9455699 Carlos Cultural anthropology is grounded in field research. Most undergraduates never get the opportunity to explore the relationship between ethnographic theory and field methods by applying research methods in a field environment. This project addresses these limitations by developing an undergraduate course that combines classroom-based instruction and computer-based field research simulators used in a computer laboratory. The simulators complement lectures, readings, and a course handbook that guides students through the lesson objectives. These materials are integrated into a year-long course on scientific field data collection methods and analysis and their relationship to ethnographic theory. We propose to further develop interactive cmmputer simulators (a prototype has been developed) to recreate key aspects of the field research experience in an actual peasant communities. These simulators allow undergraduates to actually "do" fieldwork, use theory as a framework for field research, analyze their own data, and manage limited resources in an interactive research environment. Development of curricular materials and simulators includes peer review and extensive consultation with technical experts available on campus to the Pl. The materials are scheduled for extensive off-campus evaluation. The impact of this proposal is twofold: (1) scientific research methods, analysis, and theory can be taught hand-in-hand with actual field research assignments, and (2) students learn broadly applicable and transferable social scientific research skills, including the management and organization of computerized ethnographic data.
