Harvard archaeology students routinely venture into the past, traveling all over the globe in search of new knowledge. This semester, they are using the technology of today to travel into nearly 90 virtual classrooms as special guest speakers, telling more than 2,500 public and private school students and teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools about subjects ranging from ancient tombs offerings in Mexico to trade practices in the Red Sea region.
Like all the student guest speakers, anthropology Ph.D. candidate Kate Rose produced a video for the grade school students, introducing herself and her field work using animation, still photographs, video, or illustrations. Though she has excavated in Spain, Jordan, Amarna in Egypt, and Çatalhöyük, Turkey, Rose highlighted her use of drones at the Nubian pyramid site of El-Kurru on the Nile (850–650 B.C.), showing students how aerial views of royal burial sites became 3D models that may reveal insights about gender and power in this African country.
“I was excited to share my work, which uses drones and new technology to find and record sites in Sudan,” said Rose. “The kids have a concept of drones now that you can find them in toy stores, and some kids had even flown drones themselves. So, I was able to relate that to science and archaeology, and to 3D models that we use to experience the site in an accurate way.”
After each video, the young students got to engage directly with the guest speaker during a live 30-minute Zoom call that touched on favorite finds, college choices, careers, and life in the field.
The Harvard students focused on a wide array of excavations and inquiries across the globe. Grad student Sara Zaia dazzled her classes with a 3D model of an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, revealing the painted deity inside. Andrew Bair transported his students to a 14th-century Anglo-Norman castle in Ballintober, County Roscommon, Ireland, where he used high-tech field equipment including ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry, and global-positioning systems. Sarah Loomis focused on Los Guachimontones in Jalisco, Mexico, where she analyzed cemetery and household goods to learn about gender roles from 200‒900 A.D.
Rose fielded questions about the cemeteries where her aerial research took place. “Sometimes the students would ask about mummies or skeletons. I would tell them how, when we’re studying the past, we’re also studying real people, so we are very careful, and very respectful of them.”
Outreach by Harvard students is a win-win situation, said anthropology Professor Matt Liebmann. “It opens a door into Harvard for grade school students who otherwise might not have any experience with the University,” he said. “So it helps to demystify both Harvard and the discipline of archaeology. At the same time, it provides valuable training for our graduate students who are just embarking on careers in education.”
“One of the biggest challenges for us student archaeologists is talking to diverse audiences about our research,” said Rose. “This is good practice and helps broaden how we relate to our own research. Sharing with kids and teachers gives our own projects more meaning.”
The Harvard Museums of Science and Culture launched the pilot program in January to engage kids with social studies. “These articulate and enthusiastic grad students model the skills needed to actively explore the past and discover history,” said Polly Hubbard, director of education for the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. “Teachers looking for links to curriculum tell us they love having ancient history brought alive by field researchers. And it is not just social studies. Science teachers, vocational trade teachers, and English teachers have also responded.”
Hubbard designed the program to meet several goals.
“We are a tiny but mighty department with one staff person devoted to school programs, so we tend to think in terms of things that do double or triple duty,” she said. “When in-person fee-based school field trips were canceled due to the pandemic, we wanted to support the teachers with expertise that was live but safe, uniquely in our wheelhouse as an anthropology museum, and affordable.”
Another goal was to benefit the graduate students. They practice how to communicate effectively about archaeology, a skill that can help enlist community support for field research or attract funding. Students are paid hourly stipends and choose presentations schedules that work with their class commitments.
In anonymous follow-up surveys, the elementary to high school teachers gave the archaeology experience good marks. Several appreciated how the program met teaching standards for ancient civilizations and differentiated fiction from non-fiction; a few noted how a special program makes a big difference to remote teaching. One wrote, “We’ve been virtual since the start of the school year, and in all honesty, the idea of an educational (and free) program to switch things up for the kids was like music to our ears!”
Demand for the program has been high. Group size averages 26 per session but some presentations have had as many as a hundred students. Teachers from New England are the most frequent responders and the program has received eager requests from Florida, Washington, Canada, and England.
“Next year we hope to support requests from non-school groups like Girl Scouts and to offer more than one program per teacher,” Hubbard said. “Oh, and we hope to add more grad students. They are so great!”
