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Teaching Interdisciplinary Archaeology: Our Students as Our Future Agents of Change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2019

Helen Blouet Open the ORCID record for Helen Blouet [Opens in a new window]
Helen Blouet*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Utica College, 1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY13502, USA ([email protected])
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Abstract

I discuss my experiences using archaeology and anthropology to teach college-level students how to be interdisciplinary thinkers and doers. Although the number of students who complete archaeology and anthropology degrees is relatively small in the United States and worldwide, programs and courses in such fields offer any student important opportunities in active, interdisciplinary learning that contribute to effective problem-solving using multiple lines of information. Courses and learning activities can question stereotypes depicting archaeology as a “useless” discipline (Arendt 2013:79), and they can prepare students to engage in and adapt to countless personal and professional situations while also learning about archaeology, its benefits, and its potential for relationships with similar and different fields. Therefore, the active learning of multimethod, interdisciplinary archaeology can prepare college-level students to address change and uncertainty in their homes, communities, and professions.

Discuto mis experiencias en usar la arqueología y la antropología para enseñar a estudiantes de nivel universitario cómo ser personas que piensan y actúan de manera interdisciplinaria. Aunque la cantidad de estudiantes que cumplen títulos en arqueología y antropología sea relativamente pequeña en los EE UU y mundialmente, tales programas y cursos ofrecen a cualquier estudiante oportunidades importantes de aprendizaje activo e interdisciplinario que contribuyen a la resolución eficaz de problemas utilizando múltiples líneas de información. Los cursos y actividades de aprendizaje pueden cuestionar estereotipos que pintan la arqueología como disciplina “inútil” (Arendt 2013:79), y pueden preparar estudiantes para participar en y adaptarse a innumerables situaciones personales y profesionales mientras aprenden de arqueología, sus beneficios, y su potencial para relaciones con ámbitos similares y diferentes. Por lo tanto, el aprendizaje activo de la arqueología interdisciplinaria de métodos múltiples puede preparar estudiantes del nivel universitario para abordar el cambio e incertidumbre en sus hogares, comunidades, y profesiones.

Keywords

archaeology in higher educationinterdisciplinary learning and problem-solvingexcavation simulationcustomized student projectsarqueología en la educación superioraprendizaje interdisciplinario y resolución de problemassimulación de excavaciónproyectos estudiantiles personalizados
Type
Articles
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 15 - 24
Copyright
Copyright 2019 © Society for American Archaeology

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