Designing an inclusive educational landscape through the conjunction of formal and informal educational settings

Περίληψη

The social role of museums has recently shifted from focusing solely on collections and objects to prioritizing the recipients, i.e., the public. Once narrow and rigid institutions with an elitist imprint on public consciousness, museums are now being transformed into alternative sites of cultural exchange and idea sharing. This broadening of their role seeks new, more creative, inclusive, and educational forms of communication. Communication is a key function of museums, typically with an educational mission, fulfilled through various educational programs that create an environment of informal education. Informal education encourages active participation and offers experiences and knowledge that are not provided by traditional school textbooks but complement them and play a significant role in the learning process. Linking the curriculum with specific museum educational programs allows for a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach to education. This paper proposes a museum educational program called ‘Cartus Emotional Landscaping,’ centered around the theme of “Riga’s Charta”, a significant historical document by Rigas Velestinlis, as a temporary exhibition in a contemporary art museum. This program is designed for blind pupils in the last two years of primary school and is integrated with history and geography lessons. In view of creating an inclusive environment in education and society in general, which ensures equal opportunities for all groups of the population, this paper will focus on the structuring of a museum educational program suitable for a mixed group of students, including those who are partially or totally blind. The paper aims to serve as a guide to the ways in which formal education can be successfully combined with informal learning to create a holistic educational model that is sensitive to the needs of children with disabilities.