Friend or enemy? Community archaeology in the United Kingdom

There is a long history in the United Kingdom of local people doing archaeology and history for themselves in their own local communities. The earliest local archaeology societies were formed in the 1840s, university classes in archaeology were run for part-time adult students from the 1930s, local metal detecting groups began in the 1960s and national lottery funding has been given to local heritage projects since the 1990s. The attitude of professional archaeologists to these local groups has varied from partnership and support to outright hostility. This paper will look at the importance of archaeology for local communities, how it has developed and changed and how the professional sector has responded. It will cover the latest efforts by the CBA to support community engagement with local heritage.Hi ha una llarga tradició en el Regne Unit de grups locals dedicats per compte propi a l'arqueologia i a la història de les pròpies comunitats. Les primeres societats arqueològiques locals es van formar cap al 1840; cursos universitaris sobre arqueologia per a adults es van iniciar cap al 1930; els grups dedicats a la detecció de metalls comencen a funcionar cap al 1960, la National Lottery atorga finançament a projectes de patrimoni local des de la dècada dels noranta del segle passat. L'actitud de l'arqueologia professional envers aquests grups locals ha anat variant des de la col·laboració i el suport fins a l'hostilitat. En aquesta aportació es prestarà atenció a la importància que té l'arqueologia per a les comunitats locals; veurem com s'ha anat desenvolupant i modificant i com ha correspost a tot plegat el sector professional. També es mostraran els darrers esforços realitzats pel Council of British Archaeology per tal de donar suport a la implicació de les comunitats amb el patrimoni local.Existe una larga tradición en el Reino Unido de grupos locales dedicados por su cuenta a la arqueología y la historia en sus propias comunidades. Las primeras sociedades arqueológicas loca les se formaron hacia 1840; cursos universitarios sobre arqueología para adultos se iniciaron hacia 1930; los grupos dedicados a la detección de metales empiezan a funcionar hacia 1960, y la National Lottery otorga financiación a proyectos de patrimonio local desde la década de los noventa del siglo pasado. La actitud de la arqueología profesional hacia estos grupos locales ha ido variando desde la colaboración y el apoyo hasta, directamente, la hostilidad. En esta aportación se prestará atención a la importancia de la arqueología para las comunidades locales, cómo se ha desarrollado y modificado y cómo ha respondido a ello el sector profesional. También abordará los últimos esfuerzos realizados por el Council of Bristish Archaeology para apoyar la implicación de las comunidades con el patrimonio local

Archaeology and education, an exercise in constructing the past

En els darrers anys, l'arqueologia s'està enfrontant a reptes nous dirigits a reforçar, ampliar i aplicar el seu gran potencial educatiu que resideix, sobretot, en la recuperació, la conservació i la transmissió dels testimonis materials del passat. Per fer-ho ha de tenir en compte altres tipus de canals de comunicació existents i els aspectes pedagògics que poden desenvolupar-se des de la disciplina. És per això que resulta necessari aprofundir en les diferents formes d'aprenentatge possibles i en els diferents objectius i estratègies didàctiques a desenvolupar. Partint d'aquestes premisses, el Council of British Archaeology auspicia i recolza un gran nombre de projectes educatius entorn a l'arqueologia, alguns dels quals es descriuen breument

Imagining technology-enhanced learning with heritage artefacts: teacher-perceived potential of 2D and 3D heritage site visualisations

Background: There is much to be realised in the educational potential of national and world heritage sites. Such sites need to be supported in sharing their resources with a wide and international public, especially within formal education. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) heritage site visualisations could serve this need. Our study focuses on the teacher-perceived possibilities and benefits for education around such visualisations. Purpose: We describe how a group of UK teachers perceive the potential of cross-curricular learning that could arise from an Italian world heritage site. The teachers commented on 2D visualisations of artefacts from this site, as well as the design of a 3D immersive environment to serve educational purposes. We consider as follows: (1) how the cross-curricular teaching potential of such resources is perceived, and (2) what design features of a 3D immersive environment teachers suggest are needed for educational explorations. Sample: We recruited 10 teachers from the Midlands region of the UK and carried out semi-structured interviews. Methods: Interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis applied to the conversations. Questioning was grounded in the examination of 2D and 3D visual resources. This provoked cross-curricular and educational design thinking. Results: Teacher responses highlighted a wide range of cross-curricular possibilities. However, they expressed a more ‘assimilative’ than ‘accommodative’ approach when relating resources to the curriculum. Such ‘assimilation’ involved seeing the site artefacts as raw material for more instrumental ‘curriculum activities’ (e.g. within art and design, geography, maths or literacy) rather than a more accommodative approach whereby curricular disciplines were exercised to make new meaning from the artefacts. In relation to 3D technology design, most teachers highlighted three technology features that would render it well matched to educational practice and three educational benefits over non-3D immersive environments. Conclusions: Teachers can easily imagine a rich range of opportunities to utilise 2D and 3D heritage site artefacts within the curriculum. However, the largely assimilative nature of this cross-curricular appropriation suggests the value of providing more guidance and support to teachers in the interpretation and application of artefacts. Their design suggestions can usefully inform construction of educational features within 3D immersive technologies that support heritage site experiences

Multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK (C-MORE): a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

Introduction: The multiorgan impact of moderate to severe coronavirus infections in the post-acute phase is still poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities after hospitalisation with COVID-19, evaluate their determinants, and explore associations with patient-related outcome measures. Methods: In a prospective, UK-wide, multicentre MRI follow-up study (C-MORE), adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital following COVID-19 who were included in Tier 2 of the Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) and contemporary controls with no evidence of previous COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody negative) underwent multiorgan MRI (lungs, heart, brain, liver, and kidneys) with quantitative and qualitative assessment of images and clinical adjudication when relevant. Individuals with end-stage renal failure or contraindications to MRI were excluded. Participants also underwent detailed recording of symptoms, and physiological and biochemical tests. The primary outcome was the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities (two or more organs) relative to controls, with further adjustments for potential confounders. The C-MORE study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04510025. Findings: Of 2710 participants in Tier 2 of PHOSP-COVID, 531 were recruited across 13 UK-wide C-MORE sites. After exclusions, 259 C-MORE patients (mean age 57 years [SD 12]; 158 [61%] male and 101 [39%] female) who were discharged from hospital with PCR-confirmed or clinically diagnosed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and Nov 1, 2021, and 52 non-COVID-19 controls from the community (mean age 49 years [SD 14]; 30 [58%] male and 22 [42%] female) were included in the analysis. Patients were assessed at a median of 5·0 months (IQR 4·2–6·3) after hospital discharge. Compared with non-COVID-19 controls, patients were older, living with more obesity, and had more comorbidities. Multiorgan abnormalities on MRI were more frequent in patients than in controls (157 [61%] of 259 vs 14 [27%] of 52; p<0·0001) and independently associated with COVID-19 status (odds ratio [OR] 2·9 [95% CI 1·5–5·8]; padjusted=0·0023) after adjusting for relevant confounders. Compared with controls, patients were more likely to have MRI evidence of lung abnormalities (p=0·0001; parenchymal abnormalities), brain abnormalities (p<0·0001; more white matter hyperintensities and regional brain volume reduction), and kidney abnormalities (p=0·014; lower medullary T1 and loss of corticomedullary differentiation), whereas cardiac and liver MRI abnormalities were similar between patients and controls. Patients with multiorgan abnormalities were older (difference in mean age 7 years [95% CI 4–10]; mean age of 59·8 years [SD 11·7] with multiorgan abnormalities vs mean age of 52·8 years [11·9] without multiorgan abnormalities; p<0·0001), more likely to have three or more comorbidities (OR 2·47 [1·32–4·82]; padjusted=0·0059), and more likely to have a more severe acute infection (acute CRP >5mg/L, OR 3·55 [1·23–11·88]; padjusted=0·025) than those without multiorgan abnormalities. Presence of lung MRI abnormalities was associated with a two-fold higher risk of chest tightness, and multiorgan MRI abnormalities were associated with severe and very severe persistent physical and mental health impairment (PHOSP-COVID symptom clusters) after hospitalisation. Interpretation: After hospitalisation for COVID-19, people are at risk of multiorgan abnormalities in the medium term. Our findings emphasise the need for proactive multidisciplinary care pathways, with the potential for imaging to guide surveillance frequency and therapeutic stratification

Television Archaeology: Education or Entertainment?

Paper given at History in British Education (first conference

Astragalus canadensis

Angiosperm

Botrychium michiganense × ?

Pteridophyte

Huperzia lucidula

Pteridophyte