Análisis del patrimonio presente en los libros de texto: obstáculos, dificultades y propuestas

Authors

Jesús Estepa GiménezSalto de línea Mario Ferreras ListánSalto de línea Inmaculada López CruzSalto de línea Hortensia Morón MonjeSalto de línea Universidad de Huelva. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Departamento de Didáctica de las Ciencias y Filosofía. Huelva, España.

DOI

10.4438/1988-592X-RE-2011-355-037

Abstract

Analysis of heritage in textbooks: obstacles, difficulties and proposals

In this article, some previous theories and theoretical positions on the presence of heritage in compulsory education textbooks are analyzed. In addition, the difficulties which have appeared before and during data collection and the decision-making processes are described. The context of this work is the first stage of an R&D&I project, which was approved in 2008 for the National Research Plan with the title Heritage and its teaching: an analysis of resources and materials for an integrated proposal for Heritage Education. For the development of this research, 112 Primary Education and ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) textbooks were chosen on the following subjects: Knowledge of the Environment for Primary Education and Social Sciences, Nature Sciences and Physics and Chemistry for ESO. In order to have a significant sample for the comparative analyses, the books chosen are used in three different Spanish Autonomous Regions and are from four publishing companies with implantation in the whole country. The difficulties encountered are due not only to the different tools used to collect and analyze data (observation grids, categories system, etc.) but also the research group’s previous knowledge of the concept of heritage and its typology. First, we have analyzed the causes of these difficulties and, subsequently, the solutions adopted as regards both the adaptation of the methodological tools and the criteria for analysis and data collection are presented. The research team’s reflection on the concept of heritage and its typology has represented one of the most complex and enriching questions of this research. This is due to the fact that heritage as a study content is very abstract and complex although close at hand and concrete in its different manifestations, due to the fact that it forms part of our daily life and immediate environment. This work demonstrates the differences between the initial theoretical concepts and their later practical application in research into education and the appearance of difficulties and obstacles. To overcome these obstacles and obtain more accurate and relevant results, it is necessary to reach a consensus by adapting and combining previous knowledge, theoretical positions and new proposals.

Keywords

Heritage, heritage education, didactics of heritage education, heritage typology, textbooks, difficulties and obstacles.