Abstract:

Tourists visit a natural park or a museum for leisure, but in the meantime, they also learn. Thus, the BADGES perspective is to increase the learning depth and give it visibility using an APP in the mobile phone, reflective questions and games as learning and validation tools. The final step is the issuing of a Badge. This is the main idea behind the BADGES Erasmus strategic partnership project.

The cultural & heritage sector can also benefit from the Badges approach because they would gain visibility and importance in the sector of lifelong learning. Validation of learning in cultural sites can improve people’s confidence, curiosity and motivation to learn more. Through inducting reflective thinking by using intriguing issues, people usually become increasingly engaged and participative in social related activities.

The BADGES project developed a methodological frame that creates conditions for competence based non-formal/informal learning in cultural/heritage contexts. Inspired in the LEVEL 5 methodology of learning with the Head (Knowledge), the Hand (Skills) and the Heart (Attitudes) the Badges project defined a learning path for cultural & heritage sites with an easy, intermediate and advanced level for each dimension and competence. Then, test pilots were developed for different heritage/museum contexts and an online system for assessing the competence development of cultural learners was developed. First pilot was tested during the Loon exposition in Alden Biesen (Belgium), in October 2018. Pilots were also developed for Torres Vedras municipal museum regarding the Napoleonic War, for the windmill heritage in the Netherlands (Schiedam) and for the Berlengas’ Island UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Portugal, among others. This paper will address this last example.

The Berlengas project is related to sustainable use of protected marine areas. Main goal is to develop environmental awareness in tourists that visit the island, getting their attention to some important issues like: Island environment problems (water, energy, garbage, invasive species), the nursery effect, the endemic species and the sustainable tourism in the island.

Target group and learning path were defined and the implementation of a mobile application was made. Simple questions were used to decide the type of information to provide to the visitor, simple mobile games were implemented to develop knowledge and some intriguing themes and dilemmas were also used to induce reflective learning. The mobile application was developed using the Moodle learning management system and H5P activities.

Two important points mark the visiting experience: before the visit to the island, people can prepare themselves with the help of the mobile application. First part shows some of the species that can be found on the trip but also gives some environmental advices on important attitudes. After the visit people can reflect on what they have seen and on the main problems of the island with games and the presentation of dilemmas and intriguing issues.

If people reach to a specific stage than a digital badge is issued with information about the achieved competence and the local where they were developed.

Badges project main objective is, therefore, to disseminate the concept of recognising long life learning acquired during leisure activities and build a network of heritage/cultural sites that can use this approach, contributing to make the learning visible while people enjoy heritage.

Keywords:

Heritage, Learning, Validation, environment, UNESCO, Berlengas.