Project-based Learning in Heritage and Archaeology: case study on Archaeology Department's Students, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University

Abstract

The Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach is widely used as a curriculum and basic learning method. This type of learning has been explored in different contexts and at various stages ranging from early stagesof education to primary, preparatory and secondary schools as well as in higher education. PBL leads to transforming the acquisition of teacher-based theoretical knowledge to the efficiency of learning through practice. This approach emphasizes collaborative learning, as well as the tangible results achieved by students to represent and reflect what they have learned. PBL can be used to solve complex problems in all sciences, including teaching of archaeology. The authors of this study applied this approach to their students in the Department of Archaeology at Sultan Qaboos University through the course entitled "Special Topic in the Omani Heritage". This was achieved by creating and designing a project and applying it. Then, a questionnaire was used as a research tool. The results indicate that the goal of the PBL process has largely succeeded in achieving the objectives that the authors sought to achieve in this study. This approach has helped students to develop their own skills of good planning, organization and time management, evaluation and problems solving, in addition to establishing the importance of their cultural heritage. Thus, this approach has proven that it is effective in the field of teaching archaeology and heritage. Its application has established the students' concept of cultural heritage in a scientific and practical way. It also made them more interactive with their community, particularly in relation to the awareness of the importance of preserving their heritage.