The programme is a research-driven, non-commercial endeavour making use of the results of the ERC Consolidator Grant project “Our Mythical Childhood… The Reception of Classical Antiquity in Children’s and Young Adults’ Culture in Response to Regional and Global Challenges”. That project allowed us to unveil Classical Antiquity as a living element of contemporary culture, important for the development of the identity of children and young people worldwide. In particular, we decided to build on the potential of classical mythology as a cornerstone of the cultural code of communication that is both attractive and widely comprehensible. We also referred to the edutainment concept of making the learning process enjoyable and we included role-playing game components into the programme. Within the ERC Proof of Concept Grant we created its principles and core elements and commenced its implementation.
We address our programme to high-school students who transform into Modern Argonauts and embark on a quest for our shared mythical heritage. They discover myths through ancient sources, learn about their reception, and solidify their knowledge through creative tasks that foster teamwork and other essential soft skills. Each lesson permits teachers to discuss with their students pressing modern issues, precisely via the code of mythology. For instance, the myth of Prometheus can spark debate on the responsibilities of scientific advancement; King Midas triggers a discussion about the responsibility of global companies for generating ethical profit; and the myth of Poseidon draws attention to the problem of pollution in the seas and oceans.
We also included non-European myths for an important context that highlights the beauty of cultural diversity, strengthens a community spirit beyond borders, and teaches respect for local heritage.
The lessons for the programme are the work of experienced and dedicated scholars, consultants, and doctoral students, all passionate about education, from the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Estonia, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the UK, and the USA. The project’s potential exceeded our expectations and prompted us to aim for ca. 60 lessons (instead of the ca. 30 initially planned), all to be published in Open Access. Each lesson undergoes real-world testing in schools. So far, over 300 teachers and students from ca. 20 institutions spread around the world have gotten involved: not only from classical schools such as the famous institutions in Austria, Germany, or Italy, but also from an automotive technical school in Poland or an evening high school in Cameroon, for we strive for inclusivity, equality, and integration. We also cooperate with a sensitive reader in order to support young people in making the appropriate choices when approaching the lessons.
Our activities to date, in addition to the educational materials, include an international conference; over 15 lectures presenting the programme to scholars, educators, and authorities, incl. at the Cambridge School Classics Project’s Teacher Forum; press releases, reports, and interviews, incl. podcasts and Our Mythical Childhood Blog (over 1,000 subscribers) disseminating the project; several presentations and workshops for high-schoolers and teachers; the project’s website; 5 publications; with more actions forthcoming. “The Modern Argonauts” has also been chosen by the ERC for a presentation as a highlighted project in the PoC competition.
