Teaching
My central academic purpose is to help others make better decisions, specifically in designing, building, maintaining, and using web technology. This purpose manifested itself in my teaching in multiple accomplishments. Perhaps the biggest emphasis was in customizing and updating MIS 4153 – Web Application Development for Business. Over 4 years, I have experimented, researched, and implemented a variety of techniques, assignments, workshops, and worksheets to help students make better decisions in building websites and analyzing how to use Internet for business success. This includes pre-recording all of my lectures and using Lynda.com training videos to “flip” the classroom and spend more time in the class working with students on exercises and assignments where I can give better feedback and advice. I also modified one of the class projects to facilitate an analysis and report of an existing business website. The project entails four analyses focusing on four different perspectives that drives an objective assessment of the current state of the website. I then created a workshop that helps students identify and report on opportunities for improving the website based on these analyses. Both students and business sponsors have been extremely pleased with the project and results.
In fall of 2013, Drs. Furner, Hauser, Paul, and myself developed a new MBA course MIS 6713. This course consists of 1 face-to-face section and 3-4 online sections. In the course development, we decided to integrate all the sections together to provide a single shared experience, consistent with our college requirements for online courses. The course used lectures and class discussion to learn concepts and case analyses to induce students to apply those concepts to real world settings.
In the fall 2013, Dr. Seeman, Dr. Maysami (from UNC-Pembroke), and I applied for and received a $50,000 grant from UNC-General Administration to develop a MOOC on Emerging Markets. This was the first MOOC done by ECU faculty. We successfully completed the pilot course in the summer of 2014. This project enabled me to think deeply on how to scale online education for a mass audience and how to balance reach with richness of information in education. My role on the project was as the research lead, instructional designer, and liaison with the software developers. My experience with web technologies enabled me to effective wear each of those hats, while simultaneously expanding my knowledge and skills as a web expert.
In 2014-2015, I worked with Dr. Reed on a graduate level project management certificate. By using one existing course and creating three new courses, the certificate trains perspective students in the knowledge and skills for becoming a project manager and sitting for the Project Management Professional exam offered by the world leading project management organization, the Project Management Institute.
My Statements on Teaching Philosophy
Concepts in Learning
Dewey’s Wrong Approach to Education
Dewey at his worst
Unschooling
Concepts in Learning – part 2
My Statements on Application
How to Develop Engaging Online Classes
Creating an environment for Classroom Success, Part 1
Creating an environment for Classroom Success, Part 2
How to do Abstract Integrative Reading
Conceptual confusion
Tools vs. Ideas
Concept mapping
Using Blogs in the Classroom
History of IS
Railroad Tycoon
Wishing doesn’t make it so