TEACHING AND LEARNING PHILOSOPHY
Ultimate Aspiration
My ultimate aspiration is to positively influence the careers and lives of students. I will cultivate a learning environment that helps them internalize their learning and not just apply it in their workplace but use it to revolutionize the way that they approach human resources. As I work with students, I will empower them to be catalysts in the HR industry, challenge convention and tradition; strategically, purposefully, and based on a solid foundation of knowledge.
Learning to Learn
As Adam Grant says, “The mark of higher education isn't the knowledge you accumulate in your head. It's the skills you gain about how to learn.” I believe that the most crucial element of post-secondary is learning how to learn, and how to think critically. While knowledge is important, it is more important to know how to question content and know what types of questions and criteria should be considered when approaching a challenge. Our world is changing at an exponential pace, and facts, or what we thought of as fact, are changing quickly too. While I do not underestimate the significance of historical context and theory, I believe it is crucial that students leave my program as critical thinkers and resourceful learners. To help facilitate this I share not only the theories and knowledge bases that have been compiled throughout history, but also create a learning environment in which we share real life examples of ideas that challenge conventional thinking, and scenarios which cause students to question “what is right for this specific context?”
Growth Mindset
I place significant value in the growth mindset, and I approach the learning experiences I facilitate with that as a basis for student learning. As Carol Dwek says, "it’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest." For example, I do not believe that students need to achieve perfection on their first submission of an assignment. I give them an assignment, provide them feedback, and then give them the opportunity to revise that product so that they can immediately apply their learning. In the past, I have offered students the opportunity to have one-to-one sessions where I provide thorough feedback while asking brainstorming questions to help them improve their work. This approach was well received from students, and although it did contribute to their fixed goals of a better grade, it was also evident that they had truly learned. I support this learning culture in the learning environment by leading by example. For instance, I often try a new technology during course discussion and invite students to learn with me. I also make it clear when there is something I do not know for certain, and then we look it up and learn together. After all, success is not in having the right answers, but in knowing where to find them.
I believe that growth mindset does not just apply to my students, but it also applies to me. I work to continually evolve my knowledge base, my experiences and even my pop culture references so that I maintain relevance and credibility with my students. I must also evolve the way that I use technology. For instance, I might have a great class resources video on VHS. In my field, VHS is not necessarily considered nostalgic, nor is that medium important to the history of my field. For many students, the medium may be seen as a distraction. While the content may be good, it might be difficult for students to see past the medium and into the message. As a professor, I do not want my students to be distracted in this way, and to know that they are getting the most up to date experience possible. I will stay relevant by staying connected to my professional community, volunteering in the field, keeping up with technological evolution, and by listening to what is going on in the industry at large.
Part of this growth mindset is a strong belief that as our students’ worlds change, we need to changes as well. Some professors and even professionals in the workplace may complain that students in this generation do not know how to write a proper business email, and that colleges should be strict in teaching them to do so. In my opinion, these students will be the ones changing communication in the workplace, so rather than fight against them, as professors, we should evolve with them. Using this example, we should get to know students’ preferred mediums of communication, and teach them about how to use them professionally, how to influence, and ask them what they see the future looking like. In this way, we are not stifling their innovation, rather providing them with tools to navigate it.
The Learning Environment
I feel strongly that while fun does not necessarily have to be present for learning to occur, it does create an environment where students feel motivated to ‘show up’ to, both literally and figuratively. Students deal with a lot of pressure and stress, and I want my learning environment to be a place where they can come and relax, have a good time, and participate in true learning. In my learning environment, students can remove the barrier of worry or stress and completely open up their minds to education. To do this, I make a continuous effort to involve humour, through my own jokes, funny videos, anecdotes and activities. I am passionate about my field, and I ensure that passion is demonstrated through the engagement I bring . In the past my students have commented about how fun and engaging my lectures are, and I want that to continue going forward.
Learning is a human experience, and I do everything that I can to create an inclusive learning environment. I believe that no one should feel left out of learning, for any reason. If there are some students that are more vocal than others, I find ways, such as technology-based discussion, for quieter voices to be heard. I ensure opportunities for those quieter students to engage with me directly, or virtually. For students that have barriers, I do my best to accommodate. For instance, during the Covid-19 self-isolation and online class delivery, a student expressed concern about caring for her child and doing the exam at the same time. We were able to simply adjust the exam to the child’s nap time, and the student did well, and was extremely grateful. If someone is having extreme anxiety about an exam, I work with them to find a way to make the experience easier for them to demonstrate their learning. I also share with them my own life challenges, so that they can see that I am a whole person as well.
I believe that it is important that the students be able to apply concepts to their own lived experiences. In each class, I ask them about their background and try to relate the content to something that they have seen or done. This can be difficult in diverse groups, so I really try to create a safe place where students are not afraid to share their ideas and thoughts. “[Rosana] made you feel comfortable even if you answered something not 100% correct, she did not make it negative. She reinforced her appreciation of the participation and expanded on the right answer (student course survey response, 2020).” If they simply cannot come up with relatable experiences, or just to help them build I lean into my own lived experiences. I have strategically spent my career curating my experiences, and sharing those experiences can be as valuable as teaching from the theory. I believe this contributes to true learning transfer.
In conclusion, by embracing a growth mindset, creating a culture of fun and inclusion, my goal is to provide students with the right questions and resources to be able to innovate a future that I can not even envision myself.