Cultural Mediation and Heritage Dissemination

Code:

MHP012

Acronym:

MCDP

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Museology

Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Heritage Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in History and Heritage

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MHP	0	MHP - Study Plan	1	-	6	41	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This Course Unit has the general objective of, on the one hand, providing a context for the introduction of a reflective and critical discussion on issues related to the nature of interpretation, mediation, and education in heritage contexts, their interrelations, and inherent challenges; and, on the other hand, developing the Student’s abilities and competencies appropriate to the design, planning, and implementation of heritage mediation and education activities.

 

Learning outcomes and competences

By the end of this Course Unit, students are expected to have acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies that will enable them to better understand the theoretical and practical contexts of mediation and education in heritage settings, their interrelations, and inherent challenges. Thus, by the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the principles, theories, and methods of heritage interpretation, mediation, and education;
• Identify different strategies for interpretation and mediation in heritage contexts;
• Understand the "heritage experience," relating it to different visitor motivational profiles and meaningful interpretation and mediation approaches;
• Design, plan, and evaluate interpretation, mediation, and education products in heritage contexts;
• Apply basic interpretation and mediation techniques.

 

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Does not apply

Program

1. Foundations of Heritage Interpretation, Mediation, and Education

1. Concepts and approaches to heritage mediation, interpretation, and education. Meaningful interpretation and education with purpose.


2. Principles and critical perspectives: from information to experience.


3. Contemporary challenges: cultural diversity, accessibility, and ethics in mediation.

2. Strategies and Techniques in Heritage Mediation

1. Communication strategies in heritage mediation: verbal, non-verbal, and multimodal approaches.


2. Experiential interpretation and meaning-making: integrating emotion, cognition, and participatory engagement.


3. Storytelling and diverse narratives: challenges in creating inclusive and representative discourses.


4. Digital heritage mediation: potential, challenges, and best practices.

3. Planning and Evaluation in Heritage Mediation

1. Heritage education and citizenship.


2. Place-based education: learning from the territory.


3. Interpretative planning: audiences, themes, formats, and experience evaluation.

Mandatory literature

Sharon Macdonald (Ed.);; A Companion to Museum Studies, Blackwell Companions in Cultural Studies, 2006. ISBN: 978-1405108393
Calaf Masachs Roser; Didáctica del patrimonio. ISBN: 978-84-9704-430-1
Fontal Merillas Olaia 340; Educación y patrimonio. ISBN: 978-84-9704-881-1
SEMEDO, Alice & Rafaela GANGA e Célia OLIVEIRA; As experiências de visita em museus e monumentos: Fatores motivacionais e situacionais., CITCEM, 2018
Falk John H.; The^museum experience. ISBN: 0-929590-07-4
Hein George E.; Learning in the museum. ISBN: 0-415-09776-2
Harrison, R. ; Heritage: critical approaches, Routledge
Semedo, A. e Pinto, H. (Eds.); Educação patrimonial em ação: tecendo relações entre museus, escolas e territórios, CITCEM & Caleidescópio, 2023

Complementary Bibliography

Fairclough, G. et al ; The Heritage Reader, Routledge, 2008
Rix, J., Lowe, T., & Heritage Forum ; Including people with learning difficulties in cultural and heritage sites, International Journal of Heritage Studies 16(3) 207-224
Ham, S. ; Interpretation: Making a difference on purpose. , Fulcrum publishing., 2016
Wells, M., Butler, B. H., & Koke, J. ; Interpretive planning for museums: Integrating visitor perspectives in decision making. , Routledge, 2016
Veverka, J. A. ; Interpretive master planning: Strategies for the new millennium ., Museum Education Press, 2011

Teaching methods and learning activities

The course unit adopts a critical approach to the study of interpretation, mediation, and education in heritage contexts. The sessions are both theoretical and practical, employing various methods such as the presentation and discussion of key issues, audiovisual materials, and critical readings of different texts. Other sessions, which are more practical and workshop-based, explore and engage with heritage resources, making use of fieldwork and direct interaction with stakeholders whenever possible. This contact zone with professionals is also understood as an essential opportunity to test ideas dialogically.

keywords

Social sciences > Political sciences > Public policy > Cultural policy > Museology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	90,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	106,00
Frequência das aulas	24,00
Trabalho de campo	24,00
Trabalho laboratorial	8,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

75% of attendance

Calculation formula of final grade

Evaluation is distributed and in addition to the attendance and quality of participation during the different session, it will take into account (a) an oral presentation (30%) and a written Report / Portfolio (70%) of a case study which is also a result of the work carried out in the fieldwork

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Not applicable

Classification improvement

Accordance with Assessment Regulations in force.