Which classes do you teach online?
Social Psychology
What do you want students in your courses to learn? What is the learning outcome or objective?
Students should walk away from this course with an introduction to social psychology by exploring the various ways people think about, affect and relate to one another. The goals of this course are to (a) improve your understanding of social psychological explanations for social influence and interaction and to (b) improve your understanding of the research methodologies commonly used to understand social influence and interaction.
Why did you start teaching?
I have a passion for the field of psychology and really believe that many people don't understand that psychology is a science with its own methods and techniques. It's my goal as a professor to help students gain an appreciation for psychology as a science and also be a better consumer of psychology and psychological information.
What advice would you give to those considering this online program?
Students really, really need to be organized from the beginning to be successful in an online course, so staying well organized is essential.
One thing online and in-class courses have in common is that students still need a place to study or complete assignments, whether that's at a coffee shop, the school library or at home. Wherever students choose to study and complete assignments, they should make it a consistent location that's free of outside interferences.
What qualities make someone particularly successful in the field in which you teach?
To be successful in the field of psychology, one must possess four attitudes: critical thinking, skepticism, objectivity and curiosity.
