Teaching
In my teaching of Anthropology, I emphasize active learning, collaborative learning, critical thinking, and reflection.
I believe that knowledge and the process of learning is personal, creative, and ultimately gives power to those who engage with it. Knowledge cannot be taught in a passive manner, it must be gained through lived experience, active participation, and complemented with practical use. As such, I see students as active participants in their own learning and my job as the instructor is to guide them and provide them with the skills to take control of and engage in their own learning.
As the instructor in the learning process, I act as the facilitator of learning and my job is to stimulate and foster students’ learning by providing adequate learning components, activities, and assignments that align with the learning goals, objectives, and outcomes for the course. It is also my job to create a safe and open environment for students to feel free to express their thoughts, ask questions, and discuss any topic openly as a group and in one-on-one interactions. I strive to make every student feel respected, equally considered, and listened to.
One of my goals as a teacher is to provide my students with the skills that are important and necessary for an archaeologist/bioarchaeologist to succeed in that field as well as professional skills that can be transferred outside of the university setting and into the “real world”. These fundamental skills include research and writing proficiency, problem-solving, critical thinking and reflection, and effective communication ability.
Student Testimonials
“I thought it was really interesting to see just how excited Prof. Moreiras was in her work. It was clear that she was really engaged in the material, and that she really hoped that we found it interesting as well, rather than just completing the class. I really liked her energy and it made me excited to come to class. Although it was a big lecture hall, I felt like I was being taught in a small classroom, which is something that I haven’t felt from even some of my smaller lectures.”
“A major strength would be Prof. Moreiras’ ability to engage her students as well as connect with them. I truly felt like she cared about my learning.”
“I really enjoyed learning in this class and I felt that our Professor [Dr. Moreiras] is passionate about the content which was inspiring to me.”
“Prof. Moreiras is a great professor and it clearly shows in the way she teaches her class. I never had trouble understanding the content because she made sure it was put into an accessible format so anyone, even without a background in the scope of the class, could understand and be interested.”
“Professor Moreiras’ love of her subject is evident in her energy and enthusiasm she brings to her classes. Watching a teacher get excited over burial methods, human sacrifice, and the dreaded chemistry aspect of isotope analysis is not necessarily something one would expect to bring joy to one’s day, nonetheless this is what happens.”
Photograph by Dr. K. Olsen
Courses Taught
ANTHRO2101A: Great Archaeological Sites (2024, The University of Western Ontario, London).
ARCL103: Introduction to Archaeology (2022, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver).
ARCL140: Bones: The Origins of Humanity (2021, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver).
ARCL203: Archaeological Methods (2018, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver).