User

I believe in empowering people for success by facilitating their journey to achieve the right skills. For CS undergraduate students, that empowerment may come from being able to create things they envision being used in the world and being able to visualize themselves as viable contributors to society. For senior citizens, that empowerment may come from being less afraid of technology, being less embarrassed to ask questions and explore, and from feeling more independent. For high schoolers and middle-schoolers, that empowerment may come from imagining positive possibilities for their future with computing and realizing that seemingly esoteric knowledge and skills are all achievable. In teaching, I have found that I am able to combine my enthusiasm for computing and my love for guiding people to find their own answers. I enjoy helping others realize that technology is for them to use as a tool, instead of having to struggle to find a way around it.

My teaching philosophy is guided by three core principles:

• An understanding that students learn better when they feel engaged—both with the instructor and their peers,
• An understanding that there is no “one size fits all” pedagogy, and that it is important that one keep growing pedagogically,
• A need to maintain an open channel of communication, to assure students that there is no challenge that cannot be discussed and resolved through active, timely communication.

All the courses I teach are designed with a critical pedagogy that recognizes that students learn better when they understand the real-world impact of their work and their field.