores de História a fontes patrimoniais como evidência histórica, no estudo principal aplicaram-se instrumentos específicos a uma amostra de 87 alunos (40 do 7º ano e 47 do 10º ano de escolaridade) de cinco escolas do município de Guimarães, no norte de Portugal, e aos respetivos professores de História. Os dados foram analisados mediante um processo de categorização progressivamente refinado, permitindo salientar que o uso de fontes patrimoniais em tarefas metodologicamente adequadas pode facilitar a compreensão de conceitos históricos mais abstratos pelos alunos, e o papel dos professores no desenvolvimento da compreensão da evidência pelos alunos, envolvendo-os na construção do seu conhecimento histórico, tendo em vista uma aprendizagem significativa. "

This paper presents a study carried out within a PhD in History and Social Sciences Education, held at University of Minho (Portugal), aiming to deepening, in a systematic and essentially qualitative approach, the understanding of how students and teachers make sense of heritage sources, and also of concepts related to historical consciousness, such as identity and heritage. The reflection under the History and Social Sciences epistemological framework intended to contribute to the discussion on how Portuguese students – of 7th and 10th grades of Guimarães schools, northern Portugal – deal with historical evidence, and how their teachers understand the use of heritage sources in teaching and learning history, given its relationship with interpretation as a process of making sense of the past. The results of this study revealed possibilities of new educational approaches regarding the use of heritage as evidence in History Education, and contributing to the development of historical and heritage consciousness.
Keywords: Heritage, Identity, Historical Consciousness, Historical Evidence, History and Heritage Education.

Resumen: Se presenta un estudio efectuado en una investigación de doctorado en Educación en Historia y Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad de Minho (Portugal) con el objetivo de profundizar en un enfoque sistemático y esencialmente cualitativo la comprensión de los significados atribuidos por alumnos y profesores a fuentes patrimoniales, en conexión con los conceptos relacionados con la conciencia histórica, como los de identidad y patrimonio. Se trata de una reflexión y cuestionamiento dentro de la epistemología de la Historia y las Ciencias Sociales, buscando contribuir a un debate sobre cómo los estudiantes portugueses - del 7 º y 10 º grado de institutos de Guimarães, norte de Portugal – trabajan con la evidencia histórica, y como sus maestros conciben el uso de las fuentes patrimoniales en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la historia, dada su relación con la interpretación como un proceso de construcción de sentido sobre el pasado. Los resultados del estudio permiten abrir posibilidades sobre nuevas formas de aproximación educativa con respecto al uso del patrimonio como evidencia en la didáctica de la historia, contribuyendo al desarrollo de la conciencia histórica y patrimonial.
Palabras-clave: Patrimonio, Identidad, Conciencia Histórica, Evidencia Histórica, Didáctica de la Historia e del Patrimonio.

The development under systematic and methodological criteria, of educational activities related to the use of heritage sources, demands a discussion about consistent heritage education practices, combining it with a reflection on existing history education research. Along with an attentiveness on heritage preservation, teachers can implement a variety
of practices to promote interpretation of different sources – namely the
use of objects within historic centres context– encouraging students to question them critically and of an increasingly complex way. We present here a study of qualitative nature, which sought to investigate how Portuguese students (from 7th and 10th grades) infer from objects and buildings along a walk through the historic centre of Guimarães (Portugal) during educational activities with their history teachers.
Data analysis suggested various conceptual profiles concerning how students make sense of heritage, and how they and their teachers recognize the dialogic relationship between past, present and future that characterizes Historical Consciousness.

This paper emphasises the importance of providing tasks and learning activities that instil change on students’ preconceptions and improve the interpretation of nearby heritage remains.
Grounded on the idea that progress in historical understanding involves a meaningful and contextualized learning (Ashby, Lee & Shemilt, 2005; Chapman, 2006), there is a reflection on the concepts of History Education and Heritage Education in order to identify convergences related to the use of historic sites and objects as historical evidence.
Some formal educational activities have been proposed in order to understand students’ conceptions, especially those related to the use of heritage remains in history teaching and learning, as regards to their relation with the process of making sense of the past (Cooper & West, 2009).
Results of systematic research, within mainly qualitative studies, regarding students’ conceptions on local heritage – in northern Portugal – might reinforce the challenge to stimulate young people to think and argue about heritage evidence and the people who built/used it in the past, and ultimately contribute to improve a more advanced historical consciousness (Seixas, 2004) of both students and teachers.

