The Potential of a Museum in the Conditions of Crisis and Transformation of Modern Education

In: Idei i idealy: naučnyj žurnal = Ideas & ideals : a journal of the humanities and economics, Band 13, Heft 1-1, S. 69-79

Abstract

The article by P. Orekhovsky and V. Razumov 'Carnival Time: Russian Higher Education and Science in the Postmodern Era' focuses on the acute problem of the crisis state of modern science and higher education in the Russian Federation. The current situation is considered by the authors 'from the inside', since they are representatives of the university and academic environment, they see many 'weak points' in the system more clearly. Using the metaphor of carnival (according to M.M. Bakhtin), the authors analyzed the postmodern state of intellectual activity, paying special attention to the 'new' roles of teachers and scientists, viewing their spheres rather 'pessimistically'. In addition, the authors also considered other problem areas of the post-industrial society: economics, HR, engineering, technology. Moreover, the article by P.A. Orekhovsky and V.I. Razumov provides an impetus for reflection not only on the topic of the crisis in education as such, but also allows us to look at the transformation of education from the inside. The processes of globalization, technicism, scientism, intellectualization, digitalization, informatization, automation, communication, unification, service, consumerism and at the same time, the observed crisis phenomena in the economy, science, education have covered all spheres of life, including they penetrated into the value - the cultural component of our being. In the proposed work, the main attention is paid to the consideration of the museum's potential (primarily its educational activities) in the context of the crisis of modern culture. In general, the idea of cultural heritage has changed, the discourse about the meaning and prospects of the museum in the 'era when Google is just one click away' (according to D. Scevers) has been updated. Reflections on the status of the museum in the culture of the information society are associated with its economic and social significance, as well as with the modernization of museum work methods. Why do people need a museum and what role can it play in the new educational paradigm? Shall we interpret formal and non-formal education as partners or competitors?