Promoting ancient culture through gamification: An illustrative example of the Harry Potter book series by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Abstract

Encounters with ancient culture begin as early as elementary school, where students are introduced to selected excerpts of mythology and elements of Greek philosophy, aiming to discover the Greco-Roman heritage of their identity. However, the fragmented scope of the presented knowledge and the manner of its delivery sometimes fail to ignite interest. Perhaps, then, the issue lies not in the reluctance to explore ancient culture, but in the method of its presentation. Therefore, the author proposes leveraging educational opportunities provided by gamification and popular culture texts (such as the Harry Potter series) as innovative didactic solutions to foster interest in this culture. The article is based on excerpts from a thesis and an original gamification project developed within its framework.