In History teaching, interdisciplinary curricular aspects related to the use of cultural heritage or the questioning of the progress of improvement acts on tolerance, respect for differences and cooperation among peoples require a reasoned and systematic reflection on students and teachers’ conceptions in central areas for History Education, such as interculturality. In this research it was aimed at deepening, in an essentially qualitative approach, the understanding of how students and teachers make sense of heritage sources, and also of concepts related to historical consciousness, such as identity and heritage. We have analysed the conceptions of 7th and 10th graders of several schools in northern Portugal, dealing with heritage evidence, and how their teachers understand the use of heritage sources in teaching and learning History,
given its relationship with interpretation as a process of making sense of the past. Different identity profiles emerged from data analysis depending on the pattern of thinking, from a local/national identity grounded on origins, i.e. exclusive, up to a more inclusive and European/global identity. The results of this study revealed possibilities of new educational approaches regarding the use of heritage as historical evidence, and contributing to the development of historical and heritage consciousness.

RESUMO
No ensino de História, aspectos curriculares interdisciplinares relacionados com o uso do património cultural ou a problematização em torno do desenvolvimento de atitudes de tolerância, de respeito pela diferença e cooperação entre povos, necessitam de uma reflexão fundamentada e sistemática sobre concepções de alunos e professores em áreas centrais para a Educação Histórica, como a da interculturalidade. Com o objetivo de aprofundar, numa abordagem essencialmente qualitativa, a compreensão dos sentidos atribuídos por alunos e professores a fontes patrimoniais, em articulação com conceitos ligados à consciência histórica, nomeadamente os de identidade e de património, analisaram-se as concepções de alunos de 7.º ano e de 10.º ano de várias escolas do norte de Portugal, acerca da forma como interpretam fontes patrimoniais e, ainda, como os seus professores entendem o uso de fontes patrimoniais no ensino e aprendizagem de História, dada a sua relação com a interpretação como processo de construção de significado acerca do passado. Neste estudo registaram-se diferentes perfis de identidade consoante o padrão de pensamento, desde uma identidade local/nacional fundada nas origens, i.e. exclusiva, até uma identidade mais inclusiva e europeia/global. Os resultados do estudo permitem abrir possibilidades de novas formas de abordagem educativa relacionadas com a utilização do património como evidência histórica, contribuindo para o desenvolvimento da consciência histórica e patrimonial.

This paper presents two research studies in the field of heritage education carried out in Portugal and Brazil, both of them focusing on the use of heritage in history teaching, within a group of experienced history teachers undertaking continuing education and a group of Brazilian trainee teachers. From an essentially qualitative approach, the research projects aimed at understanding these teachers’ perspectives regarding the use of local cultural heritage - tangible and intangible - in teaching activities, and consequently in student learning, in view of their relationship with the process of making sense of the past. Regarding research results, Portuguese teachers’ responses
were more connected to approaching sources after the contextualization of the subjects in substantive terms, but some teachers emphasized the intersection of sources and their interpretation in context, within their proposals of activities for the exploration of local heritage. Brazilian trainee teachers also recognized the possibility of understanding historical processes using different heritage sources, by questioning them and constructing historical interpretations of the past.

Resumo:  Apresentam-se duas investigações realizadas no âmbito da educação patrimonial realizada no Brasil e em Portugal, com foco no uso do património no ensino de história, com um grupo de professores de história em situação de formação contínua e um outro grupo em formação inicial. Com base numa abordagem de natureza essencialmente qualitativa, ambos os estudos tiveram como objetivos conhecer e compreender perspectivas desses professores sobre a utilização do património cultural local - material e imaterial - no ensino e, consequentemente, na aprendizagem dos alunos, atendendo à sua relação com o processo de construção de significado acerca do passado. Quanto aos resultados de investigação, os professores portugueses deram maior relevância à abordagem das fontes após a contextualização do tema em termos substantivos, mas alguns salientaram o cruzamento de fontes e sua interpretação em contexto, nas propostas de atividades de exploração do património local. Também os licenciandos em história brasileiros reconheceram a possibilidade de compreensão dos processos históricos a partir
de distintas fontes patrimoniais, problematizando e construindo interpretações históricas do passado.

