Application of Foucaults Concept of Archaeology in Education

Foucault used archaeology to portray his method and strategy of writing history and also
specified how his concept was different from that of traditional history and its ideas. He claims
that the modern study of the history of ideas is eventually reliant on the progression with the aim
of splitting up in close examination. Archaeology is used to describe the observation of
meandering discoveries and commands near past so as to write down the history of the present.
It is also about viewing at history in such a way to comprehend the methodologies that have to
bring about what we are currently. The history of the ideas, symbols area of disruption among
generally defined approaches of knowledge. Foucault claims that discourses appear and
change according to a broad and complex array of digressive and organized connections that are
defined by breaks as a combined theme.
Foucaults archaeology of knowledge rejects seeking the reconstitution of large centuries
rather one should be seeking phenomena of discontinuous periods. According to Foucault, one
should seek the many forms, pasts, hierarchies and networks of changes that one given period
contains rather than seeking a monolithic aspect of the period. Archaeology is not just about
images, themes, thoughts and representations that are connected with discourses but is itself
discourse. The focus of Foucault was to understand the functions of these discourses through
their own unique strategies and set of rule and it also is not about the truth of the history, but is
about how a period is linked to series of discourses. So in simpler words, this concept is related
to history of discourse. Foucault has examined discursive arrangements for health and madness
to scientifically understand the perception and aesthetics in his various books such as
Archaeology of Knowledge, the Order of things and History of Madness.

It can also be said that archaeology is the study of episteme which is the placing of
discourses in historical perspective. Archaeology is not about the rediscovery of continuous
transitions that are related to the discourses, but it is about the understanding how these
discourses follows their own strategies and are irreducible to others. Means discourses have a
relation of discontinuity with each other. According to Foucaults assumption, periods of history
are more imposing than that of simple templates on knowledge and in other words, archaeology
is a process to understand the historical periods that can help us understand the current period
and help in writing the history of the present. A recent study argued that articulate non
epistemological framework is provided through archaeological reading of economic history
which can help with analysis of its discursive elements.
Foucaults concept can be utilized in counselor educators which will help understanding
the underlying techniques of counseling. To improve the performance of the student, generally
pressure builds on students which form negative effect on student. Education counselors have
responsibility for the social and emotional development of students. Counselor educators should
implement Foucaults concept of archaeology in the curriculum as the majority of counselors
dont have a background in Foucault. Through Foucaults concept of archaeology, students can
be counseled to learn how their adolescence is created. Thus, the concept of archaeology can
help improving the counseling of students and should be implemented in curriculum especially
in practicum courses.