A study on the values and ethos of ancient Sparta, its modern reception and the use of digital media in the contemporary hellenic secondary education

• Κύριος συγγραφέας: Τσίκα, Μάρθα
• Άλλοι συγγραφείς: Tsika, Martha
• Γλώσσα: English
• Έκδοση: 2021
• Θέματα: Sparta; Warriors; Hoplites; Shields; Achaemenid; Xerxes; Spartan women; Distant learning; Covid-19 pandemic; Digital means; Interactive whiteboard; Teaching; Σπάρτη; Πολεμιστές; Οπλίτες; Ασπίδες; Σπαρτιάτισσες

The present dissertation aims at investigating the extend in which digital means are used in the Hellenic secondary school classes, determine the reasons behind poor digital means usage and propose new fields of research that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented the educational system with. To achieve its goal Zack Snyder’s film ‘300’ is used as a case study. The present thesis is divided into three main parts: The theoretical part: It includes i. a brief description of the Spartan society and structure at its peak, ii. the role of women in Sparta followed by iii. basic elements of Spartan warfare, including the armor, weaponry and war tactics. On a parallel level, the Persian army of the Acheamenid period is also described, compared and contrasted to the Spartan one. On this purpose, the battle of Marathon is mentioned so the reader can clearly comprehend how strategy and wit can win a battle despite numerical superiority. The case study part: It includes a critical presentation of the movie ‘300’, taking snapshots and comparing it to historical data so as to determine to which extend the movie is accurate. By using facts that were described in the previous chapters, the present chapter consolidates previous knowledge and puts it to the test in a rather exciting game of discovering real history behind Hollywood saga and exaggeration. The research part: Secondary school teachers of History (be it Greek language teachers, foreign language teachers or theologians) are asked their opinion on why History is not considered a popular school subject, why lack of digital means usage is so profound in the Hellenic class and how this has changed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers are also asked to propose changes in the curriculum regarding teaching periods and material and evaluate the distant learning period during the pandemic.