We’re currently half-way through the second term of the year here in London, and for the second year running I’m a teaching assistant on the second year undergraduate compulsory course ‘Research and Presentation Skills’. The principal of the course is to offer, highlight and build on ‘transferable skills’, as well filling in the academic skill… Continue reading Teaching thoughts – ‘Transferable skills’: indoctrination or emancipation?
Category: Archaeology Teaching
Teaching and learning styles in Experimental Archaeology
A couple of weeks ago I was very pleased to find out that my paper had been accepted at the 6th Experimental Archaeology Conference in York, 6th-7th January 2012. Teaching and learning practices are something I've become really interested in, after studying for the HEA qualification earlier this year. During this summer's experimental work I… Continue reading Teaching and learning styles in Experimental Archaeology
6th Experimental Archaeology Conference – abstract
Below is the abstract I submitted for the 6th Experimental Archaeology Conference. Learning and teaching in experimental archaeology The ways in which past peoples communicated knowledge is of considerable importance to studies of technological processes, and is an area in which experimental archaeology could prove highly informative. Whilst some teaching of experimental work takes place… Continue reading 6th Experimental Archaeology Conference – abstract
UCL Primtech 2011 – running the metalworking sessions
At the very beginning of term the Institute of Archaeology, UCL, runs an experimental archaeology course colloquially referred to as 'PrimTech'. It's been running since 1982, when I am reliably informed Peter Drewitt was in charge, and takes all of the first year undergraduates away camping for a long weekend at a small scout camp… Continue reading UCL Primtech 2011 – running the metalworking sessions
TA Thoughts – Preparing to teach for the first time
So my guest post on GradHacker is up! Here's a teaser for you: "Teaching for the first time can be extremely nerve-racking. It can also be horribly confusing, isolating, and at times immensely frustrating. You desperately want to do a good job, but how can you when you’ve no experience and the course coordinator insists… Continue reading TA Thoughts – Preparing to teach for the first time
Quick Update: Furnace Building and Teaching Thoughts
I'm just back from a week in Cornwall doing some 'hobby foundry' work. The aim of the week was to build a functional charcoal-fuelled furnace and cast some small objects in brass. Calling it 'experimental archaeology' would be a bit false, considering we used a iron tuyure pipe, a brick-built furnace and a hoover, but… Continue reading Quick Update: Furnace Building and Teaching Thoughts
TA’s Thoughts: Seven common essay-writing mistakes that bug your marker
While university students enjoy their holidays and a break from study, June and July see lecturers and academic staff frantically finishing the last of the term's marking and sitting through innumerable panel and board meetings to finalise the year's grades across the undergraduate programmes. This term I been lucky enough to get marking experience at… Continue reading TA’s Thoughts: Seven common essay-writing mistakes that bug your marker
Teaching finished for the year!
Well, that's the last of the papers marked and handed back to the course co-ordinator - my teaching is officially over for the year! I have to admit it's been absolutely fantastic. I get a massive rush out of helping people learn new things, and I have been lucky enough to hold two teaching assistant… Continue reading Teaching finished for the year!
What happens to dissertations when departments close?
Now that I have the data from the analyses of the Clatworthy slags, clean and polished and ready for interpretation, I've been chasing a few references for relevant background material. At the moment my knowledge of the ores of the region is based on a selection of Victorian and early 20th century geological and mining… Continue reading What happens to dissertations when departments close?
Archaeological Heroes – Michael Shanks
I'm currently working on trying to finish what I'm calling my 'theory' chapter for my upgrade paper. Obviously I shouldn't still be reading at this stage but I'm one of these people who just never stops reading to write - I just don't seem to be able to. As a consequence of my digital-reference-hoboism, today… Continue reading Archaeological Heroes – Michael Shanks
Ruth Fillery-Travis 