PodWalks: Engaging Youth in Cultural Heritage Through Podcasting

WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE COORDINATOR for the KA2 Small scale partnership - school education - Cultural institution or secondary school (Germany, Denmark, Romania or Poland). All partners are found and the project is prepared.

Why this project?
Amidst the evolving cultural landscapes of European cities, many young people have lost a sense of connection and understanding of their local cultural heritage. This disengagement highlights a need for innovative educational approaches that connect youth with their heritage meaningfully. This project aims to bridge this gap by utilising podcasting to create engaging narratives around local cultural artefacts, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding among European youth.

What we plan to do:
We propose to develop and implement a lesson package that enables students to create 'cultural podwalks'—podcast episodes developed by students that guide listeners through a city’s cultural artefacts, explaining their historical and cultural meaning. This project will culminate in an exchange week, allowing students from participating countries to share insights and enhance their intercultural competencies. Additionally, the project seeks to establish a vibrant eTwinning community to spread the project results and continue dialogue and collaboration on cultural heritage.

Participants
Coordinator: A cultural institute or secondary school with a strong focus on heritage education.
Knowledge Partner: Technical partner with expertise in media education, storytelling & curriculum development.
Knowledge Partner:
Participating Schools: Secondary schools interested in enhancing their cultural curriculum.

Activities

A1. Research & Development
Develop educational content for 'cultural podwalks' and corresponding teacher training modules.

A2. Capacity Building
Implement teacher training workshops and pilot the 'cultural podwalks' in selected schools.

3. Strategic Sustainability
Organize a Cultural Podwalks Festival to showcase student work and promote sustainable engagement with cultural heritage.

A4. Dissemination
Create an eTwinning space for project participants to share resources and experiences, and host an EU school contest to encourage widespread adoption of the project’s approach.

Expected Outcomes:
Enhanced understanding and appreciation of local cultural heritage among European students
Enhanced digital literacy skills in podcasting and improved storytelling capacities among European students.
Enhanced digital skills in podcasting, storytelling, value-based heritage interpretation and intercultural collaboration for teachers.
A strengthened network of educators and students across Europe, collaborating through eTwinning to share practices and insights.