what is archaeology? My teaching philosophy.
What is archaeology? As an archaeologist, I am often asked if my life is full of rollicking adventures like that of Indiana Jones from the popular Hollywood film series. While the exoticization of archaeology may be the carrot that entices students to enroll in courses on the ancient world, it also affords us, as educators, the opportunity to show students that archaeology isn’t just “cool” but a vital window to understanding the human past.
In my teaching, I adopt an active learning pedagogy, recognizing the diversity of learning styles in the classroom. When designing courses, I include an array of exercises and assignments to not only give students occasions to capitalize on and showcase their strengths, but to also challenge them to discover and gain skills outside of their wheelhouse. Thus, alongside more traditional lectures, I prefer to include experiential activities and assessments such as reflexive minute papers, mock research poster sessions, and field trips to local museums wherein students practice placing primary and secondary sources in conversation. in public education and accessibility. Democratizing the discipline means emerging from ivory towers and engaging with non-archaeologists. We have a responsibility to acknowledge the communities within which we conduct our research and a responsibility to be inclusive. |
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Courses taught:
ANTH 103 Introduction to World Archaeology
ANTH 310 Theory in Archaeology
ANTH 327 Things: Exploring Material Cultures
ANTH 392 Archaeology of Vice
ANTH 392 Ritual in the Ancient World
ANTH 395 GIS Applications in Archaeology
ANTH 475 (In)visible Histories: Heritage and the Politics of Memory
ANTH 310 Theory in Archaeology
ANTH 327 Things: Exploring Material Cultures
ANTH 392 Archaeology of Vice
ANTH 392 Ritual in the Ancient World
ANTH 395 GIS Applications in Archaeology
ANTH 475 (In)visible Histories: Heritage and the Politics of Memory