Sensibilidades culturais e identidades patrimoniais: relevância educativa através da memória

Introduction: Heritage education is a key element in the development of inclusive global citizenship, promoting the recognition of cultural heritage and diversity as structural components of identity. The teacher’s active role in the construction of this knowledge is emphasized. Objective: To identify students’ knowledge regarding heritage education and understand their awareness of the importance of cultural heritage, its diversity, and its recognition in teacher training. Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted. A questionnaire was applied to students from two Portuguese and one Brazilian higher education institution. The data was analyzed using SPSS and descriptive statistics. Results: The results show the importance of understanding and defining cultural heritage, as well as teaching, learning, and valuing it, leading students to construct meanings. Implications, discrepancies, and limitations of the study are highlighted. Conclusion: Improving heritage education through specific pedagogical methods can enhance students' knowledge and increase their appreciation and valuation of cultural heritage.