Teaching Philosophy

I believe the role of a university instructor is to inspire in students a love of learning by remaining enthusiastic about the subject, open to student questions and feedback and by connecting the abstract and theoretical to “real world” examples. I believe teaching is a collaborative effort. There must be trust between the student and teacher and a recognition that we are both there to improve ourselves through our interaction.

The best teachers display an obvious passion for their subject. Enthusiasm and emotion play an important role in teaching, both in the development of trust and in creating interest in knowledge. Teachers that have stood out over the years for me have been able to take complex issues and concepts and make them relevant.  They have not shied away from difficult subjects. They have succeeded in finding relevance, in guiding students to an understanding of both abstract concepts and the milieu from which these concepts emerged. Complexity and difficulty in subject matter should be addressed directly. The best teachers have accomplished this.

In my experience teaching, I have always tried to bridge the gap between academic research and theory and the application of the theory in examples that are familiar to the students. Every idea in the field of Information Studies has examples outside of the academic environment. I have worked to marry the theoretical with the practical. For example, the development of design guidelines has been built on decades of published research. But the application of these guidelines can be seen in designs that surround the students. Every web site, all computer software, even the furniture in the classroom provide examples of the application (or ignorance) of design guidelines. The use of real examples makes the research relevant, which makes the ideas relevant, which makes the experience relevant for the student.

In the classroom, I have used examples of mistakes that I have made in the application of theory and knowledge. This is important in creating a environment of trust. If I can fail and learn from that failure, then certainly the students can as well. It is important to always focus on what can be learned from these situations. I encourage students to share their own experiences and I work to find a way to make those experiences relevant to the topics under discussion. In this manner I too learn, and it reinforces the collaborative process that I believe teaching to be.

I aspire to be an exceptional teacher and to bring students to a level beyond what they thought they could achieve in the context of learning. I will metaphorically set the bar high and then work hard to support the students and make sure they rise above those expectations. Once there is trust, I believe anything is possible.

Teaching Experience