What:

What the student should learn shapes the curriculum. As a business instructor it is imperative that I use my own experience and knowledge along with input from the business community to shape the curriculum.

Why:

Every course in the curriculum is there for a reason and each course has its own unique learning objectives. It is most important that each student understands the relevance of each class and more importantly recognizes the role of the course within the broader curriculum.

How:

The method of instruction (how the student will be taught) is left to the discretion of the instructor. No matter what classroom format is used, I have found that to be a good teacher you must convey to students a sense of excitement about the subject matter. Additionally, students need to feel that their success in your class is important to you the instructor. Creating a customer (student) oriented focus is critical to the long-term success of the instructor and the institution.

If I had to choose the one key task I have as an educator it would have to be the motivation of students.

Motivation is the cornerstone of any serious quest for quality in teaching. It is well known that learning itself is a great motivater. That is why I strive for student participation in my classes. Through participation, students become motivated to learn and apply the subject matter, as well as build their self-confidence. Additionally, student participation invites the sharing of experiences related to the subject and this, I have found, becomes a strong motivational tool. Another avenue to student motivation that I employ is to set high expectations. By raising the sights of my students, I in turn motivate them to achieve academic excellence.

Finally, with respect to motivation, instructors are motivated by the institutional climate/atmosphere. If instructors are motivated to do their best, it is logical to assume that the instructor will motivate his/her students.

Looking at how I conduct a class meeting, it would typically begin with a short review of previous learning that is to be incorporated into the current class session. Discussion would begin with a short statement of goals/objectives. As the subject matter is presented, I ask a number of questions, which enable me to check student understanding by way of their individual responses. The use of in-class feedback helps to foster a learning environment.

In summary, I believe that to be effective in the classroom you have to be enthusiastic about the subject matter and teaching. Additionally, be well organized, insure that your lectures have clarity, and most importantly build instructor-student relationships by way of frequent/positive interactions.

Means:

The student has the means to master the subject matter. However, it is the role of the instructor to clarify the importance of each tool. I use the following to assist the student with the course material:

• Textbook-careful review to insure that the best textbook has been chosen for the course.
• Lecture-well organized/structured outline to guide the student through the material.
• In-class discussion-opportunity to discuss topics relevant to the subject matter.
• One-on-one discussion-time outside of class where I am available to consult with students.
• Case studies-business courses lend themselves quite well to the use of case study material which allows students to apply what they are learning.
• Projects-each class typically has a term project which is intended to involve the student in the subject matter.
• Guest speakers-professionals from the community are a terrific means for the student to relate in-class learning to actual business experiences.

When:

Research has shown that grades have no more than a modest correlation with success in life. That being said, we do however, recognize the need for a valid/acceptable approach for measuring learning. I attempt to get the student to focus on mastering the learning objectives and to believe that performance (high grades) will follow. My exams test at the comprehension and application level depending on the course. Additionally, I have found subjective testing to be more useful in assessing learning.