Teaching Philosophy

Overview

As an educator, my objectives are threefold: to promote interest in psychology and neuroscience; to facilitate significant learning of core class concepts; and to guide academic skill development in my students. Relating what we are learning in class to the real world promotes students’ interest in the neurosciences. For example, in a class on learning and memory, demonstrating memory techniques (e.g., chunking, memory palace, etc.) quickly gets everyone’s attention, especially when the students realize that using mnemonic techniques improves their own memories (and their grades). Additionally, advances in neuroscience have direct and sometimes surprising influences on social factors, including the criminal justice system, public policy, and technology development. Getting students to think more broadly about the material that we’re learning further engages students and, I believe, makes for a more informed citizenry. One strategy I’ve used to gain students’ interest is to incorporate pop culture references as a platform to better understand the brain. For example, in a class on physiological psychology, we systematically “diagnosed” the neural underpinnings of zombie behavior. Students first need to grasp how the brain produces normal motor function and how various lesions or disorders of the brain cause motor impairments to correctly “diagnose” the brain damage mediating the stereotypical zombie stagger. This approach engages students to think critically about the material and applies it to something fun, something they could go and tell their friends about.

To facilitate learning of core class concepts in my students, I follow three key strategies. First, the course objectives are clearly stated in the course syllabus. These objectives are general enough to cover the range of topics addressed in class but specific enough to be tested (e.g., Students will learn to distinguish multiple memory systems and the different brain structures supporting those systems). Second, to assess learning objectives, I employ quizzes, presentations, exams, and/or papers. I understand that students have different strengths when it comes to test taking. I try, therefore, to employ a variety of assessment techniques when I construct an exam. I’ve combined multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, diagrams, and even crossword puzzles into my exams; such diversity in question format eases the monotony and stress associated with standard multiple-choice tests and provides an opportunity for students with different test strategies to excel. Third, I utilize teaching techniques that facilitate student learning. For example, I supplement textbooks with primary literature. By reading and reviewing primary literature, students learn both the content of experimental findings, but also the process by which those findings were obtained. In the classroom, I break up lectures by asking questions throughout. Questions keep the students’ attention and allow me to assess how well the students are following the material. Do I need to return to that earlier concept, perhaps explain it in a different way? I also employ short quizzes following my lectures. Recent work on student learning indicates that testing students shortly after learning facilitates retention and recall.

My final goal in effective teaching is to teach students core skills that they can employ both in and outside of the classroom. For example, one skill I wish to enhance in my students is how to critically evaluate information. We live in an age of information saturation. How is one to know accurate from inaccurate information? In one exercise, I had students read a textbook chapter on brain lateralization. In one segment, the text discussed an often-cited article where the researchers report enhanced artistic ability in subjects by inactivating the left hemisphere. The students read the original article, which included before and after drawings from participants. The students were then able to critique the claims by the authors of both the article and the textbook by examining the published data first hand. During a course in experimental psychology, I had my students engage in replicating a previously published psychology experiment. By providing students with hands-on experience with the process of psychology experimentation, students gain a deeper understanding of how answers to questions are obtained and presented to the public. Students benefit from presenting materials orally and in written form. I incorporate oral and written assignments into my classes to further facilitate these skills in my students. Providing constructive feedback to students improves these core skills and communication techniques.

Teaching Experience and Preparation

I am currently a tenure-track psychology instructor at Butte College (2019-present). At Butte College, I teach Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Biological Psychology, and Research Methods. I have taught multiple courses in behavioral neuroscience, including Introduction to Biological Psychology (UC Davis), Physiological Psychology (UC Davis), and Physiological Correlates of Behavior (SDSU), in addition to general psychology courses (i.e., General Psychology, Introduction to Experimental Psychology, Research Methods, and Development Across the Lifespan). My experience includes teaching both introductory and intermediate undergraduate classes in addition to graduate-level seminars; class sizes range from 10 to over 200 students.

My courses have been supplemented by online platforms such as Blackboard and Canvas. At these online portals, students have access to all course related materials (e.g., syllabus, readings, calendars, grades, lecture slides, MP3s). I have also had success with using chat functions on these platforms to facilitate classroom discussions outside of the classroom. By modifying certain aspects of my courses (e.g., uploading video recordings of lectures, demonstrations, etc.), incorporating real-time discussion sessions via chat, or other methods I could readily design and implement an online course in biopsychology. Other online platforms, such as Coglabs, allow students to run classic experiments, collect and analyze data, and gain a broader understanding of class concepts.

Teaching Assessments and Growth

            I am always looking for opportunities to improve the overall education experience for my students. I utilize student/course evaluations as a first step in assessing my teaching effectiveness. Overall, I have received encouraging evaluations of my courses. Changes that I have incorporated in my classes based on evaluations include less text on lecture slides, more real-world examples of concepts, and providing current examples of psychological and neuroscience research. My teaching has also benefited from informal discussions with colleagues, online resources (e.g., educational resources in neuroscience through SfN), and formal teaching workshops. Continuing my own education is a vital part of effectively educating others.