The Virtual Classroom Visit with Harvard Student Archaeologists program is offered at no cost to schools through June, and will be offered again with undergraduate and graduate students starting in October 2021.
Wanafunzi wa Harvard wanafanya kazi ya kuchunguza vitu vya kale na kusafiri duniani kote kutafuta maarifa mapya. Katika semester hii, wanaitumia teknolojia ya leo kusafiri katika madarasa karibu 90 kama wasemaji wa wageni maalum, kuwaambia zaidi ya wanafunzi wa shule za umma na za kibinafsi 2,500 na walimu kutoka shule za msingi, za kati na za sekondari juu ya mada mbalimbali kutoka kwa matoleo ya makaburi ya kale huko Mexico hadi mazoea ya biashara katika eneo la Bahari Nyekundu. Kama wasemaji wote wa wageni wa wanafunzi, mgombea wa Ph.D. wa anthropolojia Kate Rose alitengeneza video kwa wanafunzi wa shule ya msingi, akijitambulisha mwenyewe na kazi yake ya shamba kwa kutumia uhuishaji, picha, video, au vielezi. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, alisoma juu ya ""Uhispania, Jordan, Amarna, Misri, na Çatalhöyük, Uturuki"" na ""Ukaguzi wa Utafiti wa Pyramid ya Nubia ya El-Kurdu"" na ""Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti.""" "Mfano wa picha ya ndege ya makaburi ya kifalme ya Afrika ya Kusini, ""Mfano wa 3D"" unaonyesha jinsi picha za anga za makaburi ya kifalme zilivyoweza kufunua mambo kuhusu jinsia na mamlaka katika nchi hiyo ya Afrika." "Nilikuwa na msisimko wa kushiriki kazi yangu, ambayo hutumia drones na teknolojia mpya kupata na kurekodi maeneo nchini Sudan", alisema Rose. <unk> Watoto wana dhana ya drones sasa kwamba unaweza kupata yao katika maduka ya vitu vya kuchezea, na baadhi ya watoto hata alikuwa akaruka drones wenyewe. "Kwa hivyo, niliweza kuhusisha hiyo na sayansi na akiolojia, na kwa mifano ya 3D ambayo tunatumia kugundua tovuti kwa njia sahihi. ""Baada ya kila video, wanafunzi wachanga walipata kushiriki moja kwa moja na msemaji mgeni wakati wa simu ya moja kwa moja ya dakika 30 ya Zoom ambayo iligusa juu ya uvumbuzi wa kupendwa, chaguzi za chuo kikuu, kazi, na maisha katika uwanja." Wanafunzi wa Harvard walikazia fikira uchunguzi mbalimbali na uchunguzi ulimwenguni pote. Mwanafunzi wa chuo kikuu cha Cairo Sara Zaia amewashangaza wanafunzi wake kwa mfano wa 3D wa kaburi la kale la Misri, akifunua mungu aliyechorwa ndani yake. Andrew Bair aliwapeleka wanafunzi wake kwenye ngome ya karne ya 14 ya Anglo-Norman huko Ballintour, County Roscommon, Ireland, ambapo alitumia vifaa vya hali ya juu vya uwanja ikiwa ni pamoja na rada ya kupenya ardhi, magnetometry, na mifumo ya nafasi ya kimataifa. Sarah Loomis, ambaye anaishi Los Guachimontes, Jalisco, Mexico, amejaribu kuchunguza makaburi na vitu vya nyumbani ili kujifunza kuhusu majukumu ya jinsia kutoka 200 hadi 900 AD. <unk>Nyakati nyingine wanafunzi waliuliza juu ya maiti au mifupa. "Ningeliwaambia jinsi, tunapojifunza wakati uliopita, tunajifunza pia watu halisi, kwa hivyo tunajihadhari sana, na tunawaheshimu sana. ""Ufikiaji wa wanafunzi wa Harvard ni hali ya kushinda-kushinda, alisema Profesa wa Anthropolojia Matt Liebmann." "Inafungua mlango wa kuingia Harvard kwa wanafunzi wa shule ya msingi ambao vinginevyo hawawezi kuwa na uzoefu wowote na Chuo Kikuu", alisema. <unk>Kwa