3 Teaching and Educational Development Philosophy
In order to effect change in the academy, I work with faculty, staff, and students to advance pedagogy, course design, and learning skills; developing relationships rooted in trust and encouragement. I recognize the vulnerability of instructors and the intensely personal nature of teaching, aiming to support them in their development and empower them to realize their full potential. This approach is largely influenced by my philosophy of teaching:
Students learn best when they can make clear connections between course material and their own lives or career objectives, which in turn fosters curiosity, motivation, and agency to direct their own learning. I help accomplish this through developing supportive relationships and being transparent about my teaching values and practices.
I want students to feel comfortable fully participating in class without fear of persecution, but also to approach me with their needs and concerns whenever needed. Students have complicated lives extending beyond their education, with external factors affecting their ability to learn and succeed. To address this, I decrease the power distance between myself and them, creating a safe environment in which I am approachable and supportive. I also incorporate frequent opportunities for student feedback on the course and my teaching to demonstrate my commitment to them as learners and help me clarify their needs and address their concerns through intentional planning.
By eliciting information from a variety of majors taking my introductory psychology course, I was able to incorporate activities that related to topics such as business, human kinetics, engineering, and social work to enhance the feeling that these students were connected to the material. When teaching research methods, I found that it was beneficial to have students develop their own research ideas, making their projects unique and relevant. This allowed for a partnership between the students and myself, so they could play a larger role in crafting their learning experience to meet personal interests and goals, and I could provide support and feedback throughout the process. This also increased their active engagement and willingness to take ownership over their learning.
These experiences and values translate directly to my work as a mentor and educational developer:
Educational development is critical to the success of any university, putting emphasis on the continued enhancement of quality student learning experiences and outcomes. We often spend the majority of our time in the academy highlighting disciplinary research as the cornerstone of higher education; and while I am a strong proponent of research and inquiry, we do not do enough systemic teaching development. Without strong teachers, aligned curricula, and adequate support, students can be left in the shadows trying to navigate the complex systems of the institution while relying on outdated study strategies and inadequate resources to try and succeed in courses with an inconsistent curriculum. In short, the future of our students depends on the care we put into our educational development.
Because teaching is intensely personal to many instructors – a part of their lives they hold tightly to their chest – it can be difficult to step out of the comfort of routine to critically reflect on and interrogate their practices, beliefs, and values. But doing so in a supportive environment, without fear of persecution or job loss, and with the guidance of experienced educational developers who have their best interests in mind, can be a very positive and rewarding experience for all.
Like my philosophy of teaching, I aim to safeguard instructors’ agency as owners of their courses and materials, ensuring their voices are heard and valued throughout the process from inquiry to implementation. Faculty and staff are rightfully worried about their future and the future of the academy and can be quite critical of external ‘intervention’. So, in order to effect change, I need them to trust me. I am transparent about my values, goals, and practices, and encourage them to let me into their world of instruction. Once we develop a strong working relationship, I am not only able to protect their existing agency, but I can help further empower them to learn new skills, adopt new pedagogies, and take positive risks. I have found that instructors who are resistant at the outset of such projects, often develop an intrinsic desire to continue along their path of inquiry, and even promote such engagement to their colleagues, further promoting our mission to enhance student learning through continued educational development efforts.
Leading an interactive presentation about course redesign at STLHE
Finally, I am uniquely situated as a researcher of applied social psychology, a teacher, and an educational developer, to contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning. I support the use of evidence-based approaches in all academic areas, and proudly engage in related scholarly inquiries to investigate, implement, and assess new ways of teaching and learning. My dissertation focuses on the relationship between emotional intelligence and student-defined academic success across the disciplines, with the goal of identifying ways to nurture specific characteristics to promote success through self-directed learning. I also conduct research in the areas of course (re)design, delivery methods, and supplemental instruction (including the newly developed online approach), demonstrating my commitment to the growing field of educational development.
A concept map illustrating this philosophy of teaching and educational development can be found in Appendix A.