Teaching Profile

Teaching Experience and Approach

I held various casual teaching positions within the School of Business, James Cook University. I provided group tutorials to on-campus and external students, as well as individual tutorials to indigenous and international students. I have experience with online mode of delivery and fully support the utilisation of modern technology to maximise teaching outcomes. I have also been involved with marking of various assignments and students’ exam papers.

I adopt an interactive teaching approach where the teaching style and material are customised for the students’ requirements and strive to create exciting, high-quality learning environment. I research the topics for each of my tutorials and lectures as I believe in striving to deliver the best and most current information to the students in an interactive and engaging fashion. I consistently get positive feedback from students regarding my tutorials – students note that the classes that I prepare and deliver are interesting, informative and help them to better understand the topics covered at the lectures.

For my group tutorials, I always prepare my personal PowerPoint presentations so students have all the important information available for them after tutorial is finished. I also include video presentations and interactive exercises in my tutorials, making sure that examples given are relevant to particular group and take into account students’ experience. The feedback from students is extremely positive with some students sending in personal e-mails to say thank you for my tutorials and inform me on high grades they have achieved.

For my individual tutorials, I always assess student’s goals. The delivery of information here is more flexible and highly tailored to each individual student’s needs. I make sure that information that I deliver is understood by a student by asking them to work through similar to explained earlier topics/exercises on their own. Students who undertook my individual tutorials provide positive feedback and achieve high grades.

Business Data Analysis and Interpretation

In 2013-2014 I have provided group in-class and online tutorials, individual tutorials through Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) and International Student support program for Business Data Analysis and Interpretation subject (BU1007) at JCU.

This subject combines statistical methods with material related to subjects taught in the school of business and provides an introduction to data analysis and its use as a managerial tool. Students gain an understanding in recognising and changing raw data into usable information for interpretation in business.

Learning Outcomes

  • explain types and sources of data and information, and relate to statistical concepts

  • apply appropriate and various statistical techniques

  • use statistical software to solve business related problems

  • interpret data and statistical results to make insightful business decisions

  • explain data within a business environment context

Students Feedback

    • Sandra: "Thank you for the great Tutorial last night. Your presentation made the material a lot easier to understand."

    • Theresa: "In taking your tutorials last semester in BU1007 - Business Data Analysis, I learned a lot and of course it was a beneficial for my studies. Thank you for your guidance on the assessments also. In the beginning of the subject I truly didn't think I would succeed, but with you help and diligent studying my grade of a Distinction was a pleasant surprise."

    • Emmy: "I just want to say thank you for helping me. You have been so helpful all this time. Thank you again."

Prepared PowerPoint Presentations can be found at the bottom of the Links page and are available for download.

Business, Environment and Society in the Tropics

In 2013-2014 I have provided group in-class tutorials for Business, Environment and Society in the Tropics subject (BU1104) at JCU.

This subject explores the external and internal environmental context of business and organisational practices in the tropics. It examines different facets of management operating in remote locations experiencing constraints on resources. The subject places emphasis on the fundamental building blocks of management: plan, organise, lead and control, which are crucial to starting growing and maintaining a successful business. Prominence is also placed on the contemporary drivers of global, societal and regional change, such as, sustainability, cultural perspectives, corporate social responsibility, ethical accountability and governance.

Learning Outcomes

  • analyse key drivers of change to business practices in a tropical context

  • explain how organisations can be ethically, corporately and socially responsible in achieving sustainable practice

  • discuss the principles of diversity management

  • examine key features of the four functions of management in the context of organisational structures

  • appreciate business and management principles that apply specifically in a tropical environmental context

Students Feedback

This subject utilised formal assessment of students satisfaction with the quality of the teaching in the tutorials as well as rating of the tutor through a students' survey at the end of the semester.

  • Satisfaction with the quality of the teaching was measured on five point scale ranging from (1) - 'poor' to (5) - 'excellent'. In 2013, the quality of my teaching for the subject on average was rated at 3.58 (between 'good' and 'very good'), while in 2014 this average score increased to 4.12 (between 'very good' and 'excellent'). This demonstrates that I took the feedback provided by students in 2013 on board and improved the quality of my teaching in 2014.

    • Rating of me as a tutor in 2013 on average was 3.76 (between 'good' and 'very good'), while in 2014 this average score increased to 4.24 (between 'very good' and 'excellent'). This demonstrates that with the teaching experience gained in 2013 I became more knowledgeable and confident as a tutor.

  • Some of the students feedback is provided below:

    • Elena is a great tutor. I have had her for statistics which I attended every class she taught. She has been the best tutor I have had in my Uni carrier.

    • Elena was a great help, always thoroughly explaining concepts and providing examples

    • Elena was an awesome tutor

    • Elena used group work & discussion which helped with my understanding of each topic

    • Elena was a knowledgeable tutor and always tested students knowledge

    • Elena made the material presented easy to understand

Prepared PowerPoint Presentations can be found at the bottom of the Links page and are available for download.