The question of sources in historical research on school and educational heritage

Recent studies on the conservation and promotion of historical-educational heritage in Italy have been informed by the Spanish, Portuguese, and French historiographical traditions, as well as by new lines of inquiry concerning the material culture of schools and the construction of school memories. Based on scholarly analyses and field research outcomes, the present paper outlines the goals to be pursued in order to develop a solid line of inquiry into this theme within Italian history of education. A particular focus is brought to bear on the issue of sources, and it is sought to show that the use of novel sources, alongside those traditionally drawn on by historians of education, can contribute to advances in key research domains, such as the history of educational thought, educational institutions and educational practice, as well as more recent areas of study such as the history of material culture in schools