My Teaching Philosophy

I often reflect on one of my best lecturers in management who took the time to explain the ideas and concepts of turnaround management. He took an equal amount of time to provide a diverse number of real corporate examples of how these principles were applied, both successfully and unsuccessfully. He invited former CEO’s into the classroom, to share their experiences and lessons in the field. He forced us to work in teams, analyzing old problems and coming up with new and innovative solutions. At times he could also be very demanding in the detail, depth and quality of our work. He made us defend our points, and taught us to believe in ourselves, and to be respectful of others. While the subject of microeconomics may (arguably) not be as demanding as turnaround management, I believe that the teaching and learning process should be the same.

I believe that teaching must be relevant, in that there must be a strong alignment between the concepts, tools, and techniques taught in the classroom, and its usefulness and applicability to everyday life. I believe that sometimes the best learning takes place when it is done in collaboration with others (indeed there will also be frequent opportunities for teachers to learn in a classroom). Finally I believe that learning can be fun. Students must be encouraged and supported to come out of their comfort zones, to try new things, share new perspectives and enjoy the process of learning and growth.

I see the role of the teacher as facilitator in this process. However, this role will be constantly morphing, and requires tremendous care and skill. Every good teacher must know how and when to shift between the differing characters his or she will likely assume both in and outside of the classroom, from conveyor of knowledge, to silent observer. From protagonist to antagonist, objective meditator and disciplinarian, to mentor, guide and friend.

Therefore my first goal will be to demonstrate ways microeconomic concepts, tools and analysis can be used to address and explain real world problems and circumstances. For this reason I think that it is always best to start lectures on new topics, using a revenant problem, or a contemporary real world example such as pricing strategies likely to be used for selling a new car (see Video), and have a short discussion where students are encouraged to give feedback or share their ideas or views. Wherever possible, presentations should incorporate contemporary examples, demonstrating the application of a concept.I will also include specific sessions for the analysis of case studies Case studies can be a very useful tool linking abstract concepts to real world problems and circumstances. While this will take much more work in terms of research and preparing presentation slides, the examples will be useful in helping students understand the application of these concepts. If students can relate the higher product prices and rapid evolution of products by such companies as Apple and Samsung, as examples of behavior and pricing strategies of monopolistic firms, then such a lesson can be easily remembered and explained by students later on. Application of concepts can be done in different ways, utilizing varied learning strategies. For instance a computer lab session can be planned, teaching students how to write and execute software programs using such modern econometric software programs as STATA. Programs to be executed to estimate demand and supply equations for specific commodities and students can be asked to comment to the results relative to theoretical predictions.

In order to create an environment of collaboration and teamwork in the classroom, at the start of the semester I will place students in teams of four or five, to work on problems, case studies and one capstone group project (see example of Capstone Group Capstone Project). Students will also have the opportunity to collaborate on submitting a group response on smaller case study assignments during the course of the semester. As a further incentive Group responses to case study assignments will be rewarded with extra credit relative to individual submissions. One of the common problems in group-based exercises is that one is never sure of the effort expended by all of the members in preparation or developing the final output. I therefore usually include for the capstone group assignment in particular a blind peer review. In the peer review each member of the group will be able to anonymously rate the contribution and participation of other members. The average of each individual’s assessment is taken, and the group score on the assignment, weighted so that each student is awarded an individual score based on this average.

In terms of fun, class activities will be structured to encourage interactive and engaging participation by students through the use of case study analysis, and in specific sessions for in class discussions, focusing on the analysis of cases. Extra credit will be given to students who provide a collective group response to a case study during the semester. I will also have an opportunity for a field trip during the semester where students will be able to gather information for their group assignment and see realistic examples of the concepts they learned in the classroom are applied. This exercise will be particularly appealing to students with more kinesthetic learning styles, however the real advantage of this activity is that it simultaneously addresses the key beliefs I have about teaching and learning. Learning must be relevant, it is best when it is collaborative, and as far as possible it should be fun.

I believe that teaching is a skill, which comes with knowledge, practice and experience. No two sessions in the classroom should ever be the same in terms of content, or delivery irrespective of which years they are taught. Information should always be updated and new research ideas and outcomes integrated into course. As such my immediate task will be to complete my research work at the PhD level, where my research ideas can be properly formulated and developed. I also plan to continue to develop new competencies in teaching, firstly by enrolling in this Certificate in College Teaching Module, but also pursuing other modules later on, such as Teaching with Technology. There are a number of websites such as The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University[1], which contains a rich endowment of free teaching resources and links.

Teaching also improves with practice, so it is important to learn from the actual experiences in the classroom. As such I make it a point to review student evaluations, and confer with other teachers on areas of interest or concern. In as much as teachers dedicate time refining teaching methods and generating new research, we must make an equal amount of time to support students through the learning process. As such I always believe that students should be encouraged to pursue their interests and topics they feel very passionate about. However, as teachers we are obligated to equip students with the right tools to make sure that they have a grasp of the fundamental concepts, that they are able to think critically, and communicate clearly. I always believe as my teacher taught me, you must have a passion for what you do, you must add value through the clarity and accuracy of your analysis. You must be respectful of the views of others, as it is the place where new ideas and solutions are created, and most of all you must have the strength and confidence to enunciate and defend your point of view.

[1] ^{http://bokcenter.harvard.edu/resources}