Background
At the core, I consider myself to be a post-positivist. I’ve learned through using statistics and scientific research to reveal truths. I have anchored myself to documented facts and embraced quantitative and qualitative methods. These beliefs and my professional experience form the basis of my teaching philosophy, which I would characterize as the “teacher as a facilitator.”
Role of the Instructor
Thirty-plus years of experience as a practitioner have provided me with valuable insights into the hiring, training, and development of graduates in a professional setting. First, this experience has given me a highly pragmatic approach to what teaching should be—leading to a belief in the need for students and instructors to be lifelong learners. Second, I believe that knowing something results from experience and using the scientific method. In a classroom setting, this translates to my beliefs in critical thinking and the standard of evidence students must present in their research to succeed. Finally, instructors must go beyond passive learning to active and experiential learning.
While I have never been in a formal role as a teacher, I have been a facilitator of learning. The first example of this would be as the Director of Education for the local Project Management Institute (PMI) chapter. In this capacity, I first developed and implemented a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification training program. I facilitated or taught this for multiple years. In practical terms, this led dozens of people to help earn professional certifications in project management. I then created and implemented the first Professional Development Days (PDD) for the local Project Management Institute (PMI) chapter. The two-day event has continued to this day. The PDD allows project managers in the area to earn professional development credits to maintain their certifications and continue their learning journey. Most recently, I formed and facilitated a study group at Secura Insurance that led another dozen information technology professionals to learn about and earn Microsoft Azure Cloud certifications—extending their knowledge and increasing their employability. From a practical standpoint, this is what I mean when I say “teacher as a facilitator.” My goal wasn’t to teach; it was to facilitate learning.
I’ve also spoken at events, including Project Management Institute (PMI) chapter meetings. During these events, I embraced the active learning approach. For example, I would speak to the audience for an hour when I started. While feedback about the content was good, engagement was low, and I worried about retention. So slowly, I began to work in group exercises and discussions to address this. For example, when speaking on Agile and traditional project management, I would divide the group into two. Then have them build a model, each using one of the methodologies. Allowing them to understand both methodologies can be effective, that there are differences, and facilitating the discussion in a way that increases retention.
Beliefs about Students
First, I recognize that students are highly diverse. This means that their views will be different based on their personal experiences. Taking this into account influences teaching methods. Teachers must account for individual differences in personality, learning styles, and life experiences. They must also account for group differences from race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, culture, political, religious, and other affiliations. To do this, I provide opportunities for students to share their unique perspectives and backgrounds, allowing them to learn from each other through small group activities versus leaning on lectures, focusing the role of the teacher on developing participation and engagement.
Conclusion
Ultimately, I am a practitioner at heart. Thirty-plus years of experience outside the academic world gives me a unique perspective to bring to the classroom. One that respects and leverages diversity to increase student learning. One that goes beyond memorizing concepts to building reason, logic, and critical thinking skills. Finally, a desire to constantly learn, grow and inspire my students to do the same.
“You teach me, I forget. You show me, I remember. You involve me, I understand.” ― Edward O. Wilson