Abstract:

Cultural literacy has been designated as strategically important to sustainable development in Latvia. It reflects the country’s distinctive history. Following the restoration of independence in 1990, policy-making prioritised both the reconstruction and development of Latvian national identity and the preservation and development of Latvian cultural heritage.

The aim of the research is to analyse how “cultural heritage”, “cultural knowledge” and “participation” are reflected in the Latvian curricula that manage the educational process. The research also draws attention to how the European cultural heritage is understood in Latvian curricula, and how it relates to the concept of Latvian cultural heritage, focusing on the concepts of cultural identity and diversity.

A systematic search for curricula examining cultural literacy education in formal education system was carried out using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework resulting in two documents. The curricula or parts of these curricula relating to the age group 14-18 years were selected from both documents. Draft Regulations “Regulations Regarding the State Standard in Basic Education and Model Basic Educational Programmes” was also used as an additional source when looking at the education reform currently being implemented in Latvia. A thematic analysis of the documents was undertaken using an iterative, inductive approach to the generation of codes and themes guided by the review aims and objectives.

The analysis of general education curricula shows that cultural literacy education in Latvia differs depending on the educational programme. At secondary school level, it is possible to choose a variety of educational pathways, which offer wider or narrower knowledge in the field of culture (the most extensive knowledge can be obtained by following a humanitarian and social sciences related programme). Irrespective of the programme, additional subjects can be chosen, and these are often culture-related subjects. Students of ethnic minority schools acquire specific knowledge of both the Latvian culture and their own ethnic culture and based on their personal experience have a better understanding of multiculturalism.

Keywords:

Cultural literacy, Cultural heritage, Participation, General education, Curricula, Thematic analysis.