Problem scenario

Whenever I visit my grandparents’ home in the countryside, I notice the striking blend of old and new—modern buildings standing alongside ancient stone houses. This coexistence of cultural heritage and contemporary structures is present not only in rural settings but also in the communities we live in, where new and old elements, like architecture, often share the same space.

How do people who live in these environments perceive these changes? Do they feel a deeper connection to the old, the new, or perhaps both? What memories or emotions does this merging of past and present evoke, not only for me but also for others in the community?

learning aim

My toolkit guides learners in creating a community memory map that explores the connections between a place’s past, present, and future. The map includes current photos, personal memories, and reflections on the place’s future. Using photography, drawing, writing, observation, and documentation, learners capture the dynamic relationship between old and new within their community. This process encourages participants to gather diverse emotions and impressions, revealing how different people experience and interpret shared spaces.

Now, click the link below to access the Miro board and create your community memory map!

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVLGLFu8w=/?share_link_id=695776101662

You can also download the published templates through the link

https://miro.com/miroverse/community-memor y-mapping/?social=copy-link

https://miro.com/miroverse/community-memory-mapping-mmzltqcm4cvq2azz/?social=copy-link

If you don’t want to use digital tools, you can choose to work on paper or other materials; Miro’s templates are just a reference, you can create what you want.

You can follow the steps below

Step 1: Select and observe a community space (4 minutes)

Participants should select an easily accessible location in their neighbourhood (e.g., a park corner, an old building, or a street corner). Then, spend a few minutes observing the chosen space. Focus on details, which can be materials, textures, people, and surroundings that may suggest the history of the space or changes that are taking place. Take a photograph or make a quick sketch to put the ‘now’ of the space on the map.

If you are currently inconvenienced by the prospect of travelling outdoors, you can upload a photo of the community that you used to take in your phone’s photo album. Or find a photo taken by someone else on the internet (remember to add a link to the image) as an alternative.

PAY ATTENTION: It should ideally be relevant to your life and experiences.

Step 2: Gather community insights (4 minutes)

Interview one or two people near the selected location (or recall a friend/family member’s memory, which can also be your own) and ask a simple question, such as: “Do you remember anything about this place in the past?” “What do you imagine this place will be like in the future? Remember to jot down your responses in simple sentences, phrases, or add your own observations or thoughts.

Alternatives

If you can’t find a suitable interviewee at the moment, you can describe it from your own memory or find relevant information about the place’s past on the internet (please add links to resources).

Step 3: Create a “Memory Map” (10 minutes)

Use a small piece of paper or digital canvas to start drawing the map. Use a photo or sketch of the space as a central element. Write or paste the collected responses around the picture to create a layered map. Of course, learners can also add any other symbols, graphics, or lines that connect different dimensions of time to make the community map more story-telling.

You can take photos of your creations on paper and upload them to the Miro, or create directly with the Miro board.

The Sample of Community Memory Map

Not sure how to describe the past and the future?

Here are some keywords that might inspire you:
Buildings (function, style), population (increasing/decreasing), roads (getting wider/narrower) ……

Or you can also try to answer these questions below:
1. how did/will you feel when you arrived here?
2. what did/will you come here to do?

Step 4: Reflection and Sharing (2 minutes)

If time permits, share the map in person or online with others (especially the interviewee), inviting them to contribute their own ideas about the space.

Tips: This toolkit is actually a clue to help learners build a basic model of a community memory map. It is variable, and different groups can adjust according to their own needs and realities. Don’t worry too much about the depth of reflection.

Recommended Reading List

Nora, Pierre. “Between Memory and History: Les Lieux de Mémoire.” Representations, no. 26 (Spring 1989): 7–24. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2928520

Schama, Simon. Landscape and Memory. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.

Herbert, Steve. “For Ethnography.” Progress in Human Geography 24, no. 4 (2000): 550–568. .https://doi.org/10.1191/030913200100189102

References

Atkinson, Paul, Amanda Coffey, and Sara Delamont. “Ethnography: Post, Past, and Present.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 28, no. 5 (1999): 460–471.

Herbert, Steve. “For Ethnography.” Progress in Human Geography 24, no. 4 (2000): 550–568.

Lean Enterprise Institute. “A Brief History of Lean.” Accessed November 29, 2024. https://www.lean.org/explore-lean/a-brief-history-of-lean/.

Nora, Pierre. “Between Memory and History: Les Lieux de Mémoire.” Representations, no. 26 (Spring 1989): 7–24.

Parsons, David, and Kathryn MacCallum. “Agile and Lean Concepts for Teaching and Learning.” Springer Singapore 3 (2019).

Ricaurte, Paola. “Pedagogies for the Open Knowledge Society: Revista De Universidad y Sociedad Del Conocimiento.” International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 13, (2016): 1-10.

Schama, Simon. Landscape and Memory. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.

Womack, James P., Daniel T. Jones, and Daniel Roos. The Machine That Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production—Toyota’s Secret Weapon in the Global Car Wars That Is Now Revolutionizing World Industry. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007.

cover © 2024 by Tianyi Chen is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

The Sample of Community Memory Map © 2024 by Tianyi Chen is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0