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.