Teaching

My Approach to teaching

The teacher-student relationship is symbiotic. As students accomplish course objectives, they learn the subject material and grow as academics. Simultaneously, the teacher refines his methods, approach, and style, becoming a better educator. The teacher and students integrally produce the context in which learning occurs. Teaching and learning is a dynamic process that evolves as each new classroom context emerges.

Each semester, in addition to teaching classes, I mentor 2-3 students who conduct an independent study project. The typical experience of an undergraduate student involves completion of coursework and co-op assignments. Many come from racial, ethnic, gender, and/or socio-economic backgrounds that are underrepresented in thier academic field. Few have the opportunity to conduct scientific or creative research. However, it has been my priority as a servant leader to change this. I feel that given the opportunity, these undergraduates stand to benefit immensely from involvement in research projects.

Each student who has taken on an independent study has chosen his/her own topic, proposed an approach, completed the project, and submitted a comprehensive deliverable. These students each gained a set of skills, values, and principles far more significant than those developed through standard coursework. The self-directed nature of these projects led to a newfound sense of autonomy and responsibility. They were directing a process, making discoveries, finding evidence, and drawing conclusions. Along the way, each of these students came to the profound understanding that doing research is what propels academia forward.

The driving force behind my career as an educator is a passionate love of learning. The thrill I feel when grasping new ideas is relived each time I help a student experience that same rush. The opportunity to nurture a love of learning, both in myself and in my students, is a great gift; one which I deliberately foster through a thoughtful approach to teaching.

Awards

In recognition of my efforts promoting undergraduate research, I received the 2020 Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year and the 2018 Elliott Blinn Award from Bowling Green State University. I was also awarded the 2018 Faculty Excellence Award from The Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).

I have been fortunate to teach students from diverse backgrounds ranging from rural Ohio towns to urban Chicago and Toledo and international students from across the globe. I have actively supported twenty independent studies in which students conducted scholarly and creative work, many of which involved students participating in my primary research.

User Experience Course Overview

UX Course Overview

Courses Taught

Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois

CST 405 Algorithm Design

Judson University, Elgin, Illinois

CSC 205 Software Design Patterns and Principles
CSC 212 Database Systems
CSC 301 Reflecting on the Conversation
CSC 302 Data Structures & Algorithms II
CSC 430 Web Development
CSC 490 Senior Project
CSC 495 Computer Science Internship

Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio

- VCT 2660 Front End Web Development
- VCT 3500 User Experience (UX)
- VCT 3660 Applied Interactive Media Production
- VCT 4600 Digital Photography
- VCT 4800 Augmented and Virtual Reality Technology
- VCT 4820 Advanced Concepts of Multimedia Production
- VCT 4900 Independent Study in Visual Communication Technology
- LRND 6840 Independent Study in Learning Design
- LRND 6850 Directed Readings in Learning Design
- TECH 4240 Media Usability Studies
- IDT 6820 Interaction Design (IxD)

DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois

GPH 211 Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments I
GPH 212 Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments II
GPH 321 Computer Graphics Development I
GPH 325 Survey of Computer Graphics
GPH 329 Computer Graphics Development II
GPH 338 Survey of 3-D Animation
GPH 380 Visualization
GPH 425 Survey of Computer Graphics
GPH 438 Computer Animation Survey
GPH 448 Computer Graphics Scripting
GPH 465 Survey of Visualization Applications
GPH 580 Real-Time Rendering Techniques
HCI 201 Multimedia and the World Wide Web
IT 231 Web Development I
DC 125 Digital Photography

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