Resources

Flora, Minas Halaj, 2015

The European memorandum aims to encourage public or private, production or training organizations, to mobilize the creativity of each to meet the challenges of innovation, the ability to learn and to open up to differences, in a context of globalization and intensified crossing of cultures.

It was designed and formalized on the basis of all the intellectual productions of the project and the analysis of the results of the participatory action research conducted by the four partners.

It takes the form of a synthesis report of studies and policy recommendations to support the accompaniment of adult education professionals for change towards a new paradigm of assessment and certification of prior learning.

The purpose of this production is to propose and promote pedagogical tools to support actors in the field of culture and adult education and training throughout life, to the paradigm shift in orientation, assessment and recognition, validation and certification of prior learning.

The Memorandum is accompanied by its toolbox, consisting of all the intellectual productions of the project.

Content of the Art-Connection Memorandum toolbox:

A state of play
A theoretical and methodological framework for participatory action research
Guidelines for Cultural Connectors in adult education for enhancing the 8th European Key Competence (cultural sensitivity and expression) – Developing individual and collective skills at the service of social cohesion
Educational tools for Cultural Connectors in adult education for enhancing the 8th European Key Competence (cultural sensitivity and expression) – Developing individual and collective skills at the service of social cohesion
A glossary
A bibliography

When quoting from or referencing this website, please use the following:

In-text citations: Salvi et al (2022) or (Salvi et al., 2022)
Reference list entry: Salvi, I., Teodorescu, L., Luiz Santos, H., Dalmasso, F., Porro, E., Liguori, A. and Wilson M., Art-Connection (www.art-connection.eu), 2022.

Please also refer to this website’s Terms of Service.

Art-Connection European memorandum

Download the European Memorandum:

Download the Art-Connection glossary:

In French/English version

Download the Art-Connection bibliography:

In French/English version

IO6 - Mémorandum - Version française - Août 2022-001

The Art-Connection toolbox

State of play

The Art-Connection project state of play is a study, based on a review of literature and innovative educational practices already experimented by the four project partners in the field of non-formal and informal learning, within the framework of European key competences and transversal competences. The study makes it possible to understand the impact of the cultural dimension, in a systemic or holistic consideration, on a creative process that also allows the development of the power to act of individuals and social cohesion, contributing to job creation, economic growth and social cohesion.

The experiments, technologies and pedagogical practices developed around digital storytelling, open badges, mentoring methodology, the methodology of street social work and the pedagogical approach based on self-directed learning have been identified.

This intellectual production supported the elaboration of the European memorandum in its analysis of the problem of the impact of the cultural dimension for the promotion of inclusive educational models.

Download the state of play:

Theoretical and methodological framework of the Art-Connection action research

The document produced is the definition of the theoretical and methodological framework for the implementation by all the partners of the Art-Connection project of a global participatory action research system.

The production also offers a theoretical and ethical framework for the partner countries’ conception of action research, based on documentary research and interviews with academic researchers, in order to determine its conceptual elements.

It also includes the elements of method and actions to circumscribe its research axis to ensure coherence and co-construction of the global participatory action research system by all partners of the Art-Connection project while allowing each partner to work autonomously on its field of study, observation, experimentation and action.

This intellectual production made it possible to support the production of the other deliverables of the project, in particular the reference system and the pedagogical tools of the Cultural Connector, as well as the development of the European memorandum in its theoretical framework part for the establishment of a learning organization on a territory.

Download the Art-Connection action research theoretical and methodological framework:

Guidelines for Cultural Connectors

The document produced is the formalization of guidelines to accompany the professionalization of Cultural Connectors in adult education to enhance the 8th European key competence (cultural sensitivity and expression). It is in the form of a repository. It is completed by the tools of the Cultural Connector which offers the pedagogical tools for the implementation of the repository.

The major intention of this guideline document is that it can be applied at various aspects of not only cultural life but also on social and education, such as cultural institutions (museums, art centers, archives…), NGOs, communities, municipalities, universal civil service, schools, VET institutions and universities, both at national and transnational levels.

It aims to develop an international perspective in educational practices, which are addressed by the Art-Connection project, with a paradigm shift in guidance, assessment and recognition, validation and / or certification of prior experience, in particular by focusing on the 8^th European key competence to promote engagement in a self-directed learning process contributing to the construction of social cohesion.

