Abstract:

Service-Learning is a useful educational methodology because it combines learning with social engagement. Among its positive effects, it allows students to connect their knowledge with reality and to acquire skills and motivation. Its ability to combine education with personal and professional commitments makes it a highly suitable methodology for training university students. It does not solve fictitious problems but responds to real needs. However, although there are many and varied examples of projects that develop this link, few are shared and published.

On the other hand, heritage education seeks to develop didactic proposals that build identity values and promote intercultural respect and social change. Service-Learning is also a complete methodology for teaching heritage appreciation. According to its principles, students can work with cultural assets and, at the same time, disseminate their values to the community. Dissemination is fundamental in the field of heritage, and Service-Learning promotes it by allowing students to know, assimilate and transform what they have learnt into something useful for society. It also focuses on dissemination in the local environment, which facilitates the transmission and reinforcement of heritage values. In this way, heritage education is crucial in the fight against the oblivion and destruction of local heritage, sometimes the most fragile. But to do so, teachers and students must develop projects that integrate society and promote respect and empathy for cultural heritage.

The scientific literature on heritage education projects based on Service-Learning is scarce in Spain. However, there are educational experiences that, although they use different methodologies, offer positive aspects that can be adapted to this type of project. These are examples promoted by universities so that future graduates acquire communication skills and promote the importance of local heritage. There are fewer examples of teaching about the heritage of public works. However, there are successful activities and good practices in Service-Learning and other types of heritage (industrial, archaeological…) which approach the assets from values shared with public works, such as the relationship with the territory.

In short, these are projects which evaluations show great satisfaction. They demonstrated the relevance and positive impact of heritage education. They are examples of success in the learning of university students, in the promotion of social participation and in increasing young people's interest in their own heritage. The aim of this article is to analyse these cases of good practice applicable to Service-Learning projects based on the heritage of public works, and to present the most recent experiences carried out in this field. Most of them are university projects that form part of the educational content of faculties as diverse as the School of Civil Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Madrid or the Faculty of Primary Education of the University of Murcia. In this type of Service-Learning action, learning goes beyond the classroom and is transferred to the environment, to the local and nearby heritage. In this way, and through visits to the sites, which are designed as cultural services for the community, students are able to better understand and share the interest that public works can arouse in society as a whole.

Keywords:

Civil engineering, public works, service-learning, cultural heritage, tourism.