TEACHING STATEMENT
I have been teaching for about a decade and my teaching philosophy has
evolved over the years as I experienced different academic settings,
different pools of students and different cultural and geographic
contexts. Despite all the differences, what struck me the most is how
the environment shapes and must shape our teaching delivery. Theories
support it; educational design (courses, curriculums and programs)
starts by diagnosing the audience and the needs of the audience then
designing appropriate courses and curriculum; my experience confirms
it.
So what works best? I believe it is to adapt teaching styles to
different learners and to different learning contexts. This adaptation
addresses the external environment (country, culture, academic
institution) as well as the group targeted (student mix, class size,
students’ maturity, etc.). Of course the challenge is to achieve
such an adaptation without compromising on teaching standards.
Beyond the general view on teaching: I also believe that teaching
Information Systems topics requires nurturing specific skills in our
students and offering them a learning environment that prepares them
for careers in this field. Let me be more explicit: Information Systems
is about using the power of Computers and Information technology as
instruments to generate process and distribute information so that
businesses or organizations achieve their objectives in an effective,
efficient way. The discipline also focuses on the processes that an
organization can implement or improve using information technology.
This definition intrinsically implies that my teaching must remain up
to date with Information Technology innovations and be close to
businesses and organizations' needs and evolution. To do so, I make
sure my courses include a component that addresses
innovative uses of technology, as well as an exposure to businesses or
business applications. The definition also implies exposing students to
practicing efficient communication, team working and lifelong learning.
Finally, teaching is not just about what takes place in the classroom
or around a course. My perception of teaching has evolved over the
years from concentrating on the topic taught to discovering, then
participating in shaping students’ learning and future
orientation, in contributing to a wider view of teaching; one that
studies curriculums, shapes programs and participates in university
development.