In Ontario, the majority of archaeologists are employed as consultants in the Cultural Resource Management (CRM) field, as opposed to academic or government roles. The province maintains a licensing system and has established a set of prescribed archaeological methodologies in the Standards and Guidelines for Consultant Archaeologists (2011). While licensing requirements are based on a quantitative combination of education and in-field experience, this yard stick by which archaeologists are measured is no longer producing confidence in the abilities of the licensee. The current crisis in the university system and disconnection from the CRM field has further weakened graduates' understanding of archaeological theory and practice, resulting in a lack of insight into how on-the-ground realities relate to classroom learning. CRM firms must compensate for this gap in knowledge in order to field competent archaeological staff. This paper will discuss the impacts of the reduction of post-secondary offerings focused on Ontario archaeology and the process of CRM work in Ontario, the struggle to provide appropriate training and mentorship opportunities in a CRM context, and a call to action for CRM companies and educators to improve on these concerns. 

In a recent seminar titled ‘Re-Storying Intergenerational Trauma,’ Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux stated that the best way to help Indigenous people is for settlers to get out of their way. As a non-Indigenous anthropologist teaching university students about Indigenous pasts, I understand Indigenization as a process of creating space for Indigenous scholarship, perspectives, and approaches in the classroom. Early in my teaching journey, I began by simply revising course readings and content to highlight the work of Indigenous scholars and knowledge-keepers. As I learned more, I increasingly adopted strategies grounded in Indigenous pedagogies. In introductory undergraduate archaeology, I use self-reflection assignments, local examples (e.g., place names), and videos featuring Indigenous scholars to help students question their assumptions and recognize material culture as the product of Indigenous ingenuity. In upper-level undergraduate courses, I use academic sharing circles (informed by local Anishinaabe traditions), self-reflections emphasizing personal connections and growth, and experiential learning (‘learning by doing’) to support each student as a person engaged in a unique educational journey. I have found that ‘taking up the right amount of space’ in the classroom can lead to barriers falling away, enhancing not only student learning experiences, but also my own.

As archaeologists in the era of reconciliation, it is our responsibility to work to decolonise archaeological epistemology and to create ethical and reciprocal research relationships which are built on and inclusive of Indigenous histories, worldviews and current realities. The majority of archaeology in Canada today continues to be done by primarily non-indigenous archaeologists, despite the fact that most archaeological sites are remnants of the Indigenous past. This presents a fundamental challenge in designing field programs and courses where we desire to teach students about the emotional and cultural connection between descendant communities and archaeological sites and which provide students with an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Indigenous cultures, worldviews and current realities through integrated curricula which includes Indigenous knowledge. In this paper, we follow the evolution of our teaching pedagogy over the last five years as we worked with Elders and Indigenous curriculum to build curriculum which increases intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect. Using four case studies, we explore how this pedagogy has changed over time and our attempts to move it into different settings both in the field and in a campus environment, as well as discuss the successes and challenges we have encountered along the way.

Part 2

Traditional archaeology education has primarily relied on lectures and texts, often overlooking the diverse needs of students and community members with varying learning needs, backgrounds, and abilities. Teachers of the discipline should explore the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into teaching archaeology to create a more inclusive learning environment. By implementing UDL strategies, we can offer multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression, ensuring all students have equal opportunities to access and interact with content. This also fosters a collaborative learning environment, further strengthening inclusivity and engagement. Collaboration can be enhanced by establishing a Community of Practice (CoP), where students, community members, and educators collaborate, share knowledge, and co-create learning experiences. The synergy of UDL and CoP fosters an interactive, supportive classroom culture that encourages deeper engagement, critical thinking, and a broader understanding of archaeological concepts. This presentation is a collaborative effort between individuals from Memorial’s archaeology, social work, and education sectors to highlight how interdisciplinary collaboration can enrich the learning experience. As such, we aim to demonstrate how inclusive, student-centred teaching can deepen engagement with archaeological knowledge, making the discipline more accessible and meaningful for all learners.  

Each year, youth from every province and territory in Canada participate in science fairs, to a total of over 25,000 individuals. These students come from diverse contexts, united principally by a love of science and learning. This paper explores the science fair as an avenue for introducing the archaeological sciences to the next generation of archaeologists and community stakeholders, and explores lessons learned from a science fair mentorship context. A case study of cross-country youth science fair mentorship in archaeology research will be explored, highlighting how science fair mentorship, including "e-mentorship," can result in innovative knowledge co-creation with youth voices that may not otherwise be present in the field. In the case of project-based mentorship, it is critical that mentors meet mentees at their starting knowledge and experience points, working to help the individual build foundational skills and a methodological ‘toolkit.’ The mentor-mentee relationship must be one that lets the mentee independently thrive, leading the project forward with the aid of mentor-provided guidance surrounding best practices. This case-study provides compelling evidence for science fair mentorship as a mutually beneficial avenue of knowledge-building for mentor archaeologists, mentee students, and the growingly community-based field of archaeology as a whole.

In 2025 the Department of Archaeology will be running its first field school at Memorial University’s Harlow Campus, a small wing of the university located in the suburbs of London England, in the heart of the British empire.  Instead of excavation, students will have a 5-week program of experiential learning through daily tours of sites, landscapes and museums while completing 4 courses which view both empire and colonialism through a contextual and critical lens. The program will engage and challenge students to think about the diverse expressions of empire and the processes of colonization that occurred throughout Britain over the last two millennia: from subjugation under the Roman Empire to the early modern British expansion and colonization of many parts of the world. The latter event has left an indelible mark on modern British society through the accumulation of “uncommon wealth”, but particularly for Indigenous peoples and descendants of enslaved Africans worldwide. Empire and the Colonial Process delves into the social, economic, and cultural linkages between the concept of empire, its expressions through colonization, and the ways in which contemporary archaeologists are coming to terms with their role in this process and working to challenge dominant colonial narratives.