My educational philosophy...

 ... is probably best summed up with the phrase "whatever works"!  Numerous psychological and educational studies of human learning suggest that there are four basic types of learners- analytical, discussion-oriented, common-sense, and dynamic. Consequently, I employ a variety of teaching techniques including practical exercises, interrogative lecture, multimedia presentations and "virtual field trips".

I am aware that adult learners have complicated schedules and responsibilities. I expend significant effort to provide reasonable accommodation to aid in the retention and success of my students. I also work closely with the Disability Resources  & Services Center to successfully overcome various impairments that might otherwise have prevented students from passing my classes.

Although my core classes are required for geology majors, I try to relate my course content to the practical concerns of General Education students who make up the majority of my students- from evaluating the geologic hazards associated with real estate purchases, to Earth resource management, to environmental hazards, to the real societal impact of their knowledge on Earth Science related issues.   Recognizing that for many students, this course may be their first glimpse into a college science, I strongly encourage students to meet with me in person or online if they are having problems or just to talk about the material. 

I have taught lecture sections of Physical and Historical Geology to student audiences ranging from intimate groups of 18-20 to large groups of more than 60.  GLG103 lab sections are capped at 24 students each.   Whereas I have taught traditional in-person classes for most of my career, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the migration to online modalities.  The success rates in my online courses are virtually identical to those of my in-person courses.

Educational resources are constantly being produced for classroom use in geology and the Earth sciences. I spend some time reviewing these for potential use in our classes/labs to ensure that our students are getting the highest-quality resources available.  In this context, I occasionally perform formal written reviews of texts and multimedia presentations for various authors and publishing companies. As a member of several geologic professional societies, I regularly review professional scientific literature to stay informed of advances in the state of the art of geology itself.

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