From a lecture at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Java.
Teaching Philosophy
My Teaching Philosophy: The role of a teacher is to facilitate learning. This is done through presenting the material in an organized, logical and accessible manner; while engendering an interest in the subject and creating an environment that promotes engagement, critical thinking, and intellectual exploration on the part of the student.
Interest in a subject is cultivated through the instructor effectively communicating his or her own interest in the subject and relating how the subject is applicable to the student’s lives. Engagement on the part of the students requires that the instructor shift away from the sequential presentation of facts to an interactive environment where students use a hands-on approach to generate, explore, and discuss information.
To promote critical thinking and intellectual exploration, students need to be challenged. Students should be required to think on a level beyond the rote memorization of facts and asked to synthesize facts into concepts. Developing a curriculum with elements of inquiry based learning helps meet this objective. The shift away from memorization can be overwhelming for many students. To counteract this, there needs to be specifically articulated learning objectives and the learning environment needs to be structured so that students feel secure in providing answers that may be incorrect and discussing how they reached those answers. Students should be provided the opportunity to discuss and collaborate with their peers and receive feedback from both their peers and instructor in a way that identifies not just whether the provided answer is correct or not, but how and why it is correct or incorrect. It is important that the instructor is cognizant of the fact that students come from different backgrounds and have different interests, experiences, and learning styles. While it is important to provide the opportunity for student success, I understand that not every student will continue in the subject, nor will every student excel in the class. My goal is that every student completes the class with a strong grasp of the underlying concepts, stronger critical thinking skills, and at least an appreciation for the subject.
My Teaching Philosophy in Practice: As a teacher, I strive to create a challenging yet supportive learning environment where students are enabled to explore information and concepts and synthesize ideas, while receiving feedback and opportunities for growth. I teach labs in Human Physiology, Human Anatomy, and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. These subjects create an excellent environment for this type of learning. Students are provided with a clear set of objectives for each lab, but are then allowed the freedom to try and meet those objectives through their own devices. My role is largely a supportive one. I guide students in their inquiry, question them on the “why” of their methods, and direct them towards finding the solution when needed. All assignments and activities are discussed and reviewed in depth with the class, common misconceptions are identified and students are encouraged to discuss the validity of different possible solutions. Assessments themselves are structured in such a way so that they also an offer an opportunity to learn. Each is given twice, the first time it is taken individually, the second time as a collaborative effort to allow students to discuss the problem with their peers and to come up with a consensus answer. Furthermore, I use assessments as a tool to gauge the students understanding of a concept and identify subject matter and concepts that needs more attention.
Teaching Experience
Awards T.E. Kennerly Award for Excellence in Teaching. 2017
Standing Appointments Head Teaching Assistant : Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Lab Head Teaching Assistant: Human Physiology Lab Teaching Assistant: Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II Lab Teaching Assistant: Human Anatomy Lab Past Appointments
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Mammalogy Lab, University of Colorado, Boulder. Spring 2007 Guest Lecturer, University of Texas, Arlington Zoology: Spring 2017 Introductory Biology for Majors: Fall 2016 Experimental Design: Spring 2015 Introduction to “R”: Principal Component Analyses. Spring 2013 CIRTL (Center for the Integration of Research Teaching and Learning) Involvement
CIRTL working group: assessing predictors of student success in introductory STEM courses. Spring 2017
Teaching as Research Project: Assessing course design and student success in introductory STEM classes. Spring 2017
Completion CIRTL training MOOC: an Introduction to Evidence Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching. Fall 2017