A competency based model for Archaeological training?
Iain Stuart
I was browsing this morning and discovered that “the geospatial industry” in the USA has adopted a competency based model for training which aims to ensure that training courses turn out well educated graduates for use in the industry. As a consumer of archaeologists over the years I wonder whether the archaeological industry could push for a similar model to be adopted in the training of archaeological graduates and the continuous professional development of graduate archaeologists so we don’t end up in situations which I have had over the years where recently graduated archaeologists know little or nothing about –archaeological site photography, excavation techniques, site survey or recording stratigraphy. Surely there are basic competencies that are needed whether one’s archaeological career is going to be in the academic sphere or in industry.
The links to the geospatial competencies is here
http://www.urisa.org/resources/geospatial-management-competency-model/
http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/competency-models/geospatial-technology.aspx
Cheers
Dr Iain Stuart
JCIS Consultants
P.O. Box 2397
Burwood North
NSW 2134
Australia
(02) 97010191
Oliver Brown
I also think that unis are right onto the realities of what they need to be turning students out with and are largely doing what they can. There is also ANCATL (http://australianarchaeology.com/ancatl/) taking it on. Sure, most need more field schooling, but that is a logistical and financial challenge that is thing unto itself and is far from new. I think that perhaps the big area for improvement could be more coursework directed at applied practical consulting archaeology processes. What's more, I have long thought that it would be the easiest course to run. The course could basically follow a notional consulting job (with histarch and Aboriginal cultural heritage components) from fee proposal (the concept of billable hours, realities of the business and responding to a brief) to final report via community consultation, legislation, background study, quantified survey effort, reporting, mapping, review, etc. They could bring in consultants to help teach it alongside a staff course co-ordinator. Some consultants, and probably some pretty good ones, would do it for cheap because of personal or career development, company profile, to 'put something back' or just for the hell of it. AACAI would likely pull together some help (via volunteering members) with syllabus. The assessed work would be the fee proposal (inclusive of project appreciation and justification) and parts or all of a report (with possible options to focus on histarch or Aboriginal cultural heritage). In addition to teaching some useful skills particular to where most working archaeologists end up, it would provide students some opportunity to see whether it would really be for them anyway.
On continuing professional development (CPD), this had some discussion on this list in early 2012, followed by some talk in AACAI circles. It seems to have stalled. Having done a lot of looking into it, it is actually a big job to kick off though. But it is still certainly a very good idea. There are plenty of models out there for it. AACAI (even without my pro-AACAI bias) is the logical context for it. It could also be the backbone of corporate AACAI membership whereby companies would abide by the Code of Ethics, CPD requirements for staff, supporting their staff's individual membership and then use it all as a marketing tool (which would really need to be the driver for individuals or companies and has the potential to be a good one in our increasingly competitive business).
See here for the UK model: http://www.archaeologists.net/development/cpd (they even get to count watching Time Team!)
See here for how Australian architects do it: http://www.architecture.com.au/cpd-education/national/cpd
Oliver Brown
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Director, Associates Archaeolohy & Heritage
29 Hannan Street, Maroubra 2035
0427 414 226
o...@obca.com.au
Shaun Canning
The Institute for Archaeologists model for CPD is there for all to see.
It may not be perfect, but it’s a bloody good start, and yes Oliver you are right, there was some interest in this 2 or 3 years back, but the wheels fell off.
Regards,
Dr Shaun Canning
General Manager & Principal Heritage Advisor
0400 204 536
Australian Cultural Heritage Management
Adelaide | Brisbane | Melbourne | Perth | Sydney
1300 724 913 www.achm.com.au
Find me at LinkedIn
DC
Eleanor Crosby
Eleanor
--
Gary Vines
Luke Kirkwood
On continuing professional development (CPD), this had some discussion on this list in early 2012, followed by some talk in AACAI circles. It seems to have stalled. Having done a lot of looking into it, it is actually a big job to kick off though. But it is still certainly a very good idea.
Mac
As with all these things, the level of energy required to get it happening is enormous, as you need to broker an agreement which works for the unis, government and the 'profession'. There was some general discusion about this back at the 2007 triple header ASHA/AAA/AIMA conference but we couldn't even get broad agreement on direction between those organisations.
