Actas Del Primer Congreso Internacional De Buenas Prácticas En Patrimonio Mundial: Arqueología
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The “Hikayat Simsim” Multimedia Edutainment Project in Jordan and its Role in Early Childhood Cultural Heritage Knowledge El proyecto educativo multimedia “Hikayat Simsim” en Jordania. Su papel en la educación sobre Patrimonio Cultural en la infancia Naif A. HADDAD (1), Khaled A. HADDAD (2), Phoebe SLOANE (2) (1) Department of Conservation Science, Queen Rania Institute of Tourism and Heritage, the Hashemite University, Zarqa , Jordan, E-mail: (2) Jordan pioneers multimedia and TV production, Amman ,Jordan, Abstract In Jordan, it a is fact that cultural heritage resources are suffering. Many young children in Jordan and other countries of the Arab world are not taught about archaeology or other means of respecting and preserving the past. In order to reach children, we must utilize tools already popular with them, such as television and games, to teach lessons about Cultural Heritage. However, in order to interest children in these issues, it is essential to use modern multimedia tools. Hikayat Simsim is a national Jordanian Educational Multimedia project co-pro- duced by Jordan Pioneers for Multimedia in Jordan and Sesame Workshop in New York. One of the main aims of the project is to create a new generation of Jordanian children proud of themselves and their country, their own culture, respectful of other cultures, and empowered to embark on both formal and informal educational endeavours, using its entertaining Muppet characters. This paper attempts to discuss how the cultural heritage concept and material appear in the particular case of the Hikayat Simsim project with respect to two unique and complementary aspects: (1) The television show se- ries; (2) The educational outreach initiative. The paper will also address how Hikayat Simsim, can develop me- thods to promote appreciation, awareness of cultural heritage issues among children. This will be achieved by the support of presentation of ideas, based on the educational goals of Hikayat Simsim curriculum. Key words: Entertaining Muppet Characters, Early Childhood Education, Awareness, Multimedia, Cultural Heritage, Hikayat Simsim, Outreach material. Resumen: Durante los primeros años, y desde la perspectiva de los propios niños, el juego y el aprendizaje están unidos. Cuando alcanzan los cinco años, la gran mayoría ha aprendido mucho. Sin embargo, todavía están lejos de com- prender los elementos del Patrimonio Cultural de su entorno local como parte de sus vidas, eso es algo ajeno a la vida escolar. Así, a la mayoría de la infancia en Jordania y en otros países del mundo árabe no se les enseña nada de Arqueología o de respeto hacia los restos del pasado. Está claro que con el fin de llegar a la infancia, hay que utilizar las herramientas que les son más conocidas, como la televisión y los juegos, así como los recursos multimedia. Esto es lo que pretende Hikayat Simsim, un proyecto educativo multimedia producido por “Pioneros de Jordania para la multimedia”, en Jordania, y “Sesame Workshop” en Nueva York. Uno de sus objetivos principales es crear una nueva generación de niños y niñas jordanos orgullosos de sí mis- mos, de su país y de su propia cultura, además de respetuosos con las otras culturas. Para ello se utilizan los personajes Muppet de entretenimiento. Este trabajo analiza cómo el concepto de Patrimonio Cultural se intro- duce, en el proyecto Hikayat Sims im mediante dos aspectos complementarios: 892 Actas del Primer Congreso Internacional de Buenas Prácticas en Patrimonio Mundial:Arqueología 892-908 ISBN: 978-84-695-6782-1 N. A. Haddad et al The “Hikayat Simsim” Multimedia Edutainment... (1) La serie de televisión, (2) La iniciativa de extensión educativa. También se ocupará de cómo el proyecto Hikayat SimSim consigue promover el aprecio y el conocimiento del Patrimonio Cultural entre la infancia. Palabras clave: Muppets, Patrimonio, Educación Infantil, Conciencia, multimedia, material de divulgación 1. Introduction tural Heritage. However, to discuss cultural Over the past half-century, child develop- heritage topics and activities that children ment research has provided an increasingly enjoy, any treatment should include topics comprehensive knowledge base to explain that interest both young and older targeted how young children acquire skills and kno- children, parents and teachers. It is fact that wledge and define the environmental sup- 2D &3D animation, games web site games, ports needed to stimulate and sustain outreach material and Muppet held chil- development [1]. Early childhood educa- dren’s attention. Therefore, a well designed, tion, however, is a critical means to address age –appropriate, and culturally sensitive many of children’s developmental