Links to share:
https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol4/iss2/5/
Which classes do you teach online?
EDG 605: Introduction to Research Methods
What do you want students in your courses to learn? What is the learning outcome or objective?
I want students to learn that successful teaching is a delicate combination of content knowledge and performance art. A teacher must engage and, yes, entertain even the most reluctant, frustrated, or distracted student. Learning is a joy, and, likewise, the act of teaching should be joyful. Even teachers who have moved away from the traditional lecture format and toward approaches such as project-based and peer-to-peer learning still need to engage students in the process. The true learning outcome is to present content in such a way that students are excited to receive it.
What advice would you give to those considering an online program?
I would recommend this online program with much enthusiasm and confidence. To be successful, I believe it is critical to avoid procrastination and to manage one's time well. Create a schedule, stay current with the readings and assignments, and initiate contact with your professor whenever questions arise. Online courses require a tremendous amount of self-management because it is very easy to put things off. If you can stay organized, the program will afford you wonderful convenience and top-notch learning from highly qualified and talented instructors. This program can be quite enjoyable.
What qualities make someone particularly successful as a teacher?
Success in teaching can be attributed to many important qualities such as a sense of humor, a positive attitude, high expectations, fairness, flexibility, and the willingness to respond to students on their time table and not necessarily on the time table that is best for you. Students need you when they need you.
What do you think is the biggest challenge that people in education face today?
The biggest challenge is the need to be more than simply a teacher in the classroom. The modern teacher must recognize the greater social dichotomy in student willingness to accept the value of education and the reality of the baggage students bring into the learning environment. There is a greater need to be familiar with all the sources of information, both reliable and unreliable, that bombard them each day. There is a greater need to develop relationships with students and remove oneself from the "one size fits all" mentality. It is a challenge to be interesting and creative when considering all the other forms of media that compete for students’ attention. It is vital to be not only an educator, but also an emotional support.
Why did you start teaching?
I started teaching because I was sensitive to the challenges that students face and I believed that I had the ability to serve as a vital conduit between the content knowledge and the learner. I enjoy the teaching process and seek to share that delight with students. I like to meet students where they are and bring them up to where I would like for them to be to experience success.
What is the one book you think everyone should read?
Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning by John Hattie.
Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students may not know about you.
I love music memorabilia from the 1960s and 1970s. I collect album covers, posters, videos, and other artifacts from famous groups and singers of the past.
