Teaching

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I am a geological engineer, educator, first-generation university attendee, lifelong learner, and grassroot product of UBC’s geological engineering program. The projects, experiences, and people I have met throughout my career stem back to the foundational knowledge, tools, and opportunities cultivated through my own personal education at UBC. I am currently in a position where I can play a role in cultivating those skills and mindset to the next generation of UBC geological engineers.

My goal is to provide support and resources for students to meet their ambition and guide them to their personal and professional goals. 

My industry experience as a geological engineer span from underground and trenchless engineering, dams and large earth structures, arctic engineering, and construction engineering and management. I’ve worked both as a consulting engineer and project owner, and experienced in both the public and private sector in the water and wastewater, transportation, municipal, mining, and energy industry.

Teaching Philosophy and Approach - Why Do I Teach the Way I do?

I teach the way I do from lived experienced. I’ve always saw education as a ticket to a better life and more opportunities. 

As a first-generation university attendee, I had to learn “how to learn” in the university environment from scratch. Teaching is the process of guiding students through an experience where they can actively reflect and experiment between abstract information and concrete experiences. It’s our role as teachers to guide students through this process versus being just a source of knowledge. I am direct and transparent on my teaching methods where students can reflect how they are currently learning something, in addition to learning technical content. 

I strive to create a classroom climate and community where individuals from different backgrounds feel included, heard, and have a sense of belonging.

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I aim to create an environment where learning is fun, curiosity is kindled, and learning isn’t simply measured with grades. I put an effort in my courses to be learner focused versus instructor focused. This is accomplished by intentional course structure and by implementing active learning, student-focused, lessons.

While making the journey and process of learning fun, I recognize the responsibility we have on developing top quality individuals and engineers. I strive to expose students to industry components and interpersonal skills to be successful as a Professional Engineer. I draw in from my own personal professional experience, from industry partners, and from indicators from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board.

Facilitating Student Learning Through Motivation

“In the context of learning, motivation influences the direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of the learning behaviors in which students engage”¹

Lack of student motivation is related to three factors²:

  1. No voice in the classroom

  2. No connections with people

  3. No confidence in their academic abilities

Simply put, my teaching approach and goals builds motivation for student learning by creating:

  1. A safe space for student voices to be heard in the classroom

  2. Connections with people, including peer students, teaching assistants, instructors, faculty members, and industry professionals.

  3. Opportunities to built confidence in their academic abilities and professional identity.

Creating an Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Learning Environment

As a person of colour, I acknowledge the impact I can make on inclusion and representation simply by standing in front of the room. While my ethnicity has rarely felt like an advantage in a professional capacity, as a professor in the current climate, I recognize that it provides an opportunity to foster an inclusive environment. I do not take that for granted and put purposeful effort, intentional strategies, and thoughtful course design into creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive learning experience.

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Current Courses:

EOSC 445: Geological Engineering Capstone Design Project

EOSC 240: Site Investigation

Past Courses:

EOSC 330: Principles of Geomorphology

 

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¹Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons.

²Holmes, C. (2018, November 27). I traveled across 14 states and every student told me the same story about why they’re not motivated in the classroom. edPost. https://www.edpost.com/stories/i-traveled-across-14-states-and-every-student-told-me-the-same-story-about-why-theyre-not-motivated-in-the-classroom

 

Photo Credit: Junyi Sun, 2022. Photos taken during EOSC 445: Geological Engineering Capstone Design Project.

Student seated in Photo 1 is Caleigh MacDonald. Students seated in Photo 2 from left to right in the bottom row: Kyla Boersma, Evelyn Dina, Yulia Hung. Left to right in the top row: Kaden Sadownyk, Owen Perfect, Mark Gharghouri, and Jade Graham