This Erasmus+ visual storytelling course for adult educators invites participants to discover Palermo through photography, observation, storytelling and place-based learning. Using the city as an open-air classroom, participants develop visual literacy, reflective thinking and creative communication skills while exploring the cultural, historical and emotional layers of Palermo.
Moreover, the course shows how everyday places can become meaningful learning environments. Through guided photography walks, reflective discussions, creative documentation and collaborative activities, participants explore how visual storytelling and place-based learning can support adult education, lifelong learning, intercultural dialogue and active citizenship.
Photography is used not simply as a technical skill, but as a tool for observation, interpretation, reflection and personal expression. As a result, participants learn to explore connections between people, places, cultural identity and local narratives. They also discover how these methods can be transferred to their own educational, community and cultural contexts.
The five-day course takes place on Sicily where the urban environment, cultural heritage and coastline become an integral part of the learning experience.
Why Join This Course?
In today’s rapidly changing educational environment, adult educators and community professionals need creative ways to engage learners and connect learning with real-life experience. Therefore, this course combines visual storytelling, photography, cultural heritage, outdoor learning and experiential education in one practical learning experience.
Learning time: 25 hours or more / 5 days
Language used for the training: English
Simona Scaduto
meet your trainer
Target Audience
Adult educators and trainers, community educators and facilitators, librarians and museum educators, university lecturers and researchers, cultural heritage professionals, NGO staff and volunteers, local development practitioners, Erasmus+ coordinators and project managers, professionals working in lifelong learning and community engagement
Choose a location and find out the course dates
24.05.2027 – 28.05.2027 CONFIRMED
Our courses in Italy are run in cooperation with:
AMFI International OID E10034731
Join this course
2027: € 400 per person / 5 days
Very important:
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Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to use photography as a tool for reflection, storytelling and educational exploration. Furthermore, they will learn how to facilitate place-based learning activities with adult learners and design learning experiences connecting local environments with personal and collective narratives.
Participants will also develop practical skills in experiential and outdoor learning. In addition, they will explore ways to promote cultural awareness, intercultural understanding and active citizenship through visual storytelling and community-based learning.
Finally, participants will create action plans for transferring the acquired methods to their own organisations and educational contexts.
Course Content & Key Themes
Visual Storytelling and Photography
Participants explore photography as a creative and reflective tool rather than simply a technical discipline. Through observation and visual inquiry, they learn how images can communicate personal experiences, local narratives and cultural meanings.
Place-Based Learning
The course demonstrates how places can become active learning environments. Participants explore Palermo’s streets, coastline, cultural landscapes and public spaces while developing educational activities that connect people, places and stories.
Cultural Heritage and Identity
Sicily provides a rich context for exploring cultural identity, urban memory and local narratives. Therefore, participants examine how cultural heritage can support adult learning, intercultural dialogue and community engagement.
Outdoor and Experiential Learning
Learning moves beyond the classroom through guided photography walks, fieldwork, sensory exploration and outdoor reflection. As a result, participants experience practical approaches that can later be adapted to their own educational settings.
Storytelling and Creative Communication
Participants use photographs, personal narratives and creative documentation to explore how stories emerge from places and experiences. Collaborative analysis and storytelling activities support communication, creativity and reflective practice.
Methodology
The course follows a learner-centred, experiential and place-based methodology. Rather than relying on traditional classroom teaching, participants learn through direct experience, observation, creative practice and collaboration.
The methodology includes:
- outdoor and experiential learning;
- guided photography walks;
- visual inquiry and observation;
- reflective practice;
- storytelling;
- creative documentation;
- collaborative learning;
- cultural heritage exploration;
- peer reflection and exchange;
- place-based learning activities.
Therefore, participants do not simply learn about these methods. They experience them directly and develop ideas for transferring them to their own organisations.
Practical Outcomes
After completing the course, participants will be able to:
- develop action plans for future place-based learning initiatives;
- use photography for reflection, storytelling and educational exploration;
- facilitate place-based learning activities with adult learners;
- connect local environments with personal and collective narratives;
- apply experiential and outdoor learning methodologies;
- promote cultural awareness and intercultural understanding;
- support active citizenship and community engagement;
- create educational projects using visual storytelling;
- transfer the acquired methods to their own organisations.
One of the main aims of the course is to help participants transfer their learning beyond the mobility experience.
As a result, participants design practical place-based learning activities connected with their own professional contexts. These activities can support adult learning, community education, cultural engagement and lifelong learning. The course encourages participants to see their own cities, communities and cultural environments as potential learning resources.
Materials & Resources
All materials are provided during the course, including:
- natural materials (stones, leaves, wood)
- art supplies
- creative tools
Participants only need to bring a mobile phone for documentation.
Additional resources include:
- original educational and therapeutic materials
- handouts
- sample activities
Certification
Participants receive:
- Europass Mobility Document
- Learning Agreement
- Certificate of Attendance in line with Erasmus+ quality standards
Costs
The 400 EUR fee covers the course tuition, issuing the required Erasmus+ documents, coffee breaks, and a guided tour.
We offer an optional cultural programme in order to provide you with opportunities to explore the wonders of the area. All the details including the destinations and the prices will be sent to the participants two months before the course starts.