TRAINING IN ART/CULTURE: LEVERAGING EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES FOR CHILDREN

Abstract

The research presented here analyzes the impact of professional development, focusing on heritage education for professionals working in children’s education, as the sense of belonging is essential in the construction of identities. A qualitative approach was used in this study, with emphasis on action research, as this is an investigation that links research and extension, dialogues, and possible changes in practices, both for teachers of children’s education and for researchers. One of the gaps identified in the survey is the sense of not belonging to this heritage in the field of children’s education, given that this theme is not part of the curricula of most schools, or of the lives of the professionals working in this context. Therefore, the project “Heritage Education for Children”, directed at public schools, is based on studies about heritage education and formal and nonformal education. It is also based on aesthetic experiences, leading the group to take a different look at the curriculum, especially for connections with non-formal education and its spaces. Some authors were important in the research trajectory, such as Flick (2004) and Thiollent (2011) on the methodological aspects; Sarmento (2004) on issues concerning children; Formosinho (2002) and Gasque & Costa (2003) in relation to professional development, and Magalhães (2000) and Hall (2000) in the field of culture. The research therefore sought to articulate the construction of identities and the sense of belonging with the pedagogical actions, indicating some changes in the attitudes of these professionals. The final results showed the idea that knowing/participating and experiencing the spaces of heritage can make a difference in educational practices.