Employing Disruptive Technologies Teaching Archaeology in Field and Classroom Settings

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Recent studies in pedagogy indicate that knowledge acquisition and retention among millennials is facilitated when phased assessment criteria are used. Our multidisciplinary team (Archaeology and Geography) has employed a variety assignments around disruptive technologies (cellular telephones) in order to move students from elementary knowledge milestones (foundational knowledge) to sophisticated milestones (application or integration of knowledge) in a travel study setting. The methods employed allow both rapid delivery and assessment of student work and allow students to build on skills using alternative technologies. These methods, involve non-traditional narrative delivery, preparing students for a global workforce in which alternative forms of knowledge acquisition and delivery are commonplace. We also teach foundation skills in delivering factual information, building on prior knowledge. Similar techniques were employed in three semester offerings of a general education course on archaeology, the last of which utilized word association as a way of measuring the success of knowledge acquisition and transformation. Both efforts have integrated learner-centered approaches with top-down traditional lecture formats. The former approach is guided by group exercises, democratic dialogue, and competition, which helps students learn valuable skills in collaboration, leadership, and communication while at the same time teaching them the value of multi-vocality in archaeological interpretation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 26312