For courses and evaluations, see Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Teaching Statement
Learning Goals. Based on my experiences as a scholar and industry professional, I am qualified and highly interested in teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses that cross the information systems and business disciplines, including data management, business analytics & statistics, and programming. My goal as a teacher is to help students develop in three ways: (1) moral development as future leaders in their industry; (2) critical thinking about organizational and technology concepts; and (3) proficiency and self-sufficiency in technical and analytical skills.
Moral Development. As a faculty member at St. Thomas, I highly value the mission-driven nature of the university. I take time in my courses to discuss moral and ethical implications of the course content. For example, I take time at the beginning of class (or in a discussion forum for online courses) for students to share recent news stories related to course content, which are generally followed by a discussion of ethical implications. During such activities, I promote active participation from all students, reminding them that their individual and unique experiences and backgrounds add to the rich discussion.
Teaching Methods. I use methods that emphasize both conceptual and hands-on learning. I have found that the hybrid course structure, using a “flipped classroom” approach (lectures online; activities during class) is a favorite and best suited to my goals of nurturing both conceptual and skill-centered learning. However, I'm also able to teach traditional lecture classes using some of the same concepts. Specifically, I put responsibility on students to explore concepts before class, and I provide additional activities during class (reducing lecturing time). I also have excellent experience teaching fully online courses, where I carefully organize the course to motivate student learning and provide opportunities for both conceptual and hands-on learning through interaction with myself and other students. Several of my students have commented that my online courses are the most organized they have ever taken.
Collaboration with instructor and peers. Regardless of course format and structure, interaction is crucial to learning. My students and I learn jointly from each other. When forming teams for projects, I intentionally combine students with a variety of professional and personal backgrounds. I take care to discuss ways to provide positive and meaningful team experiences with fellow classmates, based on my research on online teamwork.
Assessment of Learning. It is important that a variety of tools are used to assess learning. Exams provide formal ways to gauge individual learning, while assignments provide individual- and team-level hands-on experience. Quizzes in various formats (worth few or no points, because who likes taking a quiz?) are helpful to both students and me to understand where adjustments are needed. My experience is that including a variety of assessment tools also facilitates learning in a classroom with students of differing backgrounds and strengths.
Efforts to Enhance Teaching Proficiency. I believe that good teachers are those who continually strive to improve. I constantly seek and consider student feedback in both formal and informal ways. I also seek improvement through workshops and consulting with other instructors. For example, I attend workshops offered by the Faculty Development Center to improve both my pedagogy and my classroom environment.
Successes. My teaching evaluations reflect that my students consistently rate me as a caring, organized, and effective instructor. During my time at California State University, Fullerton, I was often rated as one of the best instructors in my department. I often had my sections full and waitlisted while other sections of the same course were open.
Moral Development. As a faculty member at St. Thomas, I highly value the mission-driven nature of the university. I take time in my courses to discuss moral and ethical implications of the course content. For example, I take time at the beginning of class (or in a discussion forum for online courses) for students to share recent news stories related to course content, which are generally followed by a discussion of ethical implications. During such activities, I promote active participation from all students, reminding them that their individual and unique experiences and backgrounds add to the rich discussion.
Teaching Methods. I use methods that emphasize both conceptual and hands-on learning. I have found that the hybrid course structure, using a “flipped classroom” approach (lectures online; activities during class) is a favorite and best suited to my goals of nurturing both conceptual and skill-centered learning. However, I'm also able to teach traditional lecture classes using some of the same concepts. Specifically, I put responsibility on students to explore concepts before class, and I provide additional activities during class (reducing lecturing time). I also have excellent experience teaching fully online courses, where I carefully organize the course to motivate student learning and provide opportunities for both conceptual and hands-on learning through interaction with myself and other students. Several of my students have commented that my online courses are the most organized they have ever taken.
Collaboration with instructor and peers. Regardless of course format and structure, interaction is crucial to learning. My students and I learn jointly from each other. When forming teams for projects, I intentionally combine students with a variety of professional and personal backgrounds. I take care to discuss ways to provide positive and meaningful team experiences with fellow classmates, based on my research on online teamwork.
Assessment of Learning. It is important that a variety of tools are used to assess learning. Exams provide formal ways to gauge individual learning, while assignments provide individual- and team-level hands-on experience. Quizzes in various formats (worth few or no points, because who likes taking a quiz?) are helpful to both students and me to understand where adjustments are needed. My experience is that including a variety of assessment tools also facilitates learning in a classroom with students of differing backgrounds and strengths.
Efforts to Enhance Teaching Proficiency. I believe that good teachers are those who continually strive to improve. I constantly seek and consider student feedback in both formal and informal ways. I also seek improvement through workshops and consulting with other instructors. For example, I attend workshops offered by the Faculty Development Center to improve both my pedagogy and my classroom environment.
Successes. My teaching evaluations reflect that my students consistently rate me as a caring, organized, and effective instructor. During my time at California State University, Fullerton, I was often rated as one of the best instructors in my department. I often had my sections full and waitlisted while other sections of the same course were open.
last updated 10/1/19
