Intangible heritage and landscape as teaching resources: a research action through the Way of Saint James

Abstract

This work is part of the research line of heritage education from a critical perspective, focusing on the teaching potential of intangible cultural heritage and landscape. An action-research is carried out in primary school teachers in initial training at the University of A Coruña. The proposed objectives are to investigate their social representations about intangible cultural heritage and analyse the changes and continuities that occur after carrying out a teaching project through relevant social problems linked to the Way of Saint James. The action research has allowed the students to give more importance to the intangible cultural heritage and to recognise its link with the landscape and with the communities. Likewise, it contributed to a better understanding of heritage education from a critical perspective. However, continuities can be seen in relation to the scarce presence of intergenerational transmission, the construction of the future, the role of History, respect for cultural diversity, human rights and the recognition of the tangible elements inherent to intangible heritage. These results allowed to introduce improvements in the teaching practice to achieve a critical and democratic citizenship that fights for social justice.