E-learning as a strategic solution for the preservation and revitalization of disappearing industrial cultures in portugal

Abstract

The study presented in this paper concerns the development of a digital platform that combines aspects of collaboration, e-learning, and archiving towards preserving traditional knowledge embedded in artisanal industries. The work forms a part of the project Anti-Amnesia which values design research as an agent for the regeneration and reinvention of the material, social and cultural capital embedded in disappearing Portuguese manufacturing cultures and techniques. This project seeks to utilize digital technology towards making traditional knowledge referenceable and more easily accessible. The main objective of the platform is to foster a culture of collaboration between artisans, designers and artists, with the aim of encouraging an exchange of ideas, tacit knowledge, and experiences, and stimulating a joint creation of new solutions. This paper focuses on the theme of design for culture and education; and presents an analysis of a set of reference platforms for the related research.