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A Cultural History of Archaeological Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2017

Carol J. Ellick*
Affiliation:
Archaeological and Cultural Education Consultants, Takoma Park, MD, ([email protected])

Abstract

To know where we are going, we need to know where we have been, so it seems only fitting that, to produce a special issue on designing and assessing public education programs in archaeology, we need to look back to the establishment of public outreach and archaeological education in the United States and, specifically, within the Society for American Archaeology. Archaeological education, as a subfield of archaeology, can trace its roots to individual efforts at sharing archaeology with the public, but especially to the first Save the Past for the Future Conference in Taos, New Mexico. It was here that the idea took root that, to stem vandalism and looting, we need to educate people about archaeology. This meeting was the springboard for federal initiatives like Project Archaeology and Passport in Time, and it was also the birthplace for the SAA Public Education Committee. For more than 25 years, archaeologists have been creating public outreach programs, students have graduated college thinking of public outreach as a career path, and TV shows have sensationalized our profession, but what do we really know about what we’ve done, whether we’ve made a difference, and how it can propel ourselves and future generations of archaeological educators forward?

Resumen

Resumen

Para saber a dónde vamos, hace falta saber dónde hemos estado; por tanto, para producir una edición especial acerca del diseño y evaluación de programas educativos públicos en arqueología, necesitamos realizar una retrospectiva hacia el establecimiento de actividades de divulgación y educación arqueológica en los Estados Unidos, y más específicamente dentro de la “Society for American Archaeology” (Sociedad para la Arqueología Americana). La educación arqueológica, como sub-campo de la arqueología, puede trazar sus raíces hacia los esfuerzos individuales que compartieron esta ciencia con el público, pero más específicamente, con la primera conferencia “Save the Past for the Future” (Salva el Pasado para el Futuro), llevada a cabo en Taos, Nuevo México. Fue aquí donde se introdujo formalmente la idea que, para enfrentar el vandalismo y saqueo, necesitamos educar a las personas sobre la arqueología. Esta reunión fue el trampolín para iniciativas federales como el “Project Archaeology” and “Passport in Time” (Proyecto Arqueología y Pasaporte en el Tiempo), y también el lugar de nacimiento del “SAA Public Education Committee” (Comité de Educación Pública de la SAA). Por más de 25 años los arqueólogos han creado programas de divulgación pública, los estudiantes se han graduado de la universidad pensando en la difusión pública como una carrera, y los programas de televisión han hecho sensacionalismo sobre nuestra profesión, pero ¿qué sabemos realmente sobre lo que hemos realizado?, ¿hemos hecho una diferencia?, y ¿en qué forma nosotros y las futuras generaciones de especialistas en arqueología educativa nos podemos impulsar hacia adelante?

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2016

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