Book cover for Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation

Publication date: 1 March 2027

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781806552764

Number of illustrations: 41

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation

Q: Who edited "Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation"?

"Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation" was edited by Renata F. Peters, Karen Thompson, Emily Williams, Melina Smirniou and James Harvie. Renata F. Peters is an Associate Professor at the UCL Institute of Archaeology where she leads the MA Principles of Conservation. As a conservator of archaeological collections and biocultural materials, her research focuses on the preservation of traditional knowledge through collaborations with Indigenous partners in South America. She has also established the conservation programme for a cross-disciplinary project in Tanzania, where she has worked for the past 15 years. Karen Thompson, is a Professor of Textile Conservation Pedagogy, University of Glasgow, and the MPhil Textile Conservation programme co-convenor. Karen, an accredited conservator, has practiced extensively in both the private and public sector in the UK and internationally. She also holds qualifications in primary and higher education sector learning and teaching and is active in enhancing practice in conservation and higher education more broadly.

Renata F. Peters (Editor), Karen Thompson (Editor), Emily Williams (Editor), Melina Smirniou (Editor), James Harvie (Editor)

Approaches to pedagogy in conservation are often dynamic due to the practical nature of this work and the rapid developments in theorising that drive it. They are crucial for training archivists and conservators, but have been under-reported and difficult to share. Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation fills that gap, offering examples of innovative approaches to pedagogy that emphasise reflectivity, critical thinking, collaborative learning, social responsibility and the interplay between art, sciences and craft.

To illustrate how teaching methods can be applied across subject and cultural contexts, key concepts such as experiential learning and socially informed pedagogies are brought to life in case studies written by expert professionals from a range of disciplines, including archaeology, contemporary art and textiles. The cases aim to demystify common teaching approaches and motivate practitioners to enhance their teaching practices, with critical evaluation of theoretical foundations that shape teaching methodologies helping to lead the way towards effective pedagogy. Set within consideration of impacts from wider society and the perspectives of community, inclusion, sustainability and science influence practice, the book is a secure starting point for new teachers in heritage conservation that offers insight and variety for more established educators.

List of figures
List of tables
List of contributors
List of abbreviations

1 Big ideas, great practices: opportunities and challenges in conservation pedagogy
Renata F. Peters, Karen Thompson, Emily Williams, Melina Smirniou, and James Harvie

Part I: Contextualising learning and teaching in conservation

2 Developing intercultural competence within heritage conservation professions
Flavia Parisi and Lalitha Thiagarajah

3 Bridging the divide between archaeology and archaeological conservation
Francesca Guiducci, Renata F. Peters and Elizabeth Wueste

4 Crafting conservation education: evaluating the place of metalworking in objects conservation
Lauren Fair and Kate Jennings

5 Teaching science in conservation: supporting the development of scientific confidence and literacy
Paul Garside

6 Expectations and the reality of an education in conservation
James Harvie

Part II: Teaching approaches and methodologies

7 Professional pedagogies framework: facilitating learner and teacher agency in practice
Karen Thompson, Vicki Dale and Nathalie Tasler

8 Lessons in Unlearning? Affordances of engaged pedagogy in contemporary art conservation education
Brian Castriota, Pip Laurenson and Hélia Marçal

9 Authentic assessment and the use of narrative in enhancing the accessibility of science in conservation teaching
Lynda K. Skipper and Philip J.A. Skipper

10 Developing transferable and disciplinary skills and competences in preventive conservation by means of authentic learning and assessment
Douwtje van der Meulen with Safiya Moen Ahmed, Ingvild Arnesen, Oda Moen Eikeland, Josefine Horak Elders, Erik Friis, Hanne Hurlen, Mina Jansen, Gerda Kvelland, Ingerid Louise Låker, Signe Nogva, Isolde Larsen Le Pennec, Vibeke Øyno, Siv Anita Årsnes

11 Community-centred pedagogy for conservation Internships
Ellen Pearlstein and Glenn Wharton

Part III: Applying conservation pedagogy

12 Integrating employability and digital skills in conservation pedagogy: reflections on authentic learning
Leah Warriner-Wood and Melina Smirniou

13 Rethought! ‘Jigsaw teaching in conservation-restoration’: a case study at the Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (CICS)
Marlen Börngen, Sonja Jordis Vonk and Andrea Pataki-Hundt

