Discovering Maltese prehistory through digital learning strategies

Abstract

My dissertation proposes a digital learning strategy based on Maltese prehistory. It attempts to encourage young students through digital approaches to construct knowledge by combining entertainment and interactive information. The adopted strategy is based on learning theories put forward by John Dewey and Jean Piaget, as well as the need for an online museum learning platform that is user-friendly. The research study is set to explore specific Maltese neolithic artifacts, especially some of the lesser-known ones, utilizing a digital ethnographic approach. The historical and artistic aspect of the project targets primary and early secondary education; hence, the concept is centred around an online platform aimed at young students. Our ancestral roots date back to the neolithic period; therefore, by referencing anthropomorphic artifacts, students shall be able to discover what our ancestors might have looked like, how they lived, and learn about their social and cultural life through ‘digital artifacts’. The online platform is not intended to replace the museum experience but rather to complement it, especially when such an experience is for some reason, inaccessible.