Strategies in Teaching Anthropology - Softcover

Rice, Patricia C.; McCurdy, David W.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0136034667 ISBN 13: 9780136034667

Publisher: Pearson, 2007

Synopsis

Unique in focus and content, this book is the first to focus on the "how" of teaching anthropology across all of its sub-fields -- Cultural-Social, Biological, Archaeology, and Linguistics (and their two dimensions: research and applied studies) -- and to provide a wide array of associated learning outcomes and student activities. It is a valuable single-source compendium of strategies and teaching "tricks of the trade" from a group of seasoned teaching anthropologists -- working in a variety of teaching settings -- who share their pedagogical techniques, knowledge, and observations. It is focused on the applied, "how to do it" side of the pedagogical nature of teaching.Contains general tried-and-true teaching techniques for all sub-disciplines; specific tips for teaching Biological Anthropology and Archaeology; and specific tips for teaching Cultural Anthropology. Includes team work strategies; tricks for making comprehensible several of anthropology's "esoteric" topics; strategies

About this title

From the Back Cover:

The first of its kind to focus on the “how” of teaching anthropology across all of its sub-fields (Cultural-Social, Biological, Archaeology, and Linguistics), this unique reference tool features over 30 hands-on, experiential strategies and teaching “tricks of the trade” from some of today's most seasoned anthropology instructors. Provides a wide array of associated learning outcomes, team work strategies, and activities that have proven successful in the classroom, and shows how to clearly explain anthropological perspectives that contradict everyday experience and establish social categories, such as the social construction of race. Part I: General contains articles of tried-and-true strategies that are particularly appropriate for students' first exposure to anthropology and college classrooms in general; Part II: Biological Anthropology and Archaeology contains teaching tips to help students understand the complex issues through activities and props very familiar to them—e.g., “'First Steps' in Hominid Evolution: A Lesson on Walking” encourages development of critical thinking skills around the deceptively simple art of walking, which actually turns out to be an extremely complex phenomenon; Part III: Cultural Anthropology contains strategies that involve a series of activities that challenge the familiar and reveal that which is masked or often covert—e.g., explores gender differences in a very visual way by using children's television commercials to analyze gender enculturation. Devotes four articles to ethnography teaching strategies. For anthropology instructors.

About the Author:

Patricia Rice has taught anthropology for 40 years at West Virginia University where she is an Eberly Distinguished Professor. She has received numerous teaching awards: the American Anthropological Association/Oxford award for Undergraduate Teaching (1998), several West Virginia University Foundation teaching awards, and the Case/Carnegie Professor of the Year for the state of West Virginia (1991). Professor Rice was educated at Ohio State University and the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, and her early field work and publications focused on various aspects of prehistoric art. She currently has several text books with Pearson and has co-edited the six volumes of Strategies in Teaching Anthropology with Pearson. With the other two coeditors of this series, she has conducted Teaching Workshops for the AAA since 2000. She co-edited The Teaching of Anthropology: Problems, Issues, and Decisions (Mayfield 1997) that was based on the American Anthropological Association's Task Force on teaching, co-edited The Joys of Teaching Anthropology (2007) for McGraw Hill, and co-edits the journal General Anthropology. David McCurdy has been teaching Anthropology at Macalester College since 1966. He has been chair of the department for extended periods since 1969. Professor McCurdy has received numerous teaching awards. He was the first recipient of the American Anthropological Association / Mayfield Award for Undergraduate Teaching (1997). He was also the recipient of the Macalester Distinguished Teaching Award (1995). Indeed he was made the subject of an article in 1977 by Change Magazine for innovative teaching in anthropology, Change, Special Report on Innovative Teaching, No. 6, 1977. Professor McCurdy completed his undergraduate work at Cornell University and received his B.A. in 1957. He finished his Masters in Anthropology from Stanford University in 1959. In 1964, he completed his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Cornell Univeristy. Currently Professor McCurdy's interests in anthropology include ethnographic research, cognitive anthropology, applied anthropology as well as comparative religion in the United States & South Asia. His research to date consists of a major ethnography (1961-1963), then restudy (1985, 1991, 1994) of a Bhil tribal community in Rajasthan, India. He has also conducted a cross-cultural study of spirit possession (1966-1967). His ethnographic studies has encompassed corporate managers (1983), stockbrokers (1980), Jehovah witnesses (1973), as well as members of an environment movement (1968-1969). He has also performed continued ethnography (1988-1999) on a national motocycle association.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0136034667
• ISBN 13: 9780136034667
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 176