The thing to remember when making comparisons with architects is that they are a legislatively-protected profession (like doctors and lawyers) which requires accrediation/licensing and adherence to professional standards in order to practice. There is a Professional Standards Council as well which helps establish such schemes - see http://www.psc.gov.au/. Any competency-based training would need to link in with post-educational professional standards as well to ensure people were trained appropriately and then supported in their careers on an ongoing basis.
The issue is bigger than just archaeology, though it has certainly lagged most among the heritage disciplines. The engineers and planners have had professional accreditation schemes for a long time, but also a much greater volume of members. Both of those disciplines have professional placement requirements in order to finish an undergraduate degree, but I don't think there is any such requirement for archaeological studies (but am happy to be corrected).
And there I think lies part of the rub. In order to establish and manage professional accreditation it requires a full time organisation with sufficient resources to manage it, as well as some real teeth for those who breach the standards. You can't call yourself an architect if you are kicked out of the AIA, nor a lawyer if the Law Society won't give you a practicing certificate, but I think anyone with a BA and a trowel can call themselves an archaeologist (maybe you just need the trowel). But there remains the simple question as to whether there are sufficent numbers of archaeologists who are prepared to pay sufficiently high fees to support such a program - note the IfA indicates 3700 members and the RPA in the US 2600 members. Do we have any good data on how many 'archaeologists', in the broadest sense of the word, there are in Australia? I'd be pretty confident we are looking at hundreds, not thousands. And there are also plenty of people like myself who trained as archaeologists who do the occasional assessment but little or no fieldwork any more - would such a scheme cover those people? Would I be judged unworthy for never having prepared a Harris Matrix? So a big part of the challenge is in making any such scheme inclusive, to help build the profession, and not exclusionary.
There is also the Register of Professional Archaeologists in the US, but looking at their criteria it is again very fieldwork focussed - the type of research I undertook for my PhD for example would not be recognised, as I read their criteria. I'm never been a member of AACA, even when I was actively doing fieldwork, and only joined ICOMOS this year as it was a tender requirements from one of our clients (which speaks to a rather fundamental misunderstanding about ICOMOS, in my view...).
As always, food for thought, but no resolution.
Regards,
Mac
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Oliver Brown
BA (Hons), MAACAI
Director, Associates Archaeolohy & Heritage
29 Hannan Street, Maroubra 2035
0427 414 226
o...@obca.com.au
Iain Stuart
I think Mac raises some useful points although I think I would qualify is statement about “anyone with a trowel” to “anyone with a WHS or Marshalltown trowel can call themselves and archaeologist”.
I think there are several issues being raised
1) A set of skills/competencies that Universities should be teaching archaeologists who want to go on in the profession (these could be delivered at a BA (hons) level or a Masters by coursework level);
2) The issue of Professional Standards and the sort of competencies that Government Agencies should require for issuing permits/appointing Excavation Directors; and
3) Continuous Professional Development of archaeologists in the profession.
I am glad Mac has raised the issue of professional development in heritage area because certainly there is a great need for not only continuous professional development for heritage professionals but also a broadening on one’s professional network and outlook from the silo of the discipline in which you have been trained to a broad understanding of other disciplines involved in heritage and their role in the identification, assessment and management of heritage (as an aside I think all working in heritage in Australia should at least demonstrate a basic understanding of Australian history). I would suggest that key driver should be ICOMOS (Aust) with the assistance of similar organisations such as TICCIH…etc because the boradeing of professional education and experience is fundamental to the implementation of the Burra Charter process.
I wonder whether a simple set of competencies for excavation directors could be achieved through annual national heritage officers meetings.
But as Luke suggests there are formidable problems getting agreement on many of these questions.
Shaun Canning
If our friends in the legal profession can agree on professional standards, then (if there is any hope for us) surely archaeologists can as well?
