Teaching

Philosophy

Social science methods require engaging agency personnel, stakeholders, and non-government organizations. However, engagement can be uncomfortable and challenging for many students. Therefore, while teaching methods courses–I work to develop the ability of students to conduct “fearless fieldwork.” Whether it is an interview or a survey, students must overcome reservations to intercept participants, knock on doors, and make phone calls. To begin, I utilize networks to connect students with practitioners so they could evaluate a local program or project. Then, to build a sense of collaboration, I create student working groups for conducting research projects, leading course discussions, and making formal presentations on project advances and assignments. Over the course of a semester, students will interview volunteer participants which will be followed by in class reflection. As a team, students work in Google Docs to draft final reports online simultaneously to meet specific course objectives. Through creating an environment where students can receive and provide constructive peer feedback, this teamwork approach–focused on group products and public speaking–ensures that students are capable of fluently expressing their ideas and the course material.

Examples of Courses I Am Prepared to Teach

• Undergraduate Introduction to Social Science Research Methods
• Graduate Qualitative Methods
• Climate Justice
• Community Resilience
• Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
• The Commons and Collective Action in Mexico

Instructor of Record

• PRT 380 Analysis and Evaluation in Parks, Recreation

College of Natural Resources

North Carolina State University

Field Technicians Supervised

• Daniel Woody
• Princess Mutasa
• Angus Spencer