Linking curriculum content to students’ cultural heritage in order to promote inclusion: an analysis of a learning-through-the arts project

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to highlight the benefits brought about by a learning-through-the-arts project aimed at creating links between the cultural heritage of students from diverse backgrounds and the fundamental aims of school instruction. Guided by a naturalistic research strategy and the principles of teacher action research, the data was collected during the implementation of a training project for preservice teachers at a highly complex school setting. The results provide an interdisciplinary and inclusive methodology for learning through the arts that promotes the development of cognitive and socio-affective competences, which are essential for lifelong learning. The project was carried out in a multicultural primary school, where a disadvantaged social composition prevails as a result of school segregation. Evidence of learning and the schoolchildren's artistic creations provide examples of good inclusive practices that foster collaborative interactions, widen participation, and improve academic achievement in various school subjects. Ideas for future research are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Art education
• preservice teachers
• at risk students
• Primary school students
• inclusive education
• cultural heritage

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ibis M. Alvarez

Ibis M. Alvarez Valdivia. PhD in Educational Psychologist. Senior Lecturer at the Department for Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Her research interests focused on cultural aspects of learning and psychological development.

Mar Morón Velasco

Mar Morón Velasco. PhD in Artistic Education. Undergraduate degrees in Fine Arts and Educational Sciences from the University of Barcelona (UB). Postgraduate studies in Pedagogical Therapy (UAB). Designer, leader, and researcher for innovative, inclusive, artistic projects for schools and museums.

Patricia Román Humanes

Patricia Román Humanes. Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She has just started in the research field about social science education. She is working as a teacher in a primary school.