Educational Chances for Cultural Expressions out of the New Technologies: EU Policies and the Case of Contexts in Archaeology

The European Commission faced the subject of educational relation between new media technologies and expressions of culture in order to adopt pondered policies. This article reports on the proceedings of an Open Method of Coordination Working Group, whose task has been to study the synergies between education and culture, regarding the new methods of artistic and cultural education provided by new technologies. By illustrating the debate on Media Literacy across Europe, it shows the specific recommendations expressed by the Group. Special focus is given on the educational application of new technologies to cultural heritage. By using this paratextual tool society could improve comprehension. As happened during a workshop of the Working Group, this paper focuses on the educational significance of using archaeological contexts. The necessary mental attitude to imagine and reconstruct past exteriorities involves a lot of contexts, above all the virtual one.