Teaching

Teaching Statement

Idea of scholar enlightens everywhere is my ikigai (生き甲斐- is a Japanese concept meaning "a reason for being"). I believe the teacher is like a candle. “The more he/she burns, the more he/she enlightens.” In Turkey, one saying questions, “Who knows more? The one who lives longer or the one who travels more.” I add the one who reads and shares knowledge knows more.

I believe “Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students” (Freire, 1972). When I came to the U.S., I had a narrow understanding of education theory that was based on the notion that teachers told information to students - what a technologist might call a telephone model of education or what Freire might call a banking model of education. Since being in the U.S., I have gathered a greater repertoire of education philosophies and theories based, in part, upon the ideas of John Dewey and his followers that emphasize a critical thinking curriculum and student-centered teaching methods.

I do not believe in changing minds for changing the world. I believe in developing curiosity and motivation for learning. My role is to inspire and provide resources, tools, and guidance and let the students to construct their own meaning in their own creative way. I incorporate “local” and “global” content by developing case studies. I bring alternative viewpoints and encourage them to explore new ideas and strategies, teach my students how to learn, and most importantly cultivate their growth mind. (Dweck, 2007)

I recognize my privilege to be an academician. I not only enjoy my career but also understand the responsibilities. Continuing to teach, write, research, present, and share my work with my students who have been my great teachers will help to ensure that all individuals in the world have the same opportunities and privileges that I hold and cherish. I will continue to explore and document the experiences of K-12 teachers and teacher candidates, help them raise their voices, share their stories, and acknowledge their perspectives, develop their own teacher knowledge and pedagogy and unique teaching philosophies. I consider my students as my research collaborators and future colleagues.

My professional responsibilities in my academic assignments included, but were not limited to, teaching undergraduate, graduate courses, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in their career and future aspirations. My goal is to bring multiple languages and points of view into my courses to stimulate dialog and create collegiality among my students and faculty and scholars all around the world.

I use innovative assessment methods and technologies such as interactive maps, timelines, games, videos, and polling tools. My students work on their individual electronic portfolios and multimedia projects such as digital stories, oral history projects, reusable learning objects, and webquests. The goal is to co-construct knowledge as a group and sometimes as a whole class.

My background on Curriculum Studies and Instructional technology helps me prepare teacher candidates to prepare transdisciplinary unit plans. Each lesson, they are encouraged to integrate new media and technologies, 21^st century skills and career connections. One of my major goals is to bring multiple languages and points of view into my courses to stimulate dialogue and create collegiality among my students and faculty and scholars all around the world. In my courses, I ask teacher candidates to develop lesson plans that are multilingual, multicultural in a multimedia format.

Over the last twelve years, I have taught teacher education courses to a wide variety of students including First Year to Doctoral Level students. I attended professional development activities, audited courses (e.g. courser) to improve my teaching and integrating new media and e-portfolios (using various software such as Blackboard content management system, taskstream, survey money, qualtrics, Turnitin.com, google voice, google sites) into the courses at the College of Education.

Each semester, I redesign my course syllabi, bibliography, online resources, and assessment rubrics based on evaluations, suggestions and ideas developed from the previous classes. I integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and flipped (blended) models for developing my courses. I revise the syllabi of my courses during the semester in order to address the needs of all my students.

I include my teacher candidates in designing the assessment tool process. I see assessment is celebration of learning not just getting a final course grade. I focus on process learning not just the product. I evaluate students not only on their final products but the steps and processes they use in developing their projects. I allow multiple revisions on their projects and scaffold them in the successful completion of their work. I evaluate my teaching style and techniques if I cannot reach my students. I consider myself failing if my students cannot succeed. My rubrics have an additional box for my students to add their own criteria that was not evaluated or considered by the instructor. I keep an open channel of communication with my students. I want to make sure they all understand I care for them and help them until they successfully complete their class projects.

