Teaching Philosophy
The combination of pedagogical concepts and technology use provides the perfect setting for engagement within the classroom. Learners today must feel connected to the content just as much as their instructor. Hands-on learning, differentiated instruction, collaborative learning projects, and even assessments must draw learners in. Students need to develop conceptual models along side physical models
My teaching philosophy can be described using the terms pedagogically sound, technology rich, and engaging. Each one of these focuses on key aspects of my perceptions of teaching and learning within an ever-changing educational environment.
The pedagogical aspects of science education require educators to combine understanding from several fields of knowledge: mathematics, psychology, engineering and the social sciences just to name a few. Todays learners come in a wide variety of "learning" experiences gained through successive years of "education". A major theme of 21-Century learners is to access "knowledge" from digital sources with no real need to acquire this knowledge due to its instant access in a wide variety of forms.
Learning can not take place without learner engagement with the material. Learners need taught how to organize retrieval schemes rather than Latin terms and naming conventions. They taught taught to understand general themes, foundational theories and laws, how to separate facts from opinion, and the ability to discern quality evidence from poor evidence. Gone are the days when students relied upon a sage on the stage to disseminate knowledge into waiting receptacles, today’s learners come want to engage with content, explore new ideas and ways of thinking and interact with technology to do so.
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Technology has brought many sound educational tools into the classroom. Today's students can access learning resources, complete and submit assignments, and participate in classroom discussions from anywhere in the world. A key aspect of teacher skill sets must include the ability to work with these technological advances, being proficient in their use and knowledgeable in their educational value.
Teaching Experience
Teaching within K-12, Conferences, and Higher Educational settings
K-12 Settings
August 2000 - July 2017
Benton Community School Corporation (BSCS) – Benton Jr/Sr High School
Biology, Human Anatomy Physiology, Consumer Chemistry, Chemistry I, 8th Grade Physical Science​
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Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) – George Washington Community High School
Chemistry, Physics, Integrated Chemistry Physics (ICP), Earth and Space Science
Higher Educational Settings
January 2022Â - Present
Lecturer - Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. - Responsible for instructional material related to BIO205/206 - Biology for Elementary Education Majors.
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BIOL20500 Syllabus (2022)
BIOL20600 Syllabus (2023)
Conferences
January 2023 - June 2025
2018, 2019 – Educational Curriculum Implementation – Purdue STEM Conference, 45-min presentation of the development of Purdue MSTEM educational resources featuring the use of Maker activities as part of an integrated STEM curriculum package available to Science and Career Technology Education (CTE) instructors
2018, 2019 – Educational Curriculum Implementation – Purdue STEM Conference, 45-min presentation on Purdue evGrand Prix educational program involving the design, assembly and racing of 48-volt electric go-kart
2021 – Educational Curriculum Implementation – Purdue STEM Conference and Hoosier Association of Science Teachers Inc (HASTI) (Virtual Events), 45-min presentation on the implementation of latest round of Purdue MSTEM Hardware Store Science educational modules, featuring the use of Maker activities as part of an integrated STEM curriculum package available to Science and Career Technology Education (CTE) instructors
2022 – Modeling within Science Education and Instructional Design – Purdue STEM Conference, 45-min presentation on the development of reusable learning objects. Discussion on iterative design process associated with digital modeling software and 3D printing related to students engineering a toy car chassis for use when studying motion, gases, chemical interactions, electric motors, and gearing.
2022 – Incorporating making into Science Education – Hoosier Association of Science Teachers Inc (HASTI) (Virtual Event), 45-min presentation detailing current research associated with Making and inquiry-based learning. Introduction of instructional framework applied to K-12 science classroom learning activities. Discussion surrounding technological needs and implementation strategies related to Making within the context of Indiana Academic Standards.
Description of Activities Engaged in during 2022-2023
This school year has been extremely busy. In the Fall I was involved in teaching multiple sections of BIO205 lab classes and the weekly lecture. I became active in the PALDT leadership as the VP of Marketing, I worked on completing three article submissions, and completed coursework related to multiple Spring research endeavors.
Publications
Received feedback from IJDL Go-Kart program design case article submission - asking for edits and resubmission - completed in Dec 2022
Finalized - Making article started at the AECT summer research symposium - publication date of Dec 2023
Began a co-authored chapter on augmented reality with Victoria Llowell - submitted, reviewed, edited, and final submission taking place between Aug and Dec 2022.
Research Efforts
Wrote one IRB (teaching anxiety) for collecting data during Spring 2023 semester and coordinated data collection involving 90+ participants completing pre and post activities survey data
Co-authored three additional IRB efforts (middle school science AR use, Pre-service teacher AR use, and Physics teacher motivation)
Pre-service teacher AR use data collection is currently underway
MS science AR use waiting final IRB approval - with data collection taking place Spring 2023
Physics teacher motivation - currently soliciting Indiana public school teacher participants
Leadership
Worked with PALDT leadership committee to provide seminars, get-togethers, and community building in the Fall and Spring semesters
Conferences
Submitted (and accepted) SITE conference in New Orleans related to AR chapter with Prof Llowell. Attending during Spring Break 2023.
Instructional Design
Continued working on a vision of three paper dissertation. Currently developing a robot genetics and natural selection instructional strategy that incorporates the framework discussed in the AECT making article. Presently identifying subject matter experts to advise on science content and engineering principles and applications.