This paper proposes to present an approach to cultural heritage where theory and practice are mixed in the light of the research methodology in heritage education and history education, aiming to analyse and understand, in two different countries, Portugal and Brazil, how does the implementation of history teaching and learning activities with exploration of local cultural heritage, improves students’ progression in historical understanding and heritage awareness. The main lines of the theoretical debate (from Anglo-Saxon and Iberian to Latin Americans
references) are described, as they support the methodology structuring this study. Subsequently, we describe two case studies which have been developed in the area of formal education, with 7th grade students, in the north of Portugal, and 8th grade students, in the centre-west of Brazil, intending to understand students’ conceptions about diverse cultural heritage traces in their social geographic environment. The results of the educational experiences, developed in different contexts, although without comparative objectives, revealed that many of the students have surpassed their previous conceptions and some of them revealed historical awareness regarding the use of the observed cultural heritage. Accordingly, there is potential for the interpretation of heritage sources in education, once encouraging young people to reason critically about their environment and the relationship with others.

RESUMEN
En este artículo se plantea presentar una aproximación al patrimonio cultural en que se combinan teoría y práctica a la luz de la metodología de investigación en educación patrimonial y en la didáctica de la historia, con el objetivo de analizar y comprender cómo en dos países diferentes, Portugal y Brasil, la implementación de actividades de enseñanza y aprendizaje de historia con exploración del patrimonio cultural en ámbito local, favorece la progresión en el conocimiento histórico y en la conciencia patrimonial de los estudiantes. Se refieren las principales líneas del debate teórico (desde los referentes anglosajones e ibéricos a los latinoamericanos) que fundamentan la metodología utilizada. Seguidamente, se describen dos estudios de caso que se han desarrollado en el ámbito de educación formal con estudiantes de 7º grado en el norte de Portugal y estudiantes de 8º grado en el centro-oeste de Brasil, planteando conocer las concepciones de los estudiantes hacia diversas huellas del patrimonio cultural de su entorno. Los resultados de las experiencias educativas desarrolladas en contextos diferentes, si bien sin objetivos comparativos, muestran que muchos de los estudiantes han superado sus concepciones previas y algunos
revelan conciencia histórica respecto al uso de ese patrimonio cultural. Por consiguiente, hay potencial para la interpretación de las fuentes patrimoniales, materiales o inmateriales en la educación, mientras se estimule a los jóvenes a pensar críticamente sobre su entorno y la relación con los demás.

This paper addresses the value of effective, significant heritage education pedagogic activities and tasks when teaching heritage topics in history and social science lessons. Heritage pedagogy needs to challenge students' preconceptions about their heritage and encourage learning about it; the investigation, interpretation and provenance of its sources and its significance. Our article is based on a research project in Portugal and Spain to evaluate the impact of heritage education pedagogy on students' historical understanding and their development of national identity. This paper's research involved secondary school students in northern Portugal. To assess their understanding of heritage, they completed a questionnaire at a heritage site with a focus on buildings, archaeological remains and museum artefacts that related to aspects of national history studied in schools. Analysis of their questionnaires revealed the relationship between students' interpretation of the heritage site's historical evidence and their historical consciousness. Although most students treated the heritage site buildings, remains and artefacts as sources of factual information about a fixed, given and largely unremembered past, several students questioned, hypothesized, and treated the sources as historically contextualized evidence that dovetailed with their existing historical knowledge. Contextualized interpretation is essential to historical understanding; accordingly, students studying heritage should be trained to analyse its historical sources in relation to their historicity. More generally, teaching about heritage should give students opportunities to challenge preconceptions they hold about it, and to learn how to deal with different, contrasting, difficult and controversial interpretations of heritage topics and sites in their historical contexts.

