LESSONS LEARNED: PRACTICAL NOTES ON TEACHING ARCHAEOLOGICAL GEOPHYSICS TO UNDERGRADUATES

This paper explores the potentials and practical limitations of teaching archaeological geophysics to undergraduate students within the framework of an academic semester. In order to achieve true competency with various geophysical survey techniques and equipment, the student should ideally gain a solid understanding of the underlying physics of each technique, the nature of geological and archaeological deposits in the region, the technical use of the equipment, the principles of image processing, and a working knowledge of the software used to create the final geophysical maps. The course should include a fieldwork component in which the student gains hands-on experience with the equipment. This paper discusses whether it is possible to deliver all of these objectives in a single course and offers suggestions on how to incorporate inquiry-based learning into the undergraduate classroom to greatest effect.