Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

I believe the fundamental goal of teaching is to foster learning and that the job of the teacher is to create an atmosphere where learning can take place. Learning takes place in many different circumstances and contexts. Through my experiences in providing instruction for students in a variety of settings, I have developed a personal philosophy on teaching.

When giving instruction, I make it a priority to cater to different learning styles. I feel this is an important aspect of instruction as students learn in different ways. Accommodating different learning styles creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Whether students are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners, it is important for your lesson to contain aspects that reach the different learning styles when giving group instruction, without being overwhelming for the students. Furthermore, my philosophy on instruction values student interaction as an important part of the learning process. Incorporating active learning through a game or interactive activity is a great way to get students involved in a fun and interesting way and put them in charge of their own learning.

Instruction takes place in many different settings and formats. Examples include both group and one-on-one instruction, as well as both face-to-face and online instruction. With the advance of technology, there are many new and exciting ways of giving instruction. I enjoy using Web 2.0 tools such as LibGuides, blogging, podcasting, and social media to reach students. Reaching students is the most rewarding aspect of instruction for me, and I get satisfaction from helping them learn something new. One thing I hope to instill in my students is a desire for learning. I want my students to view learning as a process that never ends and become true lifelong learners. A student may not remember every point that a teacher conveys in a lecture, but if the student leaves the class with a desire to continuously learn throughout their lifetime, then the teacher has succeeded.

Courses Taught

LIS 201: Introduction to Information Literacy – This course is an introduction for undergraduate students to practical and theoretical aspects of information management, including skills in locating, retrieving and using relevant, reliable information. (Fall 2019)
LIS 401: Reference and Information Services – This course is an introduction for undergraduate students to reference materials, services, activities and functions as well as methods for locating information. (Fall 2019, Fall 2020)
LIS 457: Information Technology and Libraries – This course has undergraduate students examine the various applications and contexts in which computers and other forms of information technology are utilized in different types of information centers and libraries. (Fall 2019, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022)
LIS 458: Web Design and Evaluation – This course introduces undergraduate students to the principles of Web design and development including basic HTML coding and evaluation of Web sites including library Web sites. (Spring 2020, Spring 2021)
LIS 491: Library Instruction – This course is an introduction for undergraduate students to the practice, principles, and issues of library instruction and information literacy. (Spring 2020)
LIS 557: Information Technology and Libraries – This course has graduate students examine the various applications and contexts in which computers and other forms of information technology are utilized in different types of information centers and libraries. (Fall 2020, Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Summer 2022, Summer 2023)
LIS 558: Web Design and Evaluation – This course introduces graduate students to the principles of Web design and development including basic HTML coding and evaluation of Web sites including library Web sites. (Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023)
LIS 580: British Studies: Studies in Librarianship – This course has graduate students do comparative study on library and information-related institutions, bibliographic organization, models of service and professional practice in the United States and Great Britain. (Summer 2022, Summer 2023)
LIS 587: British Studies: Research – This course provides graduate students with the opportunity for in-depth research projects using the resources of metropolitan London. (Summer 2022, Summer 2023)
LIS 590: Library Instruction – This course is an introduction for graduate students to the practice, principles, and issues of library instruction and information literacy. (Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023)
LIS 651: Fundamentals of Information Science – This course has graduate students examine the evolution of information science, communication and information theory, information organization and retrieval and bibliometrics. (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023)
LIS 656: Online Information Retrieval – This course has graduate students examine the various applications and issues related to the online resources currently available. (Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Summer 2022)