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insight4me Classical Civilisation: Virgil and the Aeneid With University of East Anglia & University of Reading
26th February 2021 @ 11:00 - 12:00
insight4me is a series of subject specific webinars for current Year 12 & 13 students. The sessions support students’ current studies by giving an insight into particular curriculum areas whilst affording students the opportunity to talk to different universities and make informed comparisons about how, in this case, Classical Civilisation is taught.
In this insight4me Classical Civilisation webinar for schools and colleges, University of Reading and University of East Anglia will each have roughly 30 minutes to deliver a punchy, topic based ‘micro’ talk. Within an overall session theme of Virgil and the Aeneid, the universities have the freedom to choose their own topic and use the time to convey the key points of the case studies for the students.
Through the discussion, the universities are encouraged to provide an insight into the teaching and learning experience of this topic at university, and compare and contrast how other subject areas across the Classical Civilisation spectrum might be treated. Students will gain an insight into how these subjects continue beyond A-levels, T-levels, IB, BTEC and equivalent qualifications.
By hearing from 2 unis, students will also appreciate how the further study of Classical Civilisation can vary between institutions, contributing to the depth of their HE research and assisting informed decision making.
Full details of the universities and their talks will appear below when available.
- University of East Anglia: Dr Will Rossiter, Senior Lecturer in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing will present: What is an Epic? This talk uses Virgil’s Aeneid to return to some fundamental questions: what do we mean when we use the word epic? What do we understand by it? Is epic one kind of thing only, or does it get its meaning from other genres (eg tragedy or pastoral)? And does one epic have the same ingredients as another? We will consider these questions together, with reference to Homeric influence, and the ethics and politics (including gender politics) of the poem.
- University of Reading: Dr Andreas Gavrielatos, Teaching Fellow in Classics & Ancient History in the Department of Classics, will deliver: Virgil’s Aeneid: A Story of Refugees This talk will look into Aeneas’ personality: how he transforms from a common citizen into a leader of a group of Trojans who have to leave their hometown after its destruction and wander in search of a new home. Aeneas is primarily a refugee who tells the story of war victims. His story is a story of sufferings, but also of new beginnings; a tale of loss and of hope. How relevant is this story today? What can we learn about the modern world? These are some of the questions that we will address in our attempt to reveal what is it that makes this epic a classic.
Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.
As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.
Suitable for: Year 12 & 13 students (and equivalent) studying, or with a possible interest in studying, Classical Civilisation or Literature, Virgil and the Aeneid, and related disciplines.
Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the 2 topics and discuss some of the key elements in advance. Students can also think about questions they have about studying Classical Civilisation or Literature at university level.
The IT Setup: The event will be run on Bluejeans and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.
Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. The live interactive places for this session are now fully booked but please do join us for a live stream of the event on Facebook. The stream will appear at 11.00 so please don’t worry if you don’t see anything before then. Join using the link below: