Seventeenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum

Abstract

During the academic year 2023-2024, an annual cultural program was implemented on a pilot basis by the University of Crete, based on the methodologies of inquiry learning and Museum Education. Program participants were students and teachers of a kindergarten classroom, one class of Vocational Upper School (VUS) Sector of Health - Welfare - Well-being with the specialization Nursery/Childcare Assistant and a group of 5 volunteer students of the Department of Preschool Education of the University of Crete, enrolled in the Subject Introduction in the Museum Education. Under the guidance of the University assistant professor of Museum Education, the kindergarten teacher and two VSU professors, the students of VUS and University planned activities together that were later implemented with the children of the kindergarten at their school and in the historic center of Rethymnon. The aim of the program is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all participants (SDG’S GOAL 4), to offer playful and multi-sensory learning procedures and to foster the civic responsibility and appreciation of the timeless cultural diversity. The main research questions are: How do students learn from each other in this “learning ecosystem” of cooperative, constructive learning with the exchange of experiences and knowledge between age groups and how do internal learning motivations develop in this mixed-age environment? This paper presents the first results of these synergies which underline among other the benefits of the coexistence of students of the three different educational levels in terms of their emotional, social, and cognitive development.