Teaching Philosophy

           Classroom Setting

J. Holcomb teaching Undergraduate students how to use a Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer in AR 307 (Archaeological Science) at Boston University.

My academic experience has qualified me to teach the following classes:

Introduction to Archaeology
Introduction to Anthropology
Introduction to Anthropological Theory
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Introduction to Archaeological Science
Introduction to Geoarchaeology
Introduction to Archaeological Statistics

Advanced Geoarchaeological Method and Theory
Advanced Archaeological Science
Quantitative Methods in Archaeology
Archaeological Method and Theory
Prehistoric North America
European Prehistory
Technology in Human Evolution
Human Origins

My primary teaching philosophy is to foster an open and positive environment through a commitment for diversity and inclusion in the classroom. In the age of misinformation, my secondary goal is to enhance critical thinking skills by teaching students to navigate and critically consume scientific literature. I strive to accomplish these goals by actively engaging students with hands-on class exercises and recursive teaching methods for learning, organizing, and retaining evidence-based knowledge, for which to better navigate future learning both in and outside of the classroom setting.

Creating Inclusive, Active, and Positive Teaching Environments

• Decolonizing my classroom by incorporating underrepresented scholars of Science into class syllabi and fostering discussions about the impact of "hidden figures" such as people of color and other marginalized groups
• Fostering open discussion about epistemology by encouraging students to critically consume science
• Bringing enthusiasm for the subject and student learning, as well as detailed student learning assessments, instruction revision to improve teaching efforts, and being open to acknowledging students' individual lived histories
• Executing active learning via exercises that include activity-oriented education and discussion

Field Setting

As a Field Director for the Stelida Naxos Archaeological Project and Geoarchaeology Instructor for the University of Oregon's Museum of Natural and Cultural History's Archaeological Field School, I am equally dedicated to teaching archaeological method and theory in field settings, especially how to use geoscientific methods to solve archaeological problems.

My field teaching philosophy seeks to prepare students for both academic and professional (CRM) jobs. I emphasize the importance of drawing multiple working hypotheses (Chamberlin), falsifying assumptions (Popper), and investigation of archaeological problems via differential diagnosis, especially to tackle issues of site formation. I blend this theory with applied empirical methods such as geological stratigraphy, sediment and soil sampling methods, and archaeological excavation techniques, including mapping and illustration.