Teaching and Learning Philosophy
I struggle with an appropriate title when I introduce myself. I am both less and more than ‘teacher’, ‘instructor’, ‘adjunct faculty’ or 'instructional designer/technologist. I would like to think of myself as an active participant in the teaching and learning process.
I am always in the process of learning and would like to share that knowledge with others. I don’t purport to have all the answers or even the best answers, but I do propose a process for discovering
new ways to play with the tools and resources we have available to find the answers that best work for us at this point in time.
I teach so that I can share and I can learn. I have a very learner-centered philosophy. The responsibility to learn is upon the learner. I will provide my knowledge and skills as a resource, I will guide a learner, I will assist in any way possible, I will challenge the learner, I will demand excellence, I will demonstrate and make clear what I expect, but ultimately I will allow the learner to choose what he wants to learn and to what degree. I cannot force anyone learn, I can just set the right conditions. I want that environment to be comfortable, non-threatening (which is not always the case since we use so many technology tools), and fun. I will allow the learner to get out of a particular learning experience as much as he has put in.
Currently, I work with faculty to share strategies for the effective integration of technology into the classroom. I also work with the research and background supporting these tools and methods. I have a dual focus on theory and practice. On the theory side (which truly is not as segmented as one would think, we relate the theory to the practice and the practice to the theory on a continuous basis), I use strategies such as lecture, discussions, real world examples, blogging, reflection, questioning, among other approaches. On the practice side, I use a lot of hand-on techniques – I rarely touch the computer during the class, workshop, or consultation sessions (only on those rare occasions when technology fails and then we have a “teachable moment” on how to recover when – not if- that happens in the classroom). I also use group work and tie the assessment pieces into the learner’s specific situations in the classroom. I can teach using all of these strategies in both a face to face or online environment. I can, and do, teach online in both a synchronous and asynchronous format, using a variety of tools.
I am rewarded in my teaching and consulting experience, in that most of my learners do put a lot into their own learning. I get lots of positive feedback, I am told about those “a-ha” moments when they can see how to apply a tool or strategy and it makes sense for them in their situation, and I see my learners using their new knowledge and skills and being excited about it.
Future Teaching and Professional Development Goals
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I will continue my education and earn my doctorate degree
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I will continue to attend and present at conferences
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I will publish articles in journals recognized as important sources in the field of Instructional Technology and Teaching and Learning
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I will continue to develop and teach online courses
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I will never stop learning and trying new ways to meet my learner's needs