Designed to provide students the opportunity to participate in authentic research settings, this assessment gives students practical, experiential learning opportunities, as well as direct contact with international experts in their field of study. Students are accompanied by staff to one or several oversees locations and participate in various forms of practical and theoretical learning activities. International field schools can vary in lengths (from 2 to 5 weeks) and assessment deadlines may occur before, during, or after the travel period depending on the requirements of the course. Assessment may include an overall participation mark, fieldwork journals, on-site presentations, and final research essays. In the case of ANCH2900 students travel to several European cities and visit various cultural institutions and archaeological sites. Similarly, in ARCS2060 students participate in an Archaeology Field School designed to teach core practical archaeological skills. This learning experience has also been successfully implemented in ANCH3050. As this assessment and teaching format required highly motivated, responsible students, student acceptance is ideally based on overall GPA and/or an interview process. This assessment learning experience is well suited to summer semesters as it does not interfere with student's normal schedules.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 10-20
- CLASS LEVEL
- Second year, Third year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Medium security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- High time
- GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
- In-depth knowledge in the field(s) studied, Effective communication skills
- CONDITIONS
- Identity verified
- FEATURES
- Authentic
- TAGS
- international fieldwork, embodied learning
Advantages
This assessment provides students with a unique learning experience that authentically replicated research settings. Participation in this learning experience offers students a learning experience that can be added to professional portfolios and/or CVs. This assessment increases student's cultural competencies and practical skills in the field of study. This assessment has been successfully implemented in HaSS courses that deal with material culture but has wide applicability to any courses that have practical elements that would benefit from visits to specialised oversees locations
Challenges
Students are often required to pay for international travel expenses, which may create problems in terms of student equity. Make sure to highlight any available scholarships that students may be eligible for. This assessment may also require coordinating staff to have existing professional and personal networks in oversees locations and institutions. This assessment requires staff to plan details well in advance.
How it supports academic integrity
This assessment is based on first-hand practical, experiential learning experiences and would therefore be difficult to plagiarise of outsource
Dr Janette McWilliam
j.mcwilliam@uq.edu.au
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts, Australian National University
Master of Arts, Australian National University
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge Find out more