14 Transferable skills in objects conservation: learning through preserving community heritage
Halina Piasecki, Devon Lee and Pamela Hatchfield

15 Interdisciplinary conservation pedagogy in Mongolia: teaching skills in the conservation of archaeological textiles
Colleen O’Shea, Kristen Pearson and Odkhuu Angaragsuren

16 The city as a living conservation laboratory: embedding professional partnerships in heritage teaching in York
Ashley Lingle, Louise Cooke, Kate Giles, Dav Smith and Matthew Jenkins

Part IV: Teaching conservation in wider social contexts

17 Embracing interdisciplinary pedagogy and transdisciplinary learning in the study of Buddhist heritage at The Courtauld in learning and teaching heritage conservation: from theory to practice
Lori Wong and Sujatha Arundathi Meegama

18 Re-envisioning query-based learning through a social justice lens in cultural heritage conservation education
Melissa Tedone and Adam Foley

19 Embedding sustainability in conservation education Justine Wuebold, Glenn Wharton, Ellen Pearlstein and Gisela Cebrián

20 Braiding knowledges: developing indigenous collection care and conservation ethics courses
Paige Van Tassel, Fiona Graham, Rosaleen Hill and Patricia Smithen

21 Conclusion: a continuing dialogue
Renata F. Peters, Karen Thompson, Emily Williams, Melina Smirniou and James Harvie

DOI: 10.14324/111.9781806552764

Number of illustrations: 41

Publication date: 01 March 2027

PDF ISBN: 9781806552764

Paperback ISBN: 9781806552757

Renata F. Peters (Editor)

Renata F. Peters is an Associate Professor at the UCL Institute of Archaeology where she leads the MA Principles of Conservation. As a conservator of archaeological collections and biocultural materials, her research focuses on the preservation of traditional knowledge through collaborations with Indigenous partners in South America. She has also established the conservation programme for a cross-disciplinary project in Tanzania, where she has worked for the past 15 years.

Karen Thompson (Editor)

Karen Thompson, is a Professor of Textile Conservation Pedagogy, University of Glasgow, and the MPhil Textile Conservation programme co-convenor. Karen, an accredited conservator, has practiced extensively in both the private and public sector in the UK and internationally. She also holds qualifications in primary and higher education sector learning and teaching and is active in enhancing practice in conservation and higher education more broadly.

Emily Williams (Editor)

Melina Smirniou (Editor)

James Harvie (Editor)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation" about?

Approaches to pedagogy in conservation are often dynamic due to the practical nature of this work and the rapid developments in theorising that drive it. They are crucial for training archivists and conservators, but have been under-reported and difficult to share. Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation fills that gap, offering examples of innovative approaches to pedagogy that emphasise reflectivity, critical thinking, collaborative learning, social responsibility and the interplay between art, sciences and craft.

To illustrate how teaching methods can be applied across subject and cultural contexts, key concepts such as experiential learning and socially informed pedagogies are brought to life in case studies written by expert professionals from a range of disciplines, including archaeology, contemporary art and textiles. The cases aim to demystify common teaching approaches and motivate practitioners to enhance their teaching practices, with critical evaluation of theoretical foundations that shape teaching methodologies helping to lead the way towards effective pedagogy. Set within consideration of impacts from wider society and the perspectives of community, inclusion, sustainability and science influence practice, the book is a secure starting point for new teachers in heritage conservation that offers insight and variety for more established educators.

Who edited "Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation"?

"Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation" was edited by Renata F. Peters, Karen Thompson, Emily Williams, Melina Smirniou and James Harvie.

Renata F. Peters is an Associate Professor at the UCL Institute of Archaeology where she leads the MA Principles of Conservation. As a conservator of archaeological collections and biocultural materials, her research focuses on the preservation of traditional knowledge through collaborations with Indigenous partners in South America. She has also established the conservation programme for a cross-disciplinary project in Tanzania, where she has worked for the past 15 years.

Karen Thompson, is a Professor of Textile Conservation Pedagogy, University of Glasgow, and the MPhil Textile Conservation programme co-convenor. Karen, an accredited conservator, has practiced extensively in both the private and public sector in the UK and internationally. She also holds qualifications in primary and higher education sector learning and teaching and is active in enhancing practice in conservation and higher education more broadly.

Is "Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation" available Open Access?

Yes, "Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation" is published Open Access. It is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

What is the Table of Contents for "Learning and Teaching Heritage Conservation"?