Statement of Teaching Interests:
I have given a lot of thought to the type of teacher and researcher that I want to be in the future. I believe in excellence in teaching and research, and have been fortunate to have been taught by some truly outstanding instructors during my student career. They have inspired me to strive for the highest levels of achievement, and I want to do the same for other students. I am very interested in the learning process, and am constantly pursuing professional and educational activities for the purpose of expanding my skills and making me a better engineer, teacher, and researcher.
During the Fall of 2011, I was the instructor for ASM 310 – Power Transmission in Agriculture. The course dealt with hydraulic, electrical, and mechanical power transmission. I prepared all of the lectures, homework, quizzes, and exams, and conducted weekly laboratory activities for 25 students. While teaching, I frequently drew on my industry experience to give the students real-world examples and to keep them engaged in the subject matter. I also took the class on a field trip to a local machinery manufacturer to provide a more enriching experience to the students.
The hydraulics portion of the class introduced principles of hydraulic system operation and reinforced them with problem solving that emphasized hydraulic circuit analysis. I assigned a midterm class project that included student presentations as well as written reports. Students were allowed to choose their own topics, and students applied what they learned in class to the machinery applications that they found most interesting. By studying what they really enjoyed, the students often gained a deeper understanding of the course material.
Laboratory activities were hands-on and were designed to strengthen the concepts the students learned in class by allowing them to practice them. Students built and analyzed hydraulic and pneumatic circuits. The combination of classroom teaching and the hands-on lab activities made this class particularly effective, providing the students with further reinforcement of lecture materials by allowing them to see concepts in action. The laboratory activities were particularly effective in helping the students to understand how to trace and troubleshoot hydraulic circuits.
Homework assignments were designed to challenge the students to really think about the concepts presented during class, and to think about different ways of solving problems. The problems forced the students to think about the effect that different variables have on a fluid power system, and taught them which information was necessary to design a complete hydraulic circuit. I believe that giving the students more difficult problems as homework assignments produces better test outcomes. Quizzes and exams were designed to thoroughly, and fairly, cover the material presented during lectures, and to test the students on their ability to put concepts into practice while solving problems. I found that a student with a good understanding of the fundamentals could solve the problems in a reasonable amount of time during tests. If a student did not understand the concepts fully, it was possible for them to make mistakes in the problem solving, which I would then focus on during the following lecture.
I try to simplify the learning process for students using my experience whenever possible. I am careful to avoid over-complicating the material with complex equations when a simple one combined with a good conceptual foundation will suffice. My teaching methodology includes introducing a concept to the students, providing multiple examples in class, assigning homework that emphasizes the concept, giving quizzes to test their understanding, then revisiting the concept in class to reinforce what they learned.
My lecturing style combines technology with the chalkboard. I begin my lectures with a PowerPoint presentation that includes subtle animation and online resources to enhance the delivery of material to the students. For example, I have included YouTube movies in my presentations when appropriate to illustrate how various types of hydraulic pumps and motors operate. I have also linked to various online resources to provide the students with an alternate perspective. After introducing concepts and equations using the computer, I prefer to present example problems on the chalkboard. This gives the students more time to take notes, since I must write on the board myself, and allows for more student participation since I am able to tailor what I am presenting to the students in real-time. I also use the chalkboard when reviewing homework problems and providing the students with valuable feedback, such as watching out for common pitfalls when solving problems or making simple errors when using a calculator.
I maintain an open-door policy with students – if I am in my office, they are welcome to come by as-needed. In addition, I schedule a certain number of hours each week when I am guaranteed to be available for help, and also allow students to make appointments. I use the online Angel system at Penn State for grading, and to provide students with lecture materials, assignments, and additional resources. I regularly communicate with the students outside of class via email, and frequently use Doodle polls to schedule student presentations, extra lab time if needed, and field trips.
I have a strong desire to develop courses related to my work experience and research. I am capable of teaching a wide range of classes and performing research in multiple areas within the Agricultural and Biological Engineering discipline, and have many hands-on skills that would enable me to instruct in practical as well as theoretical applications. Classes that I am particularly interested in developing and teaching include the areas of machine design, fluid power applications, power transmission, structural design, facility layout and management, mechatronics, and precision agriculture. I also enjoy advising and mentoring students. I have found that the combination of my education and work experience allows me to provide a unique perspective to students when discussing their immediate needs and future goals, and makes me an effective mentor and teacher.