Abstract
This PhD project explores the intersection of digital cultural heritage, education, and data ethics, addressing critical challenges related to equitable access to cultural knowledge. While structured heritage data is traditionally designed for expert use through standardized semantic models like CIDOC-CRM, it remains largely inaccessible to broader audiences, particularly children. This research investigates how such datasets can be reimagined to integrate children's perspectives, enhancing their inclusivity, accessibility, and reusability in educational settings.
The study employs an interdisciplinary approach, combining participatory research with school-aged children, computational data modelling, and digital humanities methods. Through grounded theory analysis of children's narratives and drawings, the project identifies conceptual structures absent from existing heritage ontologies. Based on these insights, it develops a novel data model that integrates children's perspectives while ensuring interoperability with established frameworks.
To validate its applicability, the model undergoes rigorous testing across multiple datasets beyond the initial case study in Tuscany, assessing its adaptability in representing diverse perspectives. The project also ensures the dataset's accessibility as linked open data, accompanied by practical guidelines for educators and cultural heritage professionals.
This research advances discussions on digital literacy, inclusivity, and data reuse in heritage studies. It contributes to broader debates in data science and heritage informatics by demonstrating how structured data can accommodate non-specialist voices without compromising semantic integrity. The outcomes will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conferences, reinforcing the project's scientific and societal impact. Ultimately, this study enhances the pedagogical value of cultural heritage data, fostering more inclusive and participatory approaches to digital heritage management.
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