As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting faculty engaged in online and hybrid teaching, HRAF is pleased to announce the launch of eHRAF Workbooks. Designed to complement any introductory textbook or anthropology curriculum, eHRAF Workbook activities are presented as PowerPoint slideshows that instructors can download, modify, share, and upload to Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, or a similar learning management system. The activity slideshows can also be viewed online from our homepage for easy access. Paired with the ethnographic and archaeological contents of our eHRAF databases, workbook activities are ideal for learning from anywhere.

All of the activities are based upon searching or browsing in eHRAF, and include links and navigation instructions for students to enter and explore the database in order to complete the assignments. The first workbook – Introduction to Cultural Anthropology – covers a wide range of topics including sex and gender, subsistence, religion, politics, kinship, and art, with more categories forthcoming. The assignments in each workbook activity in the Introduction to Cultural Anthropology set are based on data that can be found in eHRAF World Cultures.

Sample slides from eHRAF Workbook: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

There are a variety of activity formats, including short answer and multiple choice questions, as well as brief cross-cultural research tasks. Most include background information on the topic, links to additional reading or HRAF materials, and further discussion questions. Answer keys are available for instructors where applicable.

Plenty of subject options corresponding to most anthropology textbooks make it easy for instructors to stay true to their learning objectives while offering a flexible digital syllabus that meets the needs of their students. We will continue to release additional cultural anthropology activities up to and beyond Fall 2020. Introductory archaeology activities as well as area studies and advanced topics are also under development.

Feedback and ideas

Have a particular topic in mind for a workbook? Please let us know so that we can prioritize the subjects and cultures most relevant to your courses. We look forward to receiving your feedback.

Accessing workbooks

The eHRAF Workbooks are offered freely on our homepage for educational purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

In order to complete the activities in the workbooks, access to the eHRAF databases is required. Off-campus access is typically enabled via EZProxy through an academic library. Check this page to see if your institution is already a member. Otherwise, sign up for a free 60-day institutional trial here.

Membership inquiries

For any membership inquiries, please contact Matthew Longcore at hraf-membership@yale.edu.