Cultural heritage is a cornerstone of community identity, yet its preservation remains challenging amid modernization. Thus, this paper explores how the course Readings in Philippine History (RPH) at National University Clark enables students to participate in heritage preservation and foster cultural appreciation. This is achieved through the students’ final course requirement, where they identify, document, and evaluate heritage structures in their communities using the Cultural Mapping Framework developed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), culminating with a proposal for sustainable preservation measures inspired by global models. The outputs of nine sections of RPH students under the Civil Engineering and Architecture programs, which revolve mainly around heritage churches, government buildings, and ancestral houses around the province of Pampanga, where the students are based, are evaluated using a rubric that assesses the depth of their cultural appreciation, along with the relevance and appropriateness of their proposed preservation measure.
This pedagogical case study of incorporating cultural mapping in a history course is analyzed through the thematic analysis of the students’ Cultural Mapping output and their guided reflections to show the cultivation of their cultural awareness. Preliminary data reveal that culture is appreciated mainly if it contributes to livelihood generation and reflects their identity as a people, while future analyses will explore how the proposed preservation methods integrate global models into local contexts. The cultural mapping project exemplifies the intersection of education, cultural preservation, and international development, making a compelling case for its adoption in higher education curricula.

Authors:
John Edward Alfonso, National University, Philippines
John Nathaniel Berbon, National University, Philippines
Johanna Mae Clave, National University, Philippines
Jan Ashley Casco, National University, Philippines
Roxan Marielle Dungca, National University, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Mr. John Edward E. Alfonso is currently an Associate Professor in National University Clark, Philippines. His research interests coincides within the intersection of the fields of History, Culture, Food Studies, and Sustainable Development.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-edward-alfonso-6506a3287/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

Bookmark