Art Bridging Cultures: Fostering Learning and Cultural Sustainability Through Narratives and Collaborative Creativity

This paper presents an educational design aimed at developing cultural sustainability by involving students grades 5-8 in a curatorial role, managing and creating collages and stories based on a digital exhibition of Islamic and Golden Age artworks from two renowned museums and discusses the notions of cultural sustainability concerning this learning design. The project's core objective was to deepen learners' comprehension and appreciation of these pivotal and radically different cultural epochs, through their collaborative productions based on the artworks. The project produced an interactive website with a framing narrative that presented the historical art pieces the students could delve into, curate, and interpret through collages. We employed a mixed methods approach and used observations in two school classes as well as interviews and a survey. Two classes used the platform as part of the iterative development cycle, and their feedback contributed to the further development of the platform. The learning design was driven by twin ambitions: to improve educational outcomes in a multidisciplinary approach and to advance cultural sustainability through understanding and appreciation of other cultures. The design facilitated a narrative learning experience that stimulated critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative learning, guiding students to appreciate not only the artistic merit but also the historical, social, and cultural significance of the artworks. Our approach resulted in an inclusive learning design encompassing reflexive tasks and creative endeavors. Findings suggest enhancements in students' cultural awareness and engagement in learning, underscoring the transformative potential of digital-based and hybrid cultural education.