چكيده به لاتين
The chaotic appearance of contemporary cities and the public's interest in constructing culturally alien buildings highlight a lack of awareness regarding Iranian architectural heritage. Raising public awareness is recognized as a sustainable approach to preserving historical and cultural sites globally. This research aims to enhance understanding of Iranian architectural heritage by identifying its dimensions and influencing factors, and by presenting principles for teaching visual literacy to children aged 10 to 12, with a focus on informal education. Visual literacy in this context involves the ability to understand and interpret the characteristics and values of this heritage.
This exploratory study employs a descriptive-analytical data collection method, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, divided into four sections: 1) Document research, including a literature review to clarify concepts and dimensions; 2) Delphi research and tool creation through expert interviews, coding, a goal-content table, and a researcher-designed questionnaire, followed by a two-stage Delphi survey and Q factor analysis; 3) Surveying the target population using the developed questionnaire; and 4) Correlational analysis through R factor analysis, modeling, and path analysis using SPSS-22 and Amos. The statistical population for the Delphi section comprised 30 experts selected through a non-random purposive method, while the experimental population for the survey consisted of 547 teachers from across the country, chosen using a random cluster sampling method.
Q factor analysis revealed eight dominant perspectives among specialists regarding teaching visual literacy of Iranian architectural heritage to children, defining the dimensions of this education: “Non-physical and conceptual,” “Aesthetic,” “Heritage-protective” and “Spatial perception,” which are related to aspects of understanding architectural heritage, “Interactive-group,” and “Individual experience,” which are related to child experience, “Learning environment,” and “Cultural-social context” which are related to the context of learning. R factor analysis indicated that the criteria for informal education of visual literacy for children (ages 10 to 12) include: “Child's living environment,” “Understanding the values of Iranian architectural heritage,” “Communication and interaction with the child,” “Social-cultural context,” “Connecting the child with architectural heritage,” “Non-interactive media (films, series, etc.),” “Interactive media (social networks, video games),” “Representation and visual presentation exercises of heritage works,” “Designing the physical environment,” and “Presence and lived experience in historical places.” The child's living environment is the most crucial factor, followed by understanding the values of Iranian architectural heritage.
Teaching visual literacy should foster a connection between children and Iranian architectural works by emphasizing the unique characteristics of this heritage. This informal education approach comprises four components: 1) Recognizing different aspects of Iranian architectural heritage (learning content); 2) The child's living environment (learning context); 3) Learning facilitators such as dialogue, play, and media (learning intermediaries); and 4) Establishing connections, recognizing the values of Iranian architectural heritage, and enhancing the child's understanding of architectural spaces (learning objectives).
