My Work

My Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

I have taught in a variety of settings, including in public schools and on sailboats. I have taught young students and adults. To read my philosophy of teaching and learning, see below. In it, I describe how I go about designing instruction for diverse groups, which is something I aspire to do well.

Open the file below to see a graphical metaphor of my teaching pedagogy.

Online Course Creation

Among many of the things I am proud of is my construction of a course in the LMS Canvas. I created the course, start to finish, and then it was experienced by my instructional design classmates. Below is an image of the basic outline of my course design (the full course can only be accessed by Canvas users).

Skills Checklists

I have had the opportunity a few times to create training programs for young people to teach them how to sail. Below is one I created while working for the Boy Scouts of America, for use on the Sailing Vessel “Retriever”. The Scouts use this checklist in a student-centered, skills-based style. They work their way through the skills and are assessed by the Captain or First Mate on their progress in learning those skills.

Research

During my graduate coursework at Saginaw Valley State University, I had the opportunity to perform some research. I learned a lot from performing this research and writing this paper. My topic was the use of technology in world language classrooms. I examined research that spans the 1990s until the present day. I compared the use of technology against the use of traditional language-teaching methods in a classroom setting. The major conclusions of the research were that the use of technology is increasing in world language classrooms due to its positive impacts, usefulness, and the pleasure it inspires in its users. It was an excellent experience, and I am proud of the paper, which can be read below.

Collaborative Learning and Teambuilding

Among my training and skills is a framework I have developed over the years for teambuilding among learners and collaborative learning among them. It is my belief that teambuilding activities are important in creating a positive learning space, and that collaborative learning is the most effective mode of learning. I can apply my collaborative learning techniques to any situation. I have used these techniques both in in-person and remote learning situations.

Below is an example of a teambuilding activity that I created for my high school students.