Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Education Amidst Digitalisation

Abstract

The integration of cultural heritage in education facilitates critical thinking, experiential learning, cross-cultural collaborative learning and ultimately, quality learning experiences. This process is further enhanced by the increasing adoption of digital technology, which makes education more accessible. However, some countries in the European Union have low digital literacy and a high student dropout rate. Also, the use of cultural heritage in education is declining as young learners are becoming increasingly unaware of their cultural identity. Within this framework, a study of mixed methods (questionnaires and interviews) was conducted in three European countries to examine digital and cultural heritage competencies among young learners. The results of the paper reveal how digital cultural heritage increases learners’ resilience by promoting competences for digital transformation, which in turn enhances learning and engagement with cultural heritage. Drawing on our findings, the paper proposes a new innovative hybrid model within the framework of sustainable education (SE).