ENDOWMENT - INTEGRATIVE MULTIMEDIA APPROACH TO THE RESEARCH OF SERBIAN MEDIEVAL CULTURE AT EARLY SCHOOL AGE

Abstract

his paper will present the process and the results of the work on the “Endowment” project, which was realized in cooperation with the Association for Creative Development of Children “Creative Laboratory” and the Eureka Children’s Club during 2022-2023. in Kruševac. The goal of the project was to develop a positive image of oneself and one’s spiritual identity, to gain knowledge about our roots and origins, to learn about the importance of medieval culture for the spiritual identity of the Serbian people, to which the children themselves belong. Program contents are devoted to endowments, rulers, saints, historical events and the overall culture of medieval Serbia. 25 children aged 7-11 participated in the project for 10 weeks. As an occasion, provocation and inspiration for research, we used a visit to the Park of Miniatures in Bagdala, where models of our medieval monasteries were placed. The results of the work were presented at the ceremonial academy called “Endowment”, which was designed as a three-component unit and, with the blessing of His Eminence, the Bishop of Kruševac Mr. David, was held in the amphitheater of the Lazarica Church in Kruševac in February 2023. The first component consisted of a photo exhibition entitled “Trace of our past” which represents a timeline of children’s research activities, the second, an art exhibition of children’s works “Mosaic of our past” and the third stage performance “Endowment”. By interviewing all participants, qualitative analysis of the process and results of the work, we concluded that the multimedia, integrative and project approach had an effect on raising the interest and self-confidence of children, mobilized their attention and contributed to the development of awareness and knowledge about their spiritual origin and cultural identity.