Teaching Philosophy

I believe that one of the most valuable skills an individual can gain through education is the ability to consider new ideas with an open mind while, simultaneously, analyzing these ideas with a critical eye. From this perspective, our understanding of the world is not based solely on a strict adherence to one specific ideology, but, instead, on a dynamic consideration of the merits of ideas based on logic and analysis of evidence. My primary goal as an instructor is to encourage my students to embrace this perspective, and my hope is that they will recognize its benefits and adhere to it throughout their lives.

In an effort to promote this critical-yet-open-minded perspective through my teaching, I rely on a variety of methods that require my students to consider multiple points of view when discussing any given topic. At the heart of my class is a collaborative learning approach, which places students in small groups charged with discussing questions related to course material. Throughout the semester, within these groups, students are asked to discuss course readings, compare and contrast sociological/criminological theories, and apply sociological/criminological theories to real-world examples. During collaborative learning group sessions, which are held at least once per week, students must collaborate with fellow group members in the preparation of a written report outlining their group’s discussion and must be prepared to present this report to the larger class. These activities allow students to develop a stronger grasp on course material and encourage discussions of issues—which are often highly politically charged—among students of varied social and academic backgrounds. I encourage students to engage in these discussions with open minds and to respect their classmates’ ideas, while, at the same time, offering logical, evidence based arguments in support of their own ideas and the ideas expressed through course material.

In each of my classes, collaborative learning groups are also responsible for completing a term project, which requires collaborative research and synthesis of material. For example, in both my Criminology and Social Deviance courses, the term project requires that groups research and prepare a position to defend during an in-class debate competition, which pairs them against another group representing an opposing point of view. While students are involved in the development of a list of potential debate topics and are given the opportunity to rank those topics in order of their group’s interest, I randomly assign the position that each group must defend during the debate. Because of the random nature of position assignments, students are often assigned to defend a point of view that is contrary to their own beliefs and understandings. Although students often express hesitation to openly support arguments with which they do not agree, I consistently receive feedback that indicates that students gain perspective and an appreciation for the exercise of considering viewpoints that contradict their own. I believe that the debate project and other collaborative learning group activities lay the foundation for critical examinations of social issues after students leave my class.

Beyond my goal to help students develop a scientifically guided, critical-yet-open-minded perspective, I am also committed to guiding students through the process of developing practical solutions to the social problems uncovered upon critical examination of the social world. I work to incorporate discussions of solutions into each of my course lessons related to social problems. For instance, in my Criminology course, after my discussion of the relationship between mental illness and the “revolving door of prison,” I present the history and philosophy of mental health courts, as well as data that illustrate the laudable success of such holistic alternative court systems in the reduction of recidivism rates.

I believe that the importance of presenting solutions to the myriad social problems that we discuss throughout our coursework cannot be understated; however, I believe guiding students through the process of developing innovative solutions to these problems is a more significant responsibility. I strive to create an intellectual environment in which students are engaged in discussions of solutions to problematic social conditions that move beyond a consideration of the extant strategies. In an effort to reach this goal, I include assignments and projects in my courses that challenge students to propose evidence-based solutions to problems in our society and criminal justice system. For instance, students in my Corrections class are tasked with a term project that requires them to design an original criminal justice system based on a theoretically-guided set of foundational goals/philosophies. Students are given the freedom to either make modifications to our current criminal justice system in an effort to align practice with the system’s assumed goals or to offer a wholesale redesign of the system that is founded on goals and/or philosophies that differ substantially from those of the current system. This assignment is completed in their collaborative learning groups and requires that students consider altering laws and the manner in which they are enforced, reconstructing court systems, and redesigning and/or abolishing prisons and other detention centers. I am continually pleased and impressed by the results of these projects and the collaborative process in which my students engage.

