Faculty Excellence at UMUC

Interviewer:

Please tell us about yourself—what made you decide to teach at UMUC? What kind of work do you do when you are not teaching at UMUC? Are there any life experiences that have influenced your teaching at UMUC? If so, please share one story.

BJ Gleason:

When I was at American University, my officemate, Rick Gibson, was a former UMUC overseas teacher. I really enjoyed the stories he told, and when my contract was up, I decided to try it.

When I am not teaching at UMUC I work with Computer Networking, Security, and Forensics.

One of the best learning experiences came from a group of students who worked in the US Embassy during the first year or two of my teaching with UMUC – I encouraged students to take on real-life projects – not the make-believe stuff at the end of the chapters. Their project was to digitize all the Korean applicants who were rejected for US Visas. Two days after their project was selected they indicated they had solved the project and were ready to implement it. But when asked, they couldn't answer simple questions such as, "How many applicants get rejected per week?" or "How many pages are in each file?"

They indicated it was just two filing cabinets and it would be real easy. Tasked with getting more detailed information they came in on Monday and wanted to change projects. When asked, they informed the class that it wