Courses Taught
| 2008 | Spring |
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| 2007 | Fall |
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| 2006 | Fall |
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| 2001-2005 |
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Teaching Philosophy
My teaching abilities come from a combination of previous teaching experience and a well formed knowledge base in a relatively large area of topics. Coupled with good communication skills and methods, as well as a caring attitude towards students, I am optimistic in my pursuit of a successful teaching career.
Formal preparation
During my undergraduate studies, in parallel with my physics courses, I attended a 2-year course program that included classes on school psychology, pedagogy, and methods of teaching physics. Coupled with practical training as physics instructor (teaching intensive physics courses) for advanced high school students, this preparation allowed me to form the necessary pedagogical abilities. My experience was further enhanced through training and supervision at both the Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, Romania and the University of New Orleans, U.S. I have participated in teaching enhancement sessions, incorporating simulated teaching, analysis of videotaped teaching, multicultural and diversity topics. I am continuously involved in initiatives that improve the quality of teaching. I also participate in workshops and conferences related to the increased use of technology in the classroom. Furthermore, one of my research interests is the efficient use of technology in teaching. These efforts have been distinguished by publishing three textbooks.
My teaching experience is vast and includes both graduate and undergraduate courses. My responsibilities involved the full design of class materials and examinations, teaching lectures, and labs, along with the holding of office hours, testing and grading. Throughout my career, I have received positive feedback from students and many of my undergraduate students decided to pursue graduate school. At the same time, I encouraged students to pursue their own research initiatives by suggesting topics and by assisting them in the development of such projects.
In addition to direct teaching, I was also involved in the development of web-based versions of the courses which I taught, designing session materials, online quizzes etc. I actively used the blackboard system to post course syllabus, class notes, homework assignments, solutions to problems, etc. I am also an enthusiastic user of the WebAssign system (http/:www.webassign.net) that allows me to select assignments, follow students' progresses, and respond to students' queries in a timely manner.
Teaching style
I see myself as a facilitator with the overall goal of developing in students the capacity for independent action, initiative and responsibility. I use the traditional lecture method supplemented by the active learning and discussion. I organize the class around the main ideas of the topic, prepared and presented using overhead transparencies. In addition, if and when the need for further explanations arises or practical examples are explored, I use the blackboard and WebAssign system. The student body is characterized by a large variety of learning styles. To stimulate their interests and to encourage active learning from their part I challenge the students to discover new concepts as solutions to problems that are raised. This process is done through either direct questions, drama/role playing (where, for example, students are parts of a computer system interacting), or through critically analyzing the concepts presented.
I found the method of peer instruction, introduced by Eric Mazur at Harvard University, extremely useful in teaching fundamental concepts of physics and I embraced it for the introductory physics classes I taught at the University of New Orleans. The "convince-your-neighbors" discussions not only reduce the monotony of a classically-taught introductory physics lecture, but also stimulate the students to think about the materials presented to them and significantly reduce the students frustration with the introductory physics courses. I also try very hard to encourage students to ask their own questions and to stop me whenever they feel the need for more in-depth clarifications. Through this constructivist approach, the students are able to reinforce the recently learned concepts. I also enthusiastically use an interactive classroom response system ("clicker") to asses the accuracy of concept understanding that instantly gives me a global view of what was well explained and understood, and what must be further developed with more examples and guidance.
However, these methods might not always capture the full image of the class; therefore, I am also employing polling to get quick assessments on the level of understanding. In such an instance, I present a problem and ask the students whether they would chose one answer rather than the other. The outcome of this method is beneficial twofold. First, the students get a reinforcement on the topic discussed, and are also trained in decision taking and problem making. Second, for me, I have a quick way to asses the level of understanding for the entire class, and when a significant number gets a problem wrong, to go back and revisit the topic.
In addition to the traditional class time, I spend time maintaining an electronic resource repository. In physics courses, the use of computers for practical demonstrations is a must. This is why, for example, I use the Internet to search for online applications of the concepts I am teaching and provide the students with links to them. In class, I also provide a brief description and encourage students to find it out. Asking the students to provide their own findings for everybodys benefit also emphasizes the active learning process here.
Class assessment
The assessment of the class plays an active part of the teaching process. Through homework exercises, practical assignments, and written examinations, I encourage students to better understand the topics at hand and develop creative and investigative skills. In my experience, the peer instruction method leads to a significant improvement in concept understanding without diminishing problem solving skills. In addition to the peer instruction method, I actively use recitation sessions to further develop some topics of interest and strengthen problem solving skills. Furthermore, the written examinations are designed to test both conceptual problems skills and traditional problem solving skills.
Teaching is a central part of academic life. It is a component that plays an important role because it allows the formation of future professionals, and thus, enhances the overall knowledge base. In particular, I see computer science courses reaching an even higher status, since computers and automated processing will continue to increase their impact on human life. Finally, I believe that a physics curriculum must be integrated in a wide view of the world. An interdisciplinary education provides this view, allowing the student to become better integrated in the society, to adapt faster and to contribute to the human advancement.