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Teaching Archaeology in the 21st Century: Promoting A National Dialogue

Accomplishments and Future Activities

Accomplishments

Accomplishments of the Committee on Curriculum to date include organizing a workshop in 1998 that identified, addressed, and assessed the issues, resulting in seven working principles that from the basis for how and what we teach our students. Based on the results of the workshop four articles were prepared for the SAA Bulletin (16-5, 17-1, and 17-2). In addition an electronic bulletin board to foster a national dialogue on the teaching of archaeology was established and a report entitled Teaching Archaeology in the 21st Century (Bender and Smith, 2000) was prepared. The report was distributed to all SAA members and departments of anthropology through a grant from the Getty Grant Program. (Additional copies are available through the SAA marketplace.) Based on responses from the electronic bulletin board an email list has been established for individuals who want to be kept informed about Committee activities.

In June of 2000 a proposal was submitted to the National Science Foundation to help redesign introductory level courses using modern teaching techniques to develop student's analytical skills while incorporating the profession's newly articulated ethical principles. The proposal calls for archaeologist at several institutions to help design these courses. Faculty members would work together with pedagogical experts to learn about outcome-based course construction, alternative ways of organizing learning, and advances in teaching technologies. Professional evaluators will help them build evaluation into their plans. Through a series of workshops, courses would then be developed, taught, and evaluated. Course descriptions, syllabi, and resource materials would be made available in printed and electronic form. The SAA Board has directed the Committee to expand its activities to include the international community. As part of this effort, presentations regarding Committee activities were made at a conference at the University of Wales, Lampeter in a workshop on Archaeology and Higher Education and at the European Archaeological Association meetings in Lisbon, Portugal.

Future Activities

Planning is underway for a proposal dealing with graduate education and another for professional development as well as sessions and workshops at upcoming professional meetings, including the World Archaeological Congress.