The educational dimension as an emergent topic in the management of heritage: Mapping scientific production, 1991–2022

Abstract

Heritage is increasingly present in educational discourses, yet research on heritage education still lacks literature overviews that identify trends in its scientific production worldwide in order to get to know the discipline’s advances, evolution, and impact. This article collected a bibliographic review of n = 223 documents indexed in Scopus and the Web of Science between 1991 and 2022. The analysis was carried out in two phases. During the first phase, distance-based maps were constructed using the VOSviewer 1.6.16 software. During the second phase, a systematic review was carried out based on methodological classification and a content analysis. The study identified thematic networks of (C1) heritage education in formal education, (C2) heritage education, cultural heritage, and educational innovation, (C3) archaeological heritage education, (C4) heritage education, case studies, and historical awareness, and (C5) heritage education, and classified research genealogies and methodologies, which, in turn, led to the definition of two emerging genealogies: teacher training and instrumental, which were added to re-conceptualizing, contextual didactic, and evaluative, and ultimately identified a predominantly qualitative methodology. A classification of the methodologies, methods, and techniques of heritage education research was also made. This study constitutes a clear and pioneering contribution to our understanding of this discipline.