Innovations

Class Activities

Because I come from a software engineering background, I process material a bit differently than other counselor educators. I come from a worldview that emphasizes hard science: facts, proven interventions and critical thinking. Therefore, classroom activities and discussions tend to center around critical thinking. To help stimulate productive discussion and critical thinking, I employ activities whenever possible. For example, for a review on material I might have my students play Jeopardy! or to help them master obscure statistical terms, a ball toss. For details on these activities, please visit my teaching blog.

Case Examples

As a practicing counselor, I am able to bring in real case examples of topics that we are studying. For example, if I am teaching a class on sexual dysfunctions I can give the students enough detail about a real case without breaking confidentiality, and then have a discussion on how they might treat that case. This brings the material alive in a way that textbook examples cannot. Because I see a variety of clients, including individuals and couples, for a variety of different issues, I can usually come up with a real-life case for the students.

Use of Technology

Another thing that sets me apart from other counselor educators is my comfort with new technology. In my previous career, part of my job was learning new computer technology. It was one of the most rewarding and challenging things I’ve ever done, and my interest in technology has not waned. I am constantly learning new things. I am familiar with all of the common social media platforms, and I have two certificates from the eTg (E-teaching and Technology) group here at USF. More specifically, I have conducted an entire class using Twitter, and created online lectures using Panopto, ProfCast and Camtasia. I have also utilized Podcasting to enhance and further expand upon topics covered in class.