needs; educational and social activities during the the environment in which young children early childhood years must be provided to grow plays a major role in children’s deve- facilitate interaction with the greater envi- lopment. During early years, from chil- ronment, and foster learning of an array of dren’s own perspective, playing and social, emotional and basic cognitive skills. learning are not always separate in practices In Jordan, it is fact that cultural heritage [2]. By the time children are five years old, resources is suffering. Many young children the vast majority have learned a great deal. in Jordan and other countries of the Arab They have reached “developmental compe- world are not taught about archaeology or tence” and “maturity,” meaning that they other means of respecting, preserving even have achieved the normative learning documenting the past. In order to reach chil- benchmarks of their community [3]. Never- dren, we must utilize tools already popular theless, the notion of young children step- with them, such as television and games, to ping out of the classroom to experience teach lessons about cultural heritage. Howe- history, art and culture heritage as a living ver, in order to interest children in these is- and breathing phenomena in their local en- sues, it is essential to use modern vironment has become alien to school life. multimedia tools [7]. It has long been recognized that teaching For the purposes of this paper, cultural children about cultural heritage and ar- heritage is defined as manmade evidence of chaeology is essential to preserving history any aspect of culture, past or present. Cul- [4, 5]. Teaching young children to care for ture includes all aspects of human society. historically important sites and traditions is According to the United Nations Economic essential to preserving any society’s cultural and Social Council (UNESCO), cultural he- heritage [6]. Children, however, like seeing ritage used to refer mostly to physical ruins other children engaging in activities to learn from ancient civilizations. The definition of from. By promoting enjoyment and interest cultural heritage has grown to include any in participating in cultural heritage practi- aspect of culture from past or present tradi- ces, children Cultural Heritage appreciation tions [8], which is what this paper focuses can be build up. This is basic issue to create on. The UNESCO separates man made cul- generation of good Citizens to respect and tural heritage into tangible cultural heritage, to be responsible for preserving their Cul- such as ruins or artwork, and intangible cul- Proceedings of the First International Conference on Best 893 Practices in World Heritage: Archaeology 892-908 ISBN: 978-84-695-6782-1 N. A. Haddad et al The “Hikayat Simsim” Multimedia Edutainment... tural heritage, such as theatre, dance, litera- answer constituent questions [11]. There ture, and telling of oral histories [9]. would also appear to be a trend for more cross-curricular work, involving arts and 2. The role of multimedia edutainment in other (non-arts) subject areas working toge- children cultural heritage enhancement ther on creative and/or cultural themes. Science and technology can be used not Recently, Virtual heritage and archaeo- only to document, restore, conserve and logy start to play significant role in explo- preserve archaeological sites, historical mo- ring issues involved in creating immersive numents and artifacts themselves but also to cultural heritage projects enhancing our promote awareness and appreciation. The perspective and understanding of the envi- rapid development in multi-media tools , es- ronments in which our ancestors lived and pecially in TV , filming, animation, website worked. However, in spite of various con- games, outreach material for children’s shall cerns and objections regarding the appro- take place in supporting the efforts in chil- priateness and educational efficacy of dren awareness and appreciation about their virtual reality, there remain compelling cultural heritage issues. This can foster the reasons for believing that virtual heritage children appreciation of the people involved projects warrant serious investigation and in cultural heritage and the work they do, can provide strong tools for learning [12]. seeing them at work and their creative pro- Virtual archaeology refers to the use of 3D cesses. computer models of ancient buildings and The glory of cultural heritage, actually, artifacts visualized through immersive tech- is captured best through the pictures and nologies. VR hardware and software are re- sound provided by television, computers, flected in the creation of a number of and other multimedia modern technologies. educational and cultural heritage programs However, instructional television received targeted at the widest