“Our research demonstrates that engaging primary school students with topics ranging from social inclusion to climate change, global citizenship, and science—through the use of heritage objects—holds significant potential for raising awareness and fostering more sustainable and inclusive societies” 

Veysel Apaydin

Associate Professor in in Critical Heritage, Cultural Memory, and Ecology

Active Learning Protects Heritage and Archaeology (ALPHA)

The Active Learning Protects Heritage and Archaeology (ALPHA) project, launched in 2021 and funded by the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara (as part of the British International Research Institutes, supported by the British Academy).

The project focuses on migration, climate change, and STEM learning through cultural heritage, material culture, and museums in Türkiye. ALPHA is a heritage conservation initiative that develops, pilots, and evaluates Open Educational Resources (OER), with the aim of creating innovative heritage education materials for use in primary education and museum contexts.

In its first year, the project concentrated on the development of socially inclusive heritage education materials designed for use by schools, museums, charities, and families. A key objective was to promote social inclusion among different groups within Turkish society, including migrant communities, particularly those from Syria. To achieve this, the project applied the pedagogical framework of Active Learning, embedding heritage education within freely accessible activity packs designed for children (approximately 6–14 years old). The project addressed several critical challenges, including contested meanings of heritage, barriers to inclusion, and the structural difficulties of integrating heritage education into formal school curricula. In doing so, it sought to enhance both the effectiveness and reach of initiatives aimed at raising public awareness and engagement with heritage.

In its second year, the project expanded its focus to include global citizenship and climate change within heritage education. It aimed to foster children’s understanding of themselves as global citizens, encouraging awareness of their role in addressing environmental and cultural challenges. Educational games and activities were developed to empower children to reflect on how their individual choices can contribute to the conservation of Türkiye’s environment and archaeological heritage. The project also provided training and support for teachers, followed by an evaluation of how the OER materials supported these aims and contributed to children’s learning.

The third year of the project focused on embedding heritage conservation awareness within the mainstream primary curriculum in Türkiye, particularly through integration with STEM subjects. Targeting the 8–10 age group—before exam pressures begin to limit creative and co-curricular activities—the project trained teachers to deliver OER-based interventions and to build confidence in facilitating classroom discussions around heritage conservation. The project’s final publication will present the findings of a longitudinal impact study, drawing on interviews conducted with teachers across Türkiye to assess the longer-term educational and social outcomes of the project.

Research Impact and Sector Influence

1. Peer-reviewed publications

Alan M. Greaves, Aslı Öz, Gülşen Yegen, Veysel Apaydın & Caroline Gilby (2023) ‘Heritage education and active learning: Developing community and promoting diversity in Turkey’, Journal of Community Archaeology & Heritage, 10:2, 144-161.

Greaves, M. L. and Apaydin, V. (2023). ‘Active Learning Protects Archaeology and Heritage’. Heritage Türkiye. Vol 13. 

Project team and collaborators

Dr Veysel Apaydin, University College London
Dr Alan M. Greaves, University of Liverpool