Regards,
Dr Shaun Canning
General Manager & Principal Heritage Advisor
0400 204 536
Australian Cultural Heritage Management
Adelaide | Brisbane | Melbourne | Perth | Sydney
1300 724 913 www.achm.com.au
Find me at LinkedIn
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zoharesque
Sean Ulm and others have collected data on the state of the discipline in Australia and there are at least two papers on this (in AA I think?).
What constitutes professional competence has also been a big discussion for universities, particularly those with graduate programmes.
In haste - I have to get back to marking!
Alice
______________________________________________________________
Dr Alice Gorman
T: @drspacejunk
M: 0428 450 418
B: http://zoharesque.blogspot.com.au/
The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-gorman-4234/articles
______________________________________________________________
> > General Manager & Principal Heritage Advisor
> >
> > 0400 204 536
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > *Australian Cultural Heritage Management *
> >
> > *Adelaide **|** Brisbane **|** Melbourne **|** Perth **|** Sydney*
> >
> > *1300 724 913 **www.achm.com.au
> > <http://www.achm.com.au/>*
> >
> >
> >
> > Find me at *LinkedIn*
> > <http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=48291434&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > *From:* oza...@googlegroups.com <javascript:> [mailto:
> > oza...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>] *On Behalf Of *Oliver Brown
> > *Sent:* Thursday, 20 November 2014 9:33 AM
> > *To:* oza...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>
> > *Subject:* Re: {OzArch} A competency based model for Archaeological
> > http://www.architecture.com.au/cpd-education/national/cpd
> >
> > Oliver Brown
> >
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Nov 20, 2014 at 7:28 AM, Iain Stuart <ia...@jcis.net.au
> > <javascript:>> wrote:
> >
> > I was browsing this morning and discovered that “the geospatial
> > industry” in the USA has adopted a competency based model for training
> > which aims to ensure that training courses turn out well educated
> > graduates for use in the industry. As a consumer of archaeologists over the
> > years I wonder whether the archaeological industry could push for a similar
> > model to be adopted in the training of archaeological graduates and the
> > continuous professional development of graduate archaeologists so we don’t
> > end up in situations which I have had over the years where recently
> > graduated archaeologists know little or nothing about –archaeological site
> > photography, excavation techniques, site survey or recording stratigraphy.
> > Surely there are basic competencies that are needed whether one’s
> > archaeological career is going to be in the academic sphere or in industry.
> >
> >
> >
> > The links to the geospatial competencies is here
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.urisa.org/resources/geospatial-management-competency-model/
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/competency-models/geospatial-technology.aspx
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > JCIS Consultants
> >
> > *P.O. Box 2397*
> >
> > *Burwood North*
> >
> > *NSW 2134*
> >
> > *Australia*
> >
> >
> >
> > *(02) 97010191*
> >
> > *Ia...@jcis.net.au <javascript:>*
> >
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> > "OzArch" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> > To post to this group, send email to oz...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>.
> > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Oliver Brown
> > BA (Hons), MAACAI
> > Director, Associates Archaeolohy & Heritage
> > 29 Hannan Street, Maroubra 2035
> > 0427 414 226
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> > "OzArch" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> > To post to this group, send email to oza...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>
> > .
> > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
> >
>
> --
Aaron Fogel
Doug Williams
I think it would have to be a WHS to be a SENIOR archaeologist……..
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From: oza...@googlegroups.com [mailto:oza...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Iain Stuart
Sent: Friday, 21 November 2014 11:11 AM
To: Oz Arch
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tessa corkill
Ulm, Sean
FYI, The latest publication arising from the 5-yearly Profiling the Profession Survey is available at:
http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/23289/
It compares the data collected in 2005 and 2010 and examines things such as the number of people working in archaeology, what their qualifications are, rates of participation and pay etc.
2014 is the census year for the next iteration of this survey which we plan to deploy under the auspices of ANCATL early in 2015.
Regards,
Sean
A/Prof. Sean Ulm PhD FSA MAACAI
ARC Future Fellow
Deputy Director, Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science
College of Arts, Society and Education
James Cook University
PO Box 6811, Cairns QLD 4870, AUSTRALIA
t +61 7 4232 1194 | www.jcu.edu.au/sass/aas/
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