XFORMAL: Informal and Non-Formal E-Learning  for Cultural Heritage

In contexts where formal education is of limited importance for employment and future life prospects, or in situations where certain social groups are excluded or severely disadvantaged from access to institutional education due to factors such as income, ethnicity, geographical location or gender, there is a growing trend towards informal learning.

This trend is often fuelled by the subjective perception of the urgency of education and the concrete availability of opportunities to acquire useful knowledge and skills. In even more critical scenarios, where formal education is completely absent, difficult to access, of poor quality or perceived as irrelevant to personal and professional aspirations – especially among young people – informal learning is seen as a pragmatic and strategic response, sometimes the only viable path for autonomous growth and social inclusion.

In this context, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie RISE project “xFORMAL: Informal and non-formal e-learning for cultural heritage” aims to enhance informal and non-formal learning through the exploration of pre-Roman European cultural heritage. It aims to explore the impact that non-formal and informal learning experiences can have on citizens and students of all ages.

It recognises the growing role these methods play in building skills, knowledge and social participation in a rapidly changing society. The project consists of a series of coordinated actions, divided into the following operational areas: – Creation of informal learning paths that combine real and virtual experiences through museum visits, archaeological sites, and cultural landscapes, supported by an e-game using gamification, augmented reality and geolocation – Promoting cultural heritage mediation as a tool for integration, active citizenship, historical awareness and intercultural dialogue, enhancing both tangible and intangible heritage.

The development of soft skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, creativity and digital skills, with a focus on young people and students – Involving local communities in participatory cataloguing and landscape narrative processes to build a sense of belonging and shared responsibility for the area – The creation of an educational mobile game, structured in thematic itineraries inspired by the concept of “cultural pilgrimage”, to discover pre-Roman cultures and civilizations – Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration between the humanities and social sciences (SSH) and information and communication technologies (ICT) through a shared platform for research, training and dissemination – Aligning with sustainable culture goals in line with the 2030 Agenda and the New European Agenda for Culture, aiming to make cultural education accessible, engaging and inclusive for all.

xFORMAL transforms cultural heritage into a widespread active learning laboratory, where technology and direct experience merge to foster knowledge, skills and cultural engagement through a pedagogy centred on engagement, interaction and integration.