ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the efficacy of incorporating digital reproductions of objects in classroom activities with the goal of fostering significant student learning through authentic active learning experiences and enhanced course accessibility. Three teaching modules using digital reproductions have been designed on the decipherment and interpretation of ancient scripts and texts; the study of Greco-Roman coins; and cultural heritage, museum holdings, and restitution. This last module is the focus of this chapter. Integrating physical objects into the classroom facilitates the study of ancient cultures and histories through direct observation and active learning, while enhancing accessibility for students with visual impairments. The incorporation of 3D-printed reproductions of objects of everyday life allows for a redirection away from the grandiose markers of “civilization,” which are often housed in elite overseas institutions, helping to reduce exclusionary barriers to learning. Finally, the inclusion of digital reproductions in the classroom enhances important conversations about cultural heritage – particularly cultural heritage protection, the looting and trade of illicit antiquities, and avenues of restitution. The learning module presented here frames this discussion of cultural heritage within postcolonial and Indigenous archaeological critiques of museum holdings and western dominant epistemologies in collecting practices.
