Abstract:

The Erasmus+ project RAILtoLAND resorts to the Open Learning platforms of High Education partners to expand their training offer in terms of valorisation, management and protection of landscapes and their built heritage, specifically European landscapes and railways. Indeed, the railroad is the thread in this project of a good part of the intellectual results, because of its structuring effect in the territory, because it serves as a catalyst for the appreciation of cultural landscapes throughout the continent and because it constitutes one of the key elements in the construction of Europe.

The proposal aims to establish a Collective ideation platform to develop innovative tools to communicate landscapes by train and to explore the educational value of the European cultural landscape to consolidate the European identity processes, social cohesion, creation of local cultures and improvement of human well-being. The learning activities prioritize the structured dialogues with students and mutual learning in an international and intercultural context. Tests methodologies of educational innovation are integrated, such as Design Thinking or Learning by doing, aimed at improving horizontal skills and competences in communication, creativity and critical thinking.

The proposed activities consist in the design of a MOOC's Innovation for the valorisation and communication of the European Cultural Landscapes and its Railway Heritage through a multidisciplinary perspective. Also several multiplier events, different in nature, has been held, such as international meetings, field visits or cine forums dealing with the relationship between landscape and railways. These activities serve as a basis to develop a guide of didactic contents. Accompanying this didactic material of a more theoretical or conceptual nature, other digital products have been designed that try to optimize their possibilities of transfer to students and general public: videos, 3D modelling of landscapes, augmented reality and virtual mapping will be finally integrated in a mobile application developed for the specific interpretation of landscapes on a pilot railway line: Oporto (Portugal)-Vigo (Spain).

The proposal integrates 6 partners from Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, selected for being referents in different areas linked to the objectives of the project. In particular, 4 public institutions of Higher Education (Technical University of Madrid, Autonomous University of Madrid -, University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée and Polytechnic University Delle Marche), 1 applied research centre (Centre for Computer Graphics) and a private entity that represents and coordinates all the railway companies of the world (Worldwide Railway Organisation). Furthermore, Renfe Operaciones y Comboios de Portugal collaborate as non-formal partners in the proposal, especially in the application of the project on the railway line they operate.

Keywords:

Cultural Landscape, Railway, European identity, Open Learning platforms, Collective ideation, Design Thinking, Learning by doing, Erasmus+.