My main goal is to motivate my students and provide a learning environment that has ultimate respect, fairness, and enthusiasm. I design my classes around interactive activities and group projects that motivate students with different technical abilities and educational challenges. I make sure to provide material for highly technical students to advance while assisting and encouraging other students who consider themselves technically challenged. I invite my students to chat, blog, google voice and use telephony (i.e. skype.com, messenger). I remind the students who may need assistance in references, “We are now connected. I serve you 24/7, 365 days.”

In my classes, it is also important for me to construct a learning environment that sets high standards with clear-cut rules and goals. These high standards are important to encourage students of all different race and gender to reach for their dreams. Students are encouraged to try new ideas without being fearful of making mistakes. In my classes, I emphasize: “This class is a safe environment to make mistakes and to try new tools and strategies. We do not want to make mistakes in our K12 classrooms. Let’s make mistakes here and learn from them.”

My teaching philosophy is student driven. It focuses on using knowledge and technology with the hopes of contributing to a change that will ultimately foster a better society. I continue to learn from my students and share my ikigai.

In conclusion, my main goal is to draw on the natural link between transdisciplinary curriculum studies and teacher education. In my classes, we explore how a critical approach to the study of new media combines knowledge, reflection, and action to promote educational equity; and prepares new generation to be socially responsible members of a multicultural, global, democratic society.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House.

Freire, P. (1972). Pedagogy of the oppressed. London, UK: Penguin Books.

Here are a few examples:

I invite colleagues and scholars in many continents using the advanced yet simple and free online tools (i.e. Skype, voicethread) and social networking software (such as blog, podcast, and wiki) into my courses and I focused on transdisciplinary projects integrating global education across different subject fields- such as Global Kitchen Project; Telling time globally (integrating world languages as well as other disciplines); Maps, Math and Media; and finally Teaching Asia with Tea. My background in math, science, linguistics, semiotics and world languages has been an asset for these transdisciplinary projects. For example, Dr. Prakash Kumar Shresthas from Nepal came to Kean University (http://myildiz.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/8/2/6982633/talk_about_nepal-_nov_28__11_am.jpg) on Nov 28, 2012.

After being part of Asia Society Department of Education grant 2005-2008), I was inspired to work in Central Asia and served as the first Fulbright Scholar to Turkmenistan. Upon return, I joined Fulbright Association and served NJ Fulbright Chapter since 2010. I became the president for NJ Fulbright Chapter in March 2014.

As a continuation of my Fulbright work, I have been invited to share my GPS experiences in Turkmenistan since 2010. I went to Ashgabat as a presidential invitee in October 2010, June 2012, and May 2014. In 2012, I presented my paper entitled: Innovative Mobile Technologies in Sustainable Environment: Collecting, Sorting, Analyzing and Presenting Data using Global Positioning System (GPS). The paper and abstract was published in the conference book. I integrated GPS into my teacher education courses and wrote and presented on my GPS projects in Turkmenistan as well as the summer school project I served with Perth Amboy High School for the last three years.

I also had chance to go to Turkmenistan as a presidential guest in May 2014 to present my recent augmented reality project on Magtymgyly, famous poet in Turkmen History.

Pictures above: Magtymguly Pyragy in the global context conference May 2014

Organized University-wide Event. (November 19, 2013). Global Harvest Project: Connecting Community through Co-developing Transdisciplinary Curriculum. Kean University, NJ. https://kean.collegiatelink.net/organization/asianstudies/calendar/details/337600

Prezi presentation- http://prezi.com/-q7j-0jhhclk/global-harvest-festival/

Organized Global Kitchen Project (March 21, 2013). Each table focused on teaching spices and herbs from different countries. Link to pictures http://flic.kr/s/aHsjEr3HnY Co-Sponsored by International Education.

Image: Global Kitchen

For my students, I bring the latest innovations, theories, strategies and tools into my course. I organize field trips for my students (e.g. Newark Museum, United Nations, Asia Society and Japan Society) and experiential learning activities.

Pictures: Earth day April 22, 2014

Students in ID1010 created Earth Day posters, tried solar cooking, presented Earth related facts and information to children from Kean Day Care center, interviewed Kean community, edited Earth Day video, and worked on a radio show for Kean Radio station.

Please see attached Teaching Award Letter.