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Knowledge is more than information, it is the power for action. A teacher's job is more than imparting subject knowledge. I have three primary goals in my teaching, to help the students build learning skills, to spark their interests in a given subject, and to help them develop a solid knowledge foundation of the subject matter. For most careers, learning is a life-long necessity. In this sense, showing various resources and teaching the students to use them are as important as explaining the subject matter. Interest is the key to learning, both in class and in a lifetime. Therefore, I teach with passion, and try to strike a spark of enthusiasm for the students.
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Linda Conway said "It's not what is poured into a student, but what is planted." I strive to build integrated knowledge instead of installing separate knowledge components in the students’ mind. This is critical to the development of capabilities for problem-solving and further learning. Furthermore, it is critical to nurturing the students’ interest in a subject. I make every effort to create a rich understanding of a subject matter by providing multiple angles and relating to real-world examples, which has been proved in research to improve problem solving performance. The teaching methods I have used include but are not limited to case study, game, guest speaker, simulation, student presentation, multimedia lecture, individual and group project, and group discussion.
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Active learning gives the best learning result. My role in the learning process is both an instructor and a facilitator. Rather than dominating the classroom all the time, I encourage the students to think critically, share their experiences, and get involved in a bi-directional communication and learning process. I motivate students by assigning real-world projects, using prize-winning group competitions, and student presentations.
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I challenge the students to a higher level of performance by setting high yet achievable standards. I make class materials and assignments innovative and challenging. The students are encouraged to commit to hard work and active learning. Meanwhile, I make myself available for help by multiple means. In addition to office hours, appointments, and phone calls, I have used class Web site, live chat, group support tool (Skype), and discussion list.
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My research in knowledge management makes me think a lot about learning and teaching. Teaching is an art of continuous improvement. I devote myself to constant improvement in teaching by drawing from research and teaching experiences. One particular effort to this end was a small-scale knowledge management system I created which provides programming tips and quick answers to frequently asked questions. I made the system accessible on-line and searchable by key words. The system was effective in terms of answering questions quickly and consistently. It also helped the students to foresee upcoming problems.
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