hiyo inasaidia kuondoa fumbo la Harvard na taaluma ya akiolojia. "Kwa wakati huo huo, inatoa mafunzo muhimu kwa wanafunzi wetu wa kuhitimu ambao wanaanza tu kazi katika elimu. ""Moja ya changamoto kubwa kwa sisi wanafunzi wa akiolojia ni kuzungumza na watazamaji mbalimbali kuhusu utafiti wetu, ""Rose alisema." <unk>Hii ni mazoezi mazuri na husaidia kupanua jinsi tunavyohusiana na utafiti wetu wenyewe. "Kujumuisha watoto na walimu hutoa maana zaidi kwa miradi yetu wenyewe. ""Jumba la Makumbusho la Sayansi na Utamaduni la Harvard lilianzisha mpango wa majaribio mnamo Januari ili kujihusisha na watoto na masomo ya kijamii." "Wanafunzi hawa wa shahada ya kwanza wanaonyesha ujuzi unaohitajika kuchunguza historia na kugundua historia,"" alisema Polly Hubbard, mkurugenzi wa elimu wa Jumba la Makumbusho la Peabody la Archaeology na Ethnology na Jumba la Makumbusho la Harvard la Mashariki ya Karibu ya Kale." <unk> Walimu wanaotafuta viungo kwa mtaala kutuambia wao upendo kuwa na historia ya kale kuletwa hai na watafiti uwanja. Na si masomo ya kijamii tu. Walimu wa sayansi, walimu wa biashara ya ufundi, na walimu wa Kiingereza pia wameitikia. <unk> Hubbard alibuni programu hiyo ili kutimiza malengo kadhaa. "Sisi ni idara ndogo lakini yenye nguvu na mtu mmoja wa wafanyakazi aliyejitolea kwa programu za shule, kwa hivyo tunaelekea kufikiria kwa mambo ambayo hufanya kazi mbili au tatu", alisema. "Wakati safari za shule za kibinafsi za kulipwa zilipofutwa kwa sababu ya janga hilo, tulitaka kuunga mkono walimu kwa utaalam ambao ulikuwa hai lakini salama, kipekee katika nyumba yetu ya magurudumu kama jumba la makumbusho la anthropolojia, na bei nafuu. """ Wanajifunza jinsi ya kuwasiliana kwa ufanisi kuhusu akiolojia, ujuzi ambao unaweza kusaidia kupata msaada wa jamii kwa ajili ya utafiti wa shamba au kuvutia ufadhili. Wanafunzi hulipwa mshahara wa saa na kuchagua ratiba za maonyesho ambazo hufanya kazi na ahadi zao za darasa. Katika uchunguzi wa kufuatilia usiojulikana, walimu wa shule ya msingi hadi ya sekondari walitoa alama nzuri kwa uzoefu wa akiolojia. Wengi walifurahia jinsi programu hiyo ilivyokidhi viwango vya ufundishaji kwa ustaarabu wa kale na kutofautisha hadithi za uwongo na zisizo za uwongo; wachache waliona jinsi programu maalum inafanya tofauti kubwa kwa ufundishaji wa mbali. Mmoja aliandika, <unk>Tumekuwa virtual tangu mwanzo wa mwaka wa shule, na kwa uaminifu wote, wazo la programu ya elimu (na bure) kubadilisha mambo kwa watoto ilikuwa kama muziki kwa masikio yetu! <unk> Mahitaji ya programu imekuwa ya juu. Idadi ya wanafunzi katika kila kikao ni wastani wa watu 26 lakini baadhi ya maonyesho yamejumuisha wanafunzi zaidi ya mia moja. Walimu kutoka New England ndio wanaojibu mara nyingi zaidi na programu hiyo imepokea maombi ya hamu kutoka Florida, Washington, Kanada, na Uingereza. "Mwaka ujao tunatarajia kuunga mkono maombi kutoka kwa vikundi visivyo vya shule kama vile Girl Scouts na kutoa programu zaidi ya moja kwa kila mwalimu", Hubbard alisema. <unk>Oh, na tunatumaini kuongeza wanafunzi zaidi wa shahada ya mwisho. "Mkutano wa Virtual Classroom Visit with Harvard Student Archaeologists unafanyika katika shule za msingi za chuo kikuu cha Harvard, na utaanza tena Oktoba 2021."""