Leveraging Cultural Mapping in Readings in Philippine History: A Pedagogical Approach to Heritage Preservation



Author Information

John Edward Alfonso, National University, Philippines
John Nathaniel Berbon, National University, Philippines
Jan Ashley Casco, National University, Philippines
Johanna Mae Clave, National University, Philippines

Abstract

Cultural heritage is a cornerstone of community identity, yet its preservation remains challenging amid modernization. This paper explores how the Readings in Philippine History (RPH) course at National University Clark enables students to actively engage in heritage preservation and cultivate deeper cultural appreciation through cultural mapping. Nine sections of RPH students from the Architecture and Civil Engineering programs conducted a final requirement involving the identification, documentation, and evaluation of heritage structures within their local communities. Using the Cultural Mapping Toolkit by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), students analyzed the significance of heritage structures and proposed preservation strategies informed by global models. Thematic analysis of student outputs—including heritage churches, ancestral houses, museums, and public buildings—yielded three key findings: (1) students experienced a shift from passive learning to active cultural engagement; (2) students recognized heritage’s potential to support local economies and community sustainability through tourism and livelihood generation; and (3) students rediscovered their cultural identity through immersive interaction with heritage sites, prompting greater awareness, pride, and advocacy. These findings were evaluated using a rubric assessing cultural appreciation and suggested preservation methods' feasibility. This pedagogical case study demonstrates how cultural mapping effectively nurtures students’ sense of identity, advocacy, and historical consciousness. This approach exemplifies the intersection of education, cultural preservation, and community engagement, providing a strong argument for incorporating heritage education into higher education curricula.


Paper Information

Conference: ACCS2025
Stream: Education / Pedagogy

This paper is part of the ACCS2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Alfonso J., Berbon J., Casco J., & Clave J. (2025) Leveraging Cultural Mapping in Readings in Philippine History: A Pedagogical Approach to Heritage Preservation ISSN: 2187-4751 – The Asian Conference on Cultural Studies 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 149-160) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2187-4751.2025.13
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2187-4751.2025.13


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Posted by James Alexander Gordon