Active Learning in Greek Art: Teaching Innovation through the ECO Method in the Art History Degree (UCM)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2026-3004

Keywords:

Greek Art, Teaching Innovation, ECO method, Meaningful Learning, Student Motivation, Collaborative Work, Academic Autonomy, Critical Thinking

Abstract

Introduction: It’s becoming common to seek alternatives to the lecture-based classes that have predominated in university teaching for a long time. To this purpose, focus on motivating students and stimulating their interest as future professionals, innovative teaching strategies are employed to support the learning process, promoting student participation, curiosity and self-organisation. This paper examines the application of the ECO model (Explore, Create, Offer) to the practical classes in the “Greek Art” course in the Art History Degree at the Complutense University of Madrid, for first-year students. Methodology: Application of the ECO Method in the classroom through group projects. Results: Creative solutions from students in the materials required. Discussion: Meaningful learning and its application in specific teaching methods can promote educational innovation. Conclusions: It’s necessary to look for new teaching methods beyond traditional education in higher education.

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Author Biographies

Daniel Becerra Fernández, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

He holds a PhD in History (2019) from the University of Seville, with a thesis entitled *The Marble Materials of the Traianeum at Italica*, which was awarded a first-class honours degree with distinction and an international commendation. He has built a solid postdoctoral career with contracts at the Regional Government of Andalusia, the Juan de la Cierva Training Programme at the University of Córdoba, the University of Málaga and Isabel I University, as well as obtaining accreditation as a Tenured Lecturer from ANECA in 2024. He has undertaken research stays at Oxford, La Sapienza, the German Archaeological Institute in Rome and Tübingen, and was a José Castillejo Research Fellow in 2025. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Art History at the Complutense University of Madrid. His research focuses on marble in Classical Antiquity, with a particular focus on Hispania. He has published in high-impact journals and participates in international projects on heritage, teaching innovation and scientific transfer.

Javier García Ferragud, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

He graduated in History (2021) from the University of Valencia, completed a Master’s degree in Advanced Studies in Museums and Historical and Artistic Heritage at the Complutense University of Madrid (2023), and subsequently worked as a Research Support Officer within the Investigo Programme (2023–2024). He is currently a Research Fellow (pre-doctoral) employed in the Department of Art History at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he is working on his doctoral thesis on spaces of traumatic memory in Spain during the Franco regime. He is involved in various research and teaching innovation projects and has been a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) since 2025.

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Published

2026-05-18

How to Cite

Becerra Fernández, D., & García Ferragud, J. (2026). Active Learning in Greek Art: Teaching Innovation through the ECO Method in the Art History Degree (UCM). European Public & Social Innovation Review, 11, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2026-3004

Issue

Vol. 11 (2026)

Section

Cover articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Daniel Becerra Fernández, Javier García Ferragud

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