My teaching philosophy is guided by the three central tenets of scientific thinking: question everything (including authority), have a healthy dose of open skepticism (tempered by a willingness to accept evidence), and practice intellectual honesty above all else.  In order to develop the ability to think scientifically in all aspects of life, students need to have the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities that not only encourage active learning of psychological principles, but also application of reflective thought to the material being learned.

Before each lecture in my psychology courses, students are instructed to read the assigned chapter and answer a short set of questions to ensure they have a basic understanding of the material.  I then use the lecture time to help students develop a sense for how psychological phenomena are isolated for evaluation in research contexts using real research examples and applied activities.  Special attention is given toward creating a connection between what we encounter throughout our lifetime and how those experiences can generate research hypotheses, as well as the inverse of how research can inform action in daily life.  I believe that these connections are paramount for developing the ability to think critically about the relationship between scientific research and individual experience.

To add depth to the connections made between research and personal experience, I use small group (3-5 students per group) activities to discuss pre-planned questions that connect current events (e.g., new technology, advances in medicine, politics) to the material covered in the textbook and lecture.  The use of small groups creates space for an in-depth discussion among peers who bring their own insightful life experiences and unique social backgrounds to the conversation.  These types of activities also allow for peer-education, open questioning, and discussion in a setting that permits thoughtful conversation and debate that is not typically possible in large lectures or online courses.  Often, I find that these small group activities encourage students to consider opposing views to which they may otherwise remain unexposed.  This is especially important when we discuss polarizing topics (e.g., sexism, obedience to authority).  Skepticism of what is presented in the textbook and lecture can often be changed in the face of evidence presented via first-hand experience of peers.

Seeing students open their mind to the possibility that another’s experience in life may be fundamentally different from their own is a greatly rewarding aspect of teaching.  More than anything, I strive to encourage students to actively reflect on their own beliefs and experiences, considering how those beliefs and experiences may be similar to or different from their peers as well as to the findings in psychological research.  Intellectual honesty requires reflecting on parts of the self that one may not be actively aware of, nor like, often making this the hardest tenet to develop.  To provide a space for students to complete these self-evaluations honestly, without the fear of peer rejection, I evaluate this aspect of learning through individual activities such as research reports or critical film reviews.  These reports are graded anonymously (using student ID instead of names) so students feel comfortable sharing this highly personal aspect of growth and education.

My personal approach to teaching encourages application of scientific thinking across a wide variety of situations throughout not only higher education, but also throughout students’ everyday lives.  Science may colloquially be considered a body of knowledge, but the ability to think scientifically can and should transcend the walls of the lecture hall in which it was developed.