The Future of Education

This paper presents result of a collaborative action research conducted in the framework of two European Erasmus Plus projects (META and recently started Lingua Plus) in order to mainstream heritage education and valuing of students’ cultural know-how as assets for creating inclusive learning environments in a every day more diverse Europe of people (UNESCO, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2006). On the basis of a qualitative comparative analysis of good practices collected worldwide, Erasmus Plus Key Action 3 META (Minority Education Trough Arts) project developed a key competence framework and consistent teaching methodology that have both been tested in pre-primary and primary schools in five European countries. While META developed art-based education for inclusion, Lingua Plus intends to mainstream heritage in second language learning for adult refugees with a socially inclusive approach. The two mentioned projects have all different targets and settings, but in each of them emerge the encouraging results of mainstreaming the relevance of cultural heritage-based education beyond a strictly schooling approach in developing cultural, social and emotional intelligence, and related soft skills, of learners and teachers. The research adopts a holistic approach that connects formal and informal learning, moving from an educational dimension centred on the contents of art and heritage to a formative dimension that enhances each citizen's cultural heritage. The projects demonstrate the possibility of reconnecting the formal and informal components of learning, stimulating each one's identity and creativity. The preliminary results demonstrate the effectiveness in strengthening transversal skills necessary for an inclusive and creative society. In accordance with international policy (OECD, 2016, 2015, 2014), the META competence framework identified ten competences that can be both translated into cross cutting learning objectives for students and a tool kit for teachers and educators in initial and continuous in service training (Council of Europe 2016). The scope of this paper is to demonstrate through the evidences collected in empirical research that arts and cultural heritages can contribute to creating inclusive learning environments (Dumont et al., 2010) for learners with migrant background, no matter their age or previous education and training.  

Keywords: Inclusive education, arts, cultural heritage, migrations.

References:

[1] Boyatzis, R.E., Transforming qualitative information: Thematic analysis and code development, Sage Publications, London, New Delhi, 1998.[2] Cathy, J., Theory of Change Review: Report Commissioned by Comic Relief, 2011.
[3] Clark, H., Anderson, A., Mapping Change: Using a Theory of Change to Guide Planning and Evaluation, GrantCraft, New York, 2006.
[4] Deardorff, D., Implementing Intercultural Competence Assessment, in Deardorff, D. (ed.), The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2009, pp. 477-491.
[5] Deardorff, D., Promoting understanding and development of intercultural dialogue and peace: a comparative analysis and global perspective of regional studies on intercultural competence, Report prepared for UNESCO Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue, 2013.
[6] Dumont, H., Istance D., Benavides F., The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice, OECD, Paris, 2010
[7] EACEA, Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe, 2009.
[8] Faubert, B., A Literature Review of School Practices to Overcome School Failure. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 68, OECD Publishing, 2012, available at  http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5k9flcwwv9tk-en (01.05.2018)
[9] Galeotti, G, Evaluation Design and Relative plan of action and toolbox, META project, 2016                                           
[10] Gläser, J., Laudel, G., Life With and Without Coding: Two Methods for Early-Stage Data Analysis. Qualitative Research Aiming at Causal Explanations, «Forum: Social qualitative research», 14, n. 2, art. 5, 2013
[11] Margiotta, U., META Methodology, 2015, available at http://www.meta-project.eu/ (01.05.2018)
[12] Margiotta, U., Del Gobbo, G., Meta Competence Framework, 2017, available at http://www.meta-project.eu/ (01.05.2018)
[13] META, Case Studies Report, 2015, available at http://www.meta-project.eu/ (01.05.2018)
[14] OECD, Equity and Quality in Education. Supporting disadvantaged students and schools, Paris, 2012
[15] OECD, European Union, Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2015: Settling In, OECD Publishing, Paris, 2015
[16] OECD, Immigrant Students in School: Easing the Journey towards Integration, OECD Reviews of Migrant Education, 2015b
[17] Penketn, C., Children see before they speak’: an exploration of ableism in art education, Disability & Society, Volume 32/1, 2017
[18] Vivanet, G., Calvani, A., Evidence Based Education e modelli di valutazione formativa per la scuola, “ECPS Journal”, 9/2014
[19] Vogel, I., Review of the Use of ‘Theory of Change’ in International Development, 2012, available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/
57a08a5ded915d3cfd00071a/DFID_ToC_Review_VogelV7.pdf (01.05.2018)