Vliv vzdělávacích programů na postoje žáků k antice a jejímu zastoupení v populární kultuře

Abstract

Can educational programs have an effect on pupils’ attitudes towards the given topic? An experiment on this topic was conducted among elementary school pupils. This experiment had two phases, in June 2022 students were approached with filling out a questionnaire, the research group first attended an educational program on daily life in ancient Rome. The other half, who did not attend the programme, served as a control group. The questionnaire explored pupils’ attitudes towards antiquity, the perceived meaning of archaeology and its connection to modern history, the representation of antiquity in popular culture and stereotypical ideas about it. The research group also evaluated the educational programme and the benefits of excursions in general. In the second phase (November 2022), pupils in both groups completed a questionnaire aimed solely on pupils’ attitudes towards antiquity. The results of the two groups were then analyzed and compared. A surprising finding for the researchers was that the control group showed a slightly more positive attitude towards antiquity and its importance during both June and November measurements, which may be due to several factors such as the topics discussed in class at that time, the teachers’ teaching methods, and other activities in which the pupils participated that were not controlled during the experiment. There was no positive effect of the educational programme on the consumption of media with the theme of the ancient world (books, films, games, etc.). A slight difference can be seen in the perception of the meaning of archaeology, where the research group is more likely to be inclined towards understanding technology and inventions. One can speculate whether direct contact with replicas of archaeological objects is reflected here. A more significant difference between the control and research groups lies, for example, in the knowledge test.