RECOGNIZING DIVERSE VOICES AND CONNECTING PEOPLE TO GEOHERITAGE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH PLACE-BASED TEACHING AND INTERPRETATION

“Geoheritage” pertains to geologically exemplary features and landscapes, but these are imbued with diverse meanings and values by all of the people who inhabit them, enter them, or know them in any way, beginning with Indigenous people. Hence geoheritage locations are places, in which natural and cultural features and landscapes intersect and geological heritage and cultural heritage are consilient. The intellectual and emotional connections that all people innately form in places comprise the sense of place. Sense of place is grounded in theory and can be characterized and measured; it makes human connections to natural and cultural features and landscapes tangible and teachable. Equitable stewardship of geoheritage and cultural heritage places requires recognition and appropriate representation of the senses of place of all people and cultures connected with these places, past and present.

Teaching that engages with natural and cultural landscapes together, that fosters both intellectual and emotional connections to these places, and that encourages stakeholders to understand and to respect diverse senses of place is called place-based teaching in the formal educational realm and interpretation in the informal or free-choice realm. Authentic practice requires meaningful engagement with diverse cultural experts and systems of knowledge in developing educational and interpretive resources for geoheritage and cultural heritage places, and instructive examples can be found in these places. While place-based teaching and interpretation have been done almost exclusively on-ground, innovation in producing virtual field experiences can enable more diverse representation of people and cultures, and connect learners globally with geoheritage and cultural heritage. Place-based teaching and interpretation in geoheritage places can foster greater cultural awareness and respect in tandem with Earth-system literacy.