teaching

teaching philosophy

Over the past two decades as a university instructor, I have evolved away from asking students to listen to me lecture toward active learning, smart use of technology. and greater compassion. For example, I strive to use Reacting to the Past role-playing games whenever possible. In my African history course, students adopt South African alter egos and debate the end of Apartheid and the creation of a new, multiracial democratic state. In Revolutionary games, students re-enact the French Revolution and Mexican Revolution. In both games, students plan, debate, and discuss the course of two of the most important historical movements of the last quarter millennium. These “games” have students step out of their comfort zones and forces them to think as a South African labor leader, a sans-culottes, or a Mexican aristocrat. These games foster critical thinking and active engagement in the course materials.

Likewise, I strive to engage technology smartly. I spent too many years trying to police cellphone use and keep students off social media in classes. Instead, I try to incorporate technology into the course, whether using students' cell phones and laptops as clickers or for polling, or utilizing the University’s course management system as much as possible. Most of my classes now follow the flipped classroom model. For World History and Africa in World HIstory, for example, course lectures are housed on D2L and students are expected to watch the lectures before coming to class. The class period then is spent clarifying any doubts from the lecture (and assigned course readings), quizzing them to make sure they’re honest and to get their ideas flowing, and then discussing the materials, usually in small groups. I have found that students are more active in the class than normally they would be and their attendance is generally higher than normal. In a large class like World History, with enrollments of between 70 and 80, this pedagogical methodology allows every student to speak in class. I use various dice (20-sided, 6-sided) and random number generators to assure students have a chance to talk and that I am not playing favorites with any one student. Even before 2020, I transitioned most of my courses from face-to-face to the online sphere.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced my commitment to being an understanding and compassionate educator. I have striven to work on my own development as an instructor, taking advantage of various training programs and even serving as campus faculty development director between 2018 and 2021. As a result, I have become a less rigid instructor while maintaining high standards.

Ultimately, my main goals as an educator are to develop critical thinking skills and to improve communication skills.