УДК 378.4.016 (477)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59694/ped_sciences.2025.17.134-138
CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN TEACHING ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCIPLINES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION
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RATS Adalbert Josypovych – PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of History and Social Sciences, Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University.
ORCID іD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3780-2843
KRULKO Larisa Volodymyrivna – candidate of biological sciences, teacher of the department of sociocultural activities of the Communal Institution of Higher Education «Academy of Culture and Arts» of the Transcarpathian Regional Council.
ORCID іD: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5040-8698
Abstract:
This article provides a critical analysis of the multifaceted challenges facing the teaching of archaeological disciplines within the system of higher education. These challenges are identified as encompassing systemic financial vulnerability, inherited curricular inertia, and the pedagogical limitations of traditional text-based and two-dimensional teaching methods. The necessity for a radical modernization of the educational process is substantiated through the targeted integration of digital technologies, particularly extended reality and 3D modeling technologies. Drawing upon theories of visual and spatial learning, it is argued that these technologies are capable of providing embodied interaction, which is critically important for the formation of professional competencies, as archaeology is inherently a spatial discipline. Specific attention is given to strategies for overcoming the key implementation barriers, which include the high cost of infrastructure, the necessity for targeted training of teaching staff, and the development of ethical standards for digital data governance. The article proposes institutional recommendations aimed at introducing coordinated, studentcentered, and financially balanced approaches to the digital transformation of archaeological education in Ukraine. The digital principle is that digital technologies, especially XR and 3D modeling, offer a single, theoretically grounded mechanism to overcome these limitations, significantly enhancing students’ spatial competence and providing a more realistic understanding of the archaeological context. Furthermore, digital archaeology serves as a powerful integrative course that combines the humanities with STEM disciplines.
Keywords: archaeology, higher education, digital technologies, spatial competence, professional competencies, student-centered approach.
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