It is dedicated to those professionals who use or wish to use the “Cultural awareness and expression competence” (8^th EU Key competence), as part of Lifelong Learning in Adult Education and especially to benefit those who are in vulnerable situations.

Its ambition is to be supportive, enriching, to develop and supplement knowledge, skills and practices for all stakeholders in the field of Adult Education relying on multiple intelligences (cognitive, creative, collective, emotional, digital or non-human) giving the reader space for reflection on the subject of cultural competences, to be developed to be open to other cultures and to other cultural backgrounds.

It is particularly dedicated to:

educators who wish to get trained as facilitators,
members of a community who want to act for change, act and interact to connect people, act to achieve a goal in the community and, in general,
to all those who want to create, generate and witness change, through cultural heritage awareness and the development of creative expression.

It is based on the literature and practices review, the findings of ethnography and also the rich experience of its contributors, to elaborate a contemporary manual and an effective tool for the further training of trainers to support their activities of accompaniment of adults in the field of social-cultural and professional education.

It has been designed and co-constructed by the Art-Connection partners on the basis of the results of the participatory action research they have conducted in their respective territories in order to better understand the role and impacts of the “cultural sensitivity and expression” dimension and the skills required for Cultural Connectors for the development and deployment of innovative educational practices aimed at facilitating the development of individual and collective skills at the service of social cohesion.

Download the Cultural Connector guidelines:

Cultural Connector’ toolkit

The tools of the Cultural Connector consist of a set of resources, tools and pedagogical and methodological supports to support the professionalization of Cultural Connectors in adult education to enhance the 8th European key competence (cultural sensitivity and expression). This production completes the Cultural Connector’ repository.

This production was co-constructed by the partners based on the results of participatory action research conducted in the four territories with professional educators and learners from different backgrounds, following a wide range of themes and using different reflective methodologies in order to raise awareness of the value of our individual and collective culture, its potential role and impact within our education systems for the development of individual and collective skills at the service of social cohesion.

This production is not a single document.

It includes a first general document entitled “Educational tools for Cultural Connectors in adult education for enhancing the 8^th European Key Competence (cultural sensitivity and expression) – Developing individual and collective skills at the service of social cohesion” which brings together the results of the projects carried out during the Art-Connection action research on the four territories with the target populations and all the Stakeholders in participatory action research. This document is presented in the form of case studies in the territorial contexts of the partners and includes concrete illustrations to contribute to (re)establishing a positive and constructive dialogue between professionals/institutions and adults in vulnerable situations (target population) through cultural input.

Download the presentation of the case studies resulting from the action research of Art-Connection partners:

This production also offers a set of UNhandbooks produced by the partners on themes related to the various action research carried out.

The term UNhandbook is used to highlight the fact that these pedagogical tools are not instructions per se but have to be considered as resources to gain inspiration from for creating your own way to make change happen.

These UNhandbooks are built on a keyword logic to allow readers to navigate according to their needs or interests. They include a wide variety of online resources (video, Youtube channel, etc.).

List of UNhandbooks produced by Art-Connection partners:

Cultural experiences and self-directed-learning or how to apprehend the APP pedagogical specificities (APapp, English and French versions).
Cultures and Learning process or how to integrate the cultural dimension at the heart of its educational activities (APapp, English and French versions).
Cultural Learning Territory or how to boost territorial creativity and partnership construction: experience of organizing a craft symposium in South Charente (APapp, English and French versions).
Creation de Soundscapes (Lboro, English and French versions).
Working on cultural heritage: planning action research (ILS, English, French and Italian versions).
The street as a place of non-formal education (CAI, English, French and Portuguese versions).

This set of pedagogical and methodological tools is aimed at professionals and organizations working in the field of culture and lifelong adult education who wish to:

contribute to innovations in curricula, educational methods, training actions,
promote the voice of target populations, develop their capacity to act, engage them in a process of identity questioning in connection with their own culture,
make users express themselves on their identity, their place in society, the process of inclusion,
to make the cultural dimension and interculturality perceived as drivers of this expression,
raise awareness and make the public actors of a positive approach to defusing the processes of exclusion,
encourage an approach of empowerment and taking a step back,
promote the promotion of socio-professional skills based on intercultural interaction as a gateway to recognition of acquired knowledge,
Increase user participation and dialogue around the cultural dimension as a means to build a more active and participatory citizenship, ultimately promoting social cohesion in the territories.