Dealing with Reality: Managing Education at the National Park Service-Midwest Archeological Center

Summary

The National Park Service takes pride in high caliber interpretation of natural and cultural resources, and is known as the major supplier of informal education in the United States. With the centennial of the NPS approaching in 2016, the Service is directing all parks and programs to intensify education efforts. In addition, the NPS Call to Action of 2012 establishes the increasing of NPS relevancy to young people as a priority. Maximizing educational products and impacts is of particular concern for archeologists, as enhancing understanding and stewardship is critical for long-term preservation of these non-renewable resources. However, ever-increasing workloads for NPS archeologists are pulling staff time and funding from such efforts. The challenge to increase the relevancy of NPS archeology to young people and other audiences requires creative partnerships and focused priorities, which leverage the resources spent on research and management. The Midwest Archeological Center works to maximize outreach through partnerships with educational organizations and NPS units across the Midwest Region, and strives to increase our impact through expanded content and delivery channels.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Preservation, Protection, and Outreach Programs in National Park Service Archaeology

Keywords

Spatial Coverage