Abstract
It is presented a reflection on the role of heritage in formal education regarding the relationship between heritage education and history education. Some theoretical references which support the research methodology of an essentially qualitative nature are discussed too.
The main purposes are to analyse and understand how the implementation of history teaching and learning activities through cultural heritage in context, makes possible and favours students’ progression in historical understanding and heritage awareness.
We describe several case studies that have been developed in Portugal, in the field of doctoral and master's research - specifically in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto – that have been applied in formal education with history teachers in the context of continuous training and initial history/social sciences teachers’ training.
Results, although without comparative aims, reveal that there is potential for interpretation of heritage in formal education. Even if limitations persist, there are credible proposals for its systematic development with history education. In addition to the study of teachers’ conceptions –and students’ too– it is necessary to understand what happens in the classroom when using heritage, what contents and sources are selected, what activities are carried out and what didactic materials are used.
Key words: formal education, heritage, teacher training, historical consciousness.

Resumen
Se presenta una reflexión respecto al papel del patrimonio en la educación formal, en cuanto a la relación entre la educación patrimonial y la educación histórica. Se discuten referentes teóricos, que fundamentan la metodología de investigación utilizada, de carácter esencialmente cualitativo.
Son objetivos principales, analizar y comprender cómo la implementación de actividades de enseñanza y aprendizaje de historia, con recurso al patrimonio cultural, en contexto, posibilita y favorece la progresión en el conocimiento histórico y en la conciencia patrimonial de los estudiantes.
Se describen varios estudios de caso que se han desarrollado en Portugal, en el ámbito de doctorado y máster –en este caso en la Facultad de Letras de la Universidad de Porto –aplicándose en la educación formal, con profesorado de historia en formación continua y futuros docentes de historia/ciencias sociales, en formación inicial.
Los resultados, si bien sin objetivos comparativos, revelan que hay potencial para la interpretación del patrimonio en la educación formal. Aunque persistan limitaciones, hay propuestas creíbles para su desarrollo sistemático con la educación histórica. Además del estudio de las concepciones de los profesores –y alumnos– hay que comprender lo que ocurre en el aula cuando se usa el patrimonio, qué contenidos y fuentes se seleccionan, qué actividades se realizan y qué materiales didácticos se utilizan.
Palabras clave: Educación formal; patrimonio; formación de profesorado; conciencia histórica.

En los últimos años, varios países europeos han modificado sus currículos escolares. Ese ha sido el caso de España, en la que en diciembre de 2013 aprueba la LOMCE, y Portugal, que desde el año 2012 está introduciendo cambios en su plan de estudios a través de las Metas Curriculares. Estas modificaciones han afectado, lógicamente, también a la enseñanza de las<br />Ciencias Sociales, lo que nos ha llevado a plantearnos si los nuevos  currículos han supuesto una mejora en el tratamiento dado a la educación patrimonial. En particular, nos hemos centrado en estudiar el caso de la Educación Primaria en España y la Educación Elemental portuguesa, en las que hemos analizado cuál es el concepto de patrimonio propuesto en las nuevas regulaciones, qué ámbitos del patrimonio están siendo priorizadas, y qué objetivos son perseguidos por la educación patrimonial en estos nuevos textos legales. Para contestar estas preguntas realizamos un análisis de contenidos del currículo de Educación P...

RESUMO No ensino de História, aspectos curriculares interdisciplinares relacionados com o uso do património cultural ou a problematização em torno do desenvolvimento de atitudes de tolerância, de respeito pela diferença e cooperação entre povos, necessitam de uma reflexão fundamentada e sistemática sobre concepções de alunos e professores em áreas centrais para a Educação Histórica, como a da interculturalidade. Com o objetivo de aprofundar, numa abordagem essencialmente qualitativa, a compreensão dos sentidos atribuídos por alunos e professores a fontes patrimoniais, em articulação com conceitos ligados à consciência histórica, nomeadamente os de identidade e de património, analisaram-se as concepções de alunos de 7.º ano e de 10.º ano de várias escolas do norte de Portugal, acerca da forma como interpretam fontes patrimoniais e, ainda, como os seus professores entendem o uso de fontes patrimoniais no ensino e aprendizagem de História, dada a sua relação com a interpretação como pr...