Participation in the Erasmus+ Seminar "Cultural Heritage and Storytelling Education" in Padua, 12-16 July 2022

In the framework of the implementation of the Erasmus+ KA1 program, "Climate Change, refugees and immigrants" (approval number from the State Scholarship Foundation 2020-1-EL01-KA104-078696), the educators Konstantina Papadogiannaki, teacher, deputy head of ECV and Eleni Despotidou, architect, member of the Pedagogical Team, from the Environmental Education Center of Vamos, participated in a multi-day seminar entitled "Cultural heritage and storytelling education" in Padua, Italy from July 12th to 16th 2022.

Educators and adult trainers from Poland, Spain, Germany, the Basque Country, Hungary and Greece participated in the seminar.

The pedagogical methodology of the program was based on the combination of formal and non-formal education aiming at stimulating active participation, proactiveness, interaction and creative use of the material by all participants, while reinforcing a clear European dimension. In doing so, the goal was to create a varied and stimulating environment for reflection, work and learning. This methodology is characterized by a set of different features and tools, such as:

• appropriate balance of theory and practice

• team building and teamwork

• best practice case studies

• innovative, relevant and factual content

• horizontal and practical approach

• digital tools

• blended learning

• project based work

• practical workshop

• brainstorming

• role game

• self-assessment and group assessment.

The objectives set by this particular seminar were very interesting and coincided with those of the Pedagogical Team of the Environmental Center of Vamos for updating and enriching their resources in terms of ideas, modern strategies and tools for the development of educational programs that will aim at the inclusion of all populations and ethnicities:

1. Exploring heritage education in the context of collaborative learning, blended learning and flipped classroom.

2. Acquiring non-formal education methods and tools to promote students' exploration, study and representation of cultural heritage and the basic skill of cultural awareness and expression.

3. Promoting diverse creative languages ​​and improving the use of ICT and digital tools for storytelling and heritage education.

4. Stimulating reflection and innovative ideas for a sustainable education in cultural heritage, in the "European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018".