Teaching
TEACHING STATEMENT
Creating an environment of success and intrinsic motivation is of paramount importance. Class teaching objective is to help students to learn more, have higher retention rates, and to do so with a lower stress level. Each curriculum designed and class experience is project and problem based, drawn on over ten years of industry experience and novel, exploratory research in the respective fields. The teaching goal is to make the theory interesting and relevant for each student. Classroom instruction has ranged from large introductory sections with over 100 students to small labs with 11 or so students. The average section size has been around 45 students per class. About 25 sections have been taught and about fifteen students have been mentored and advised as independent studies. Many students have been placed in internships, and career counseling and advising for graduate work and career planning has been provided. I believe in empowering every individual and assisting them in achieving their highest potential. As a teacher, and as an advisor, I am in the unique position to help. My philosophy is to invent and create, as it is the fountainhead for all wealth.
Teaching Specialization:
• Information science
• User-centered-design
• Human-computer interaction
• Human factors and system design
• User interface design – multidisciplinary approach to design patterns
• 3D user interfaces – new user interface design for spatial navigation
• Virtual environments and simulations
• Building virtual worlds – virtual realities, virtual environments, and augmented reality tools
• Data derived virtual ecologies and simulations
• Information visualization of dynamic data
• Software product marketing
• Web design – interactive graphic design and Flash
• Web services, service oriented architecture and mash-ups for Web 2.0
• Social and economic impacts of e-commerce in the digital rights management age
• Art with 3D computer graphics tool and technologies
TEACHING FELLOW & ADJUNCT PROFESSOR. Over 25 sections taught. School of Information Sciences, University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, PA. 2000 – Present:
Taught introductory course in Information Science, Human Computer Interaction, Human Factors in System Design, Independent Studies and User Centered Design, with official teaching evaluations consistently ranking above average to excellent. Combined lecture notes with online demonstrations, labs, interactive tutorials and multi-media to enhance learning experience and expose students to possibilities inherent in Internet systems and technologies.
INFSCI 1052 HUMAN/COMPUTER INTERACTION (Spring 2000-Fall 2006)
Introduces principles and programming of interactive systems. Interaction techniques are surveyed and incorporated in the design in interfaces. Prerequisites: (INFSCI 0015 or INFSCI 0017) and (INFSCI 1042 or INFSCI 1044)
• Teaching Fellow, Adjunct and Visiting Lecturer
• Curriculum designed and implemented to cover the process of software design and development as a user centric approach. HCI theory, real world experience and exploratory research are covered. Projects are designed to facilitate the application of theory and practice. Mastery of user ethnography, prototyping and web-centric interactive systems are expected
• High-level undergraduate course
• Project-based class
• Occasional masters student audit or enrollment with permission
• Over 21 sections taught with average class size of 45 students per section
• Distance Education mode taught (Summer 2005 and Summer 2006)
INFSCI 1052 USER CENTERED DESIGN (new: Spring 2007)
Part of the new curriculum. Replaces HCI. Introduces principles and programming of interactive systems. Interaction techniques are surveyed and incorporated in the design of interfaces. Prerequisites: (INFSCI 0015 or INFSCI 0017) and (INFSCI 1042 or INFSCI 1044)
• Teaching Fellow
• Curriculum designed and implemented to cover the main concepts and outcomes from HCI class with more of an emphasis on user profile, design and prototyping
• High-level undergraduate course
• Project-based class
• Occasional PhD student audit with permission
INFSCI 1044 HUMAN FACTORS IN SYSTEM DESIGN (Fall 2005)
Examines human-machine designs with special emphasis on human-computer interaction. Topics center on how to analyze, create, and improve equipment and environment to be compatible with human capabilities and expectations. (Prerequisites: INFSCI 0010/0011 and an introductory psychology course, or permission of instructor)
• Adjunct Professor, University of Pittsburgh Greensburg Campus
• Curriculum designed and implemented to cover the main concepts and outcomes from traditional human factors to exploratory research in human factors and emotion. Surveyed theoretical cognitive models from Wickens, Anderson and Ensley for situational awareness up to more exploratory research on emotion and Artificial Intelligence with respect to robot system architecture
• Project-based class
• Undergraduate course taught
INFSCI 0010 INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SCIENCE
Introduction to the concepts, principles, and skills of Information Science for students with no previous programming experience. Topics include: the need for information, the use of information, data collection, coding, storage and retrieval, information processing, information display, and the evaluation of information. Not open to students who have taken INFSCI 0011. (Prerequisites: MATH 0031 or MATH 0032 or equivalent)
• Teaching Fellow, Adjunct and Visiting Lecturer
• Curriculum designed and implemented to cover the field of Information Science Augmented text book with many real world examples and Internet resources
• Traditional undergraduate course with weekly readings, home-works, and exams
• Occasional masters student audit or enrollment with permission
• Taught with class size range from 10 to 100 students per section
INFSCI 1080 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN INFORMATION SCIENCE
Development of readings, research, practical implementation of a system, or other form of study as arranged between student and instructor. Prerequisites: at least five information science courses, 3.00 cumulative GPA, and consent of faculty advisor and faculty sponsor.
• Teaching Fellow, Adjunct and Visiting Lecturer
• Advised students on independent research, application development or product development
INFSCI 1080 INTERNSHIP IN INFORMATION SCIENCE
Supervised work in an information environment providing a frame of reference for understanding and an opportunity to apply the skills, methodologies, and theories presented in Information Science courses.
• Teaching Fellow, Adjunct and Visiting Lecturer
• Acted in the role of product manager and advisor when needed
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR Holyoke Community College Holyoke, MA. 1997:
Taught introductory course in computer concepts. Utilized newly emerging Internet tools and demonstrations as fundamental component of classroom lectures and discussions. Won planning and innovation grant; developed web framework for online, multimedia course materials used by all college educators in institution.
