Jose Maria Cuenca Lopez

Jose Maria Cuenca Lopez serves as a Professor in the Department of Integrated Didactics at the Faculty of Education, Psychology and Sports Sciences, University of Huelva, Spain. His academic work centers on heritage education within social sciences didactics, with emphasis on controversial heritage, citizenship development, and teacher training methodologies.

He earned his doctorate from the University of Huelva in 2002 with the thesis "El patrimonio en la didáctica de las ciencias sociales análisis de concepciones, dificultades y obstáculos para su integración en la enseñanza obligatoria," supervised by Dr. Jesús Estepa Giménez and Dr. Consuelo Domínguez Domínguez. His educational background established the foundation for his specialized focus on integrating heritage concepts into compulsory education.

Cuenca Lopez's research investigates how controversial heritage can foster eco-citizenship and critical thinking in educational settings. His work explores emotional connections to territory through heritage, particularly in early childhood and primary education. He emphasizes inclusive approaches that address diverse learner needs while connecting heritage education to socio-environmental challenges and sustainable development goals. His research often examines the intersection of technology (especially video games) with heritage pedagogy and analyzes school-museum collaborations as vital educational spaces.

Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a pronounced focus on controversial heritage in teacher training contexts, with significant attention to preschool and primary education applications. His work increasingly incorporates comparative international perspectives (notably Spain-Brazil collaborations), geotourism integration, and emotional dimensions of heritage learning. The EPITEC project (Patrimonio, territorio y emociones) represents a cornerstone of his current research, examining how heritage education can cultivate territorial and emotional intelligence for citizenship development.

He actively collaborates with the HUM168 research group (Formación Inicial y Desarrollo Profesional de Profesores) and the Research Center for Contemporary Thought and Innovation for Social Development at the University of Huelva. His work demonstrates consistent engagement with practical educational applications, developing frameworks for heritage integration across various educational levels and contexts while addressing contemporary challenges in social sciences education.