While encouraging collaboration, discussion, and critical evaluation of social structures and organization is extremely important to reaching my ultimate goals, my passion for my subject matter is also essential. Social justice and issues of inequality are central to criminological and sociological studies and these concepts are placed at the forefront of my class lessons. I am fortunate to have a strong commitment to the subjects I teach, and my students greatly benefit from this passion. What is more, I find teaching to be incredibly rewarding, as it reinforces my passion at nearly every turn.

International Programs Development

In addition to my commitment and passion for teaching in the classroom, I have had the opportunity to leverage my cross-national expertise and research experience in the development of multi-country international study abroad programs. While an Assistant Professor at Appalachian State University, I have developed and led two International Crime and Law study abroad programs, which traveled to Scotland, England, and the Netherlands in Summer 2016 and Summer 2017. I have also developed a Global Neoliberalization study abroad program, which is scheduled to travel throughout the United Kingdom in Summer 2019.

Leading study abroad programs has been a highlight of my career as a teacher-scholar. The opportunities for experiential learning on a study abroad trip are vast and offer students a perspective that cannot be replicated in the traditional classroom environment. For instance, I am able to illustrate the differences between court procedure in the US and Europe through an observation of a murder trial in the Crown Court of England and Wales. My students also take an historical tour of the East End of London, which brings a heightened understanding of the context within which the Jack the Ripper crimes were committed and the multitude of ways that those murders influenced internationally adopted crime control measures and current understandings of serial homicide. The trip also allows me to develop innovative class projects, including a documentary-style final project that requires students to analyze and investigate a course-related topic and present their findings in a video production. Although challenging, the students have enjoyed completing the project, and the resultant productions have been excellent. What is more, the feedback I have received from our students regarding both the course material and the in-country experiences have indicated that their experiences on the trip have led to significant personal and academic development. Study abroad has proved to be both an exciting way to incorporate my cross-national crime expertise into my teaching and a highly rewarding way to share my passion for global social justice with my students.

Teaching Experience

Since Fall 2015, I have been an Assistant Professor at Appalachian State University, where I teach (on a rotating basis): Criminology; Communities and Crime; Punishment and Social Control; Corrections; Juvenile Delinquency; Sociology of Law (on-campus and study abroad); Social Deviance; Crime, Deviance and Punishment in the European Union (study abroad); Propaganda, Media and Society (on-campus and online); and Inequality and the Neoliberal Welfare State (study abroad).  From 2010 to Summer 2015, I worked as a lecturer/graduate student instructor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University.  At North Carolina State University, I developed a number of courses, including Criminology, Social Deviance, Introduction to Sociology, and both on-campus and online versions of Technology in Culture and Society.  From 2008 to 2010, I worked as a teaching assistant to Professor Charles R. Tittle, Professor Patricia L. McCall, and Professor William R. Smith. I value continued professional development opportunities and, in addition to my extensive teaching experience, I received formal teacher training through North Carolina State University’s Teaching Sociology seminar, led by Professor Maxine Atkinson, and through North Carolina State University's Distance Education and Learning Applications pedagogical technologies workshops.  Evidence of teaching effectiveness (including course syllabi and records of student evaluations) is available upon request.  

Courses that I have developed and taught, including courses developed as a part of study abroad programs and distance education courses, are outlined below:   

Instructor

Criminology

Communities and Crime

Punishment and Social Control

Corrections

Juvenile Delinquency

Sociology of Law

Social Deviance

Technology in Society and Culture

Introduction to Sociology

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM LEADER

Crime, Deviance, and Punishment in the European Union

Sociology of Law

Inequality and the Neoliberal Welfare State

Distance Education Instructor

Media and Propaganda

Technology in Sociey and Culture

Teaching Assistant

Criminology, Charles R. Tittle

Theories of Social Structure, Charles R. Tittle

Community and Crime, William R. Smith

Sociology of Law, Patricia L. McCall 

Distance Education Teaching Assistant

Technology and Society, William R. Smith

Sports in Society, William R. Smith