Teaching and Mentoring

Darrell Rohl is a university teacher and mentor committed to learning by doing, transparent and inclusive pedagogy, and student success. Courses span archaeology, heritage, and digital humanities, with field schools in Jordan and innovative classroom practices worldwide.

Learning by Doing, Thinking by Reflecting

Archaeology and related disciplines are best learned not only by reading about the past, but by doing the work of uncovering and interpreting it. My teaching bridges classroom, field, and digital lab, inviting students into the process of discovery and challenging them to connect ancient evidence with contemporary questions.

This page contains the following key sections (click a link to jump to that section):

Teaching Philosophy

I view teaching as a collaborative, student-centered practice grounded in transparency, inclusion, and intellectual curiosity.

Transparent teaching helps every student see a pathway to success.

Transparent and inclusive: I design assignments using transparent assignment design (TILT), making expectations clear and equitable while offering multiple modes of expression (papers, posters, presentations). I embrace Open Educational Resources (whenever possible and appropriately sufficient) and scaffolded learning tools that reduce barriers to success.

Experiential and innovative: From hands-on labs and archaeogaming to study tours and excavations, I integrate practice with theory. Students learn that archaeology is both scientific and humanistic—requiring rigor, creativity, and ethical responsibility.

The classroom should be a brave space where diverse voices matter equally.

Ethics and character formation: Teaching is also about shaping character. I strive to model integrity, humility, and respect in the classroom and field, cultivating brave spaces where diverse perspectives can be shared honestly and constructively. At my faith-based institution, I encourage students to explore the intersections of faith and disciplinary work and how these may influence each other and meaningfully integrate to shape practices and better futures.

Courses Taught

I have designed and taught a wide range of courses across archaeology, history, and digital humanities, including but not limited to:

Introduction to Archaeology: A foundational course blending global case studies, hands-on labs, an overview of field methods, and reflective portfolios. Students leave with both conceptual grounding and practical skills. Taught at both Calvin University (USA, 2019–Present) and Canterbury Christ Church University (UK, 2014–18).

Fieldwork in Archaeology: On-site, hands-on, and practical training in archaeological fieldwork methods and documentation, including excavation, survey, and materials processing and conservation. Taught at both Calvin University (2018–Present) and Canterbury Christ Church University (2014–18). The Calvin University course usually takes place at Umm Al-Jimal, Jordan (see "Field Schools and Experiential Learning") but an on-campus survey and excavation of a late 19th-century barn foundation allowed the course to run during COVID-19 travel restrictions. Canterbury Christ Church University fieldwork was offered in collaboration with the Culver Archaeological Project in East Sussex, England.

Ancient (Mediterranean/Roman) World: short summary here.

Introduction to the Digital Humanities: short summary here.

Studies in Middle East History: An advanced course for History majors and students majoring in Politics, international Relations, or Global Development Studies, driven by faculty research and including student-led "seminar" sessions using a graduate school model. Taught at Calvin University, topics explored in my sections include:

  • Religion and Society, 300-800 CE (2022)
  • The Israel-Palestine Conflict (2024)

Explorations in World History: Thematic introductions to world history focusing on a particular faculty-selected topic or lens. Spanning different world regions and/or historical periods, students learn to understand the importance of evidence and critical evaluation in developing and evaluating narratives of the past, and view the topic in distinct cultural, political, and social contexts. Historical processes of change and continuity are examined and emphasized. Taught at Calvin University, themes explored in my sections of the course include:

  • Borders and Frontiers in World History (2018–20)
  • Disasters, Plagues, and Pandemics in the Premodern World (2020–24)
  • Christianity in the Roman Empire (2023–24)
  • World Heritage (2025)

Field Schools and Experiential Learning

Archaeology is best learned through experience.

Every two years, I lead a study-abroad field school in Jordan. Students excavate at Umm Al-Jimal, travel across Jordan's rich cultural and archaeological landscapes, and engage in intercultural and interfaith learning. The field school features two academic courses: Fieldwork in Archaeology (4 credits) and History of the Modern Middle East (4 credits) and participating students may take one or both courses.

In addition to students from Calvin University, recent (credit and non-credit seeking, 2019–24) field school participants have come from Berry College, California State University, Judson University, Lehigh University, Soongsil University (Korea), University of Georgia, University of Notre Dame, University of Southampton (UK), and Wake Forest University.

Outcomes have included:

  • A student-produced documentary film ("The West Church," 2022), screened at the Freep (Detroit Free Press) Film Festival.
  • Co-authored publications in excavation reports and academic articles.
  • Lifelong professional and personal connections forged in the field.

I also regularly integrate field trips, local site visits, and digital labs into campus-based courses, ensuring that all students encounter archaeology as lived practice.

Mentorship and Student Success

Mentorship is not an extra—it is central to how we shape the next generation.

I take mentoring seriously, whether through formal supervision or informal guidance. Examples include:

Supervising undergraduate honors theses and independent studies (Calvin University, 2018–Present) and final-year dissertations in Archaeology and History (Canterbury Christ Church University, 2014–18). Example topics include:

  • Archaeology of the Holocaust
  • Archaeological Evidence for Julius Caesar's British Campaigns
  • Computer Applications and Data Science in Archaeology
  • Greek and Latin Epigraphy
  • Late Antique Coinage in Jordan
  • The Architecture of Byzantine Churches, 300-800 CE

Securing funding for, recruiting, and serving as primary supervisor for Canterbury Christ Church University's first-ever Ph.D. student in Archaeology: Dr. Nick Hannon (now Heritage Research Manager at Historic Environment Scotland): "The Hidden Landscape of a Roman Frontier: A LiDAR Survey of the Antonine Wall, World Heritage Site." Two significant research papers have been published as a result of this work, co-authored with Nick and Dr. Lyn Wilson of Historic Environment Scotland:

Advising GIS graduate cohorts at California State University Long Beach on advanced mapping and spatial analysis projects, including the development and testing of machine learning models for feature classification from remote-sensing datasets.

Providing materials access, permissions, and informal advisory support to external graduate researchers working on theses and dissertations related to Umm Al-Jimal, Jordan. Recent examples include two bioarchaeological studies:

Supporting students from diverse backgrounds, including as faculty advisor to Calvin's student-led Disability Inclusion Project and the Calvin Interfaith Alliance.

My goal is to prepare students not only for graduate study and professional careers in archaeology and heritage, but also for thoughtful, engaged citizenship in a world where the past continues to shape the present.