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Introduction: Constructing Education and Knowledge in the Field

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Abstract

This volume is designed to provide information, guidance, and inspiration for those involved with the organization of field schools, but also those who are considering participating in one. A range of experienced field school directors here outline some of the thinking and practices behind their projects, revealing the diversity of their aims and objectives, and also the importance of the various contexts within which they operate. This is not a volume that tells aspiring field school participants exactly what it will be like on their field school or how novice field school directors must structure their program. Rather, it provides pointers and ideas based on a wide range of experiences, from which inspiration and encouragement can be drawn. Here for the first time, many of the implicit assumptions and practices behind the teaching, learning, and research frameworks of fieldwork are brought out explicitly and reflected upon; this should help all who wish to make the most of their field school experience, whatever their role.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the authors for their interest and some for their patience as this volume has been compiled. It is a tribute to their dedication to this most important aspect of archaeological education that they have provided these reflective studies to help others achieve their goals. Teresa Krauss and Morgan Ryan at Springer have been helpful and encouraging at every stage and helped keep the momentum going as we all fitted in producing our contributions between completing one field school and planning the next. I would also like to thank all those who have taught me so much about field archaeology and teaching; from my first excavation directors and supervisors to my most recent cohort of field school students, I have learnt from you all.

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Correspondence to Harold Mytum .

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Mytum, H. (2012). Introduction: Constructing Education and Knowledge in the Field. In: Mytum, H. (eds) Global Perspectives on Archaeological Field Schools. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0433-0_1

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