Teaching

Teaching philosophy and interests

Learning involves building social, environmental, and personal relationships through inclusive knowledge

I can provide the tools, but students are the architects of their own network of relationships. My role is to guide their learning process, helping them craft their own experience of culture and nature. I equip them with tools for academic and personal development and accompany them in establishing equitable relationships with their human and nonhuman kin. Thus, my teaching approach stands on three core objectives:

Challenging students for personal and academic growth

I aim for students to leave my courses with knowledge applicable to their academic and personal pursuits. In my digital studies courses, students contemplate their use of media and their interactions with nature and technology through decolonizing, ecocritical, and multicultural lenses. These courses often include tutorial sessions on programming, web design, and text analytics. Before every tutorial, I ask students to investigate the origins of the tools and software we use. By beginning our classes with the simple statement “Even before you learn to program, you need to learn English,” students reflect on the linguistic and cultural biases of technology and media. In so doing, students not only contemplate the nature of programming languages but also gain insight into their place within global networks of linguistic, geopolitical, and technological injustice, becoming more discerning and informed users of media. My goal is to furnish students with tools to navigate their daily interactions with human and nonhuman others and with linguistic, cultural, and environmental phenomena, informed by self-awareness of their own positionality, biases, and responsibilities.

Drawing connections between grounded research and students’ worlds

For students to experience both academic and personal growth, they must learn to apply principles and theories to the real-world problems, situations, and environments they encounter. A central objective of my teaching is to nurture students’ development of analytical and problem-solving skills that have practical applications beyond the classroom. In an exploration of sensory interactions with nature, students create short videos capturing natural spaces. They record it with various characteristics, at times without audio, at times with audio only, at times narrating what they were seeing, and so forth. This exercise prompts students to reflect on the decision-making process in media production and the inherent biases in the meanings conveyed. They are also astonished at how the act of recording heightened their attention and care for the surrounding environment. A tree transforms from a mere ornament into the subject of their media and a companion on their walk. This genuine yet critical approach fosters an analytical perspective concerning media and the environment that begins in the classroom but transcends into the students’ daily lives. This strategy, which integrates research methods with students’ everyday experiences of technology and natural spaces, enhances long-term learning and student-centered teaching practices. Moreover, it promotes engaging and dynamic applications for research methodologies that encourage creativity and proactive and ecocritical learning. My course interests thus involve experiential learning as I seek to offer classes that encourage students to contemplate human-nonhuman interactions by examining the actual interspecies relationships they establish with the world around them.

Creating an inclusive and safe environment

Academic and personal growth through experiential and practical learning can only occur in safe spaces for respectful and engaging dialogue. In my courses, I exercise and encourage active listening and empathy in both the learning environment and the subject matter. I aim to create a safe space that champions multicultural and equitable learning, consistently integrating anti-racist and inclusive themes and activities, such as decolonial analyses of linguistic and cultural stereotypes. I incorporate a rich tapestry of authors and sources, representing diverse backgrounds and gender, racial, ethnic, linguistic, and other identities. This approach ensures that students have access to marginalized voices beyond canonical Western epistemologies and allows them to see themselves reflected in the narratives we explore. By prioritizing interactive lessons over traditional lectures, I empower students to share their perspectives and values as a form of learning. I employ a wide range of teaching and assessment methods for diverse learners, promoting multimedia and multisensory engagement and flexible deadlines. I have transitioned from conventional text-based assessments to a mix of written assignments, discussion activities, media production, and visuals such as infographics and posters. Moreover, I believe in the power of small actions. Learning my students’ names, providing conversation starters to promote relationships with their peers, and having fidget toys available at all times are simple yet impactful strategies that promote a sense of safety, community, and belonging.

Teaching experience

Courses taught at GVSU

ENS 201: Introduction to Environmental and Sustainability Studies

LAS 210: Exploring Latin America

DS 201: Digital Identities and Communities

INT 201: Diversity in the U.S.

Courses taught at William & Mary

ENSP 249: Digital Environmental Humanities

ENSP 250: Environmental Voices from the Margins (Lecture series, Spring 2023 theme)

Courses taught at McGill University

LLCU 311: Digital Studies / Citizenry

LLCU 212: Understanding Digital and Social Media

HISP 220: Spanish Language Intermediate

HISP 210: Spanish Language Beginners

Contact me via email to request sample syllabi and student evaluations