This chapter demonstrates how involving schoolchildren in active inquiry and sharing in responsibility for research can challenge the ‘content-driven model of learning’ in school. It considers a contextualised case study of work carried out in a small rural primary school in North-East Scotland. This work saw a community-based landscape researcher’s commitment to the full engagement of non-experts in the planning, investigation, and dissemination of landscape research being taken up by a head teacher, her staff, and pupils at Keig Primary School. Participants recognised and valued the strength of putting children in charge of shaping what and how they learn. Indeed, from the perspective of the landscape researcher and head teacher, the Keig project was designed to evaluate the practicality of using the principles of co-productive archaeological research to support children in leading their own historical investigation.
This book explores the nature of contemporary heritage research involving university and community partners. Putting forward a new view of heritage as a process of research and involvement with the past, undertaken with or by the communities for whom it is relevant, the book uses a diverse range of case studies, with many chapters co-written between academics and community partners. Through this extensive work, the book shows that the process of research itself can be an empowering force by which communities stake a claim in the places they live.Heritage as Community Research explores the nature of contemporary heritage research involving university and community partners. Putting forward a new view of heritage as a process of research and involvement with the past, undertaken with or by the communities for whom it is relevant, the book uses a diverse range of case studies, with many chapters co-written between academics and community partners. Through this extensive work, the Editors show that the process of research itself can be an empowering force by which communities stake a claim in the places they live.With a diverse range of case studies, and chapters co-written between academics and community partners, this book shows that co-produced research can be an empowering force by which communities stake a claim in the places they live.