Kenneth L. Feder. 2004. Linking to the Past: A Brief Introduction to Archaeology. Oxford University Press, London. ISBN 0-19-515919-5
Introduction
Kenneth Feder has a long distinguished history of writing great introductory texts for beginning college students; recently reviewed here was the second edition of his Past in Perspective. With Linking to the Past, Feder introduces a web-based format to provide a searchable, enhanced text for students beginning in archaeology.
The Concept
Linking to the Past is an interesting experiment in the use of web-based instructional materials. It is, first and foremost, an introduction to archaeology, in standard format, with chapters (called Units) on various topics in archaeology, such as laws supporting archaeological research, survey methods, dating, predictive models, stone tools, paleobotany, economic and social aspects. The breadth alone is pretty unusual for your basic text. But what Feder does is include a CDRom version of the book, with additional information.
Why Do That?
Feder's reasoning is laid out in his preface. This book is an experiment with nonlinear thinking, taking advantage of the present crop of students' familiarity with the web to allow them a flexible style of gathering information. The hypertext format allows easy access to a glossary and other in-depth or explanatory material on-the-fly. In addition, as any print editor can tell you, providing a CD Rom allows the presentation of far more color graphics than affordable in a standard text.
So Does it Work?
The book itself is constructed in an interesting way; using one archaeological site (the Wood Lily site), the reader is taken from discovery to final interpretations. Of course, that in itself is linear; but in reality archaeology is rarely linear, and in fact you often find yourself following unexpected side tracks. The CD format replicates that experience; although this exploratory method might have been replicated a little better if the drop down box had chapter names rather than Unit 1 or Unit 7.
I think this would be a very interesting way to get students involved in the learning process, and I look forward to more of the same from Feder and his associates.
I think this would be a very interesting way to get students involved in the learning process, and I look forward to more of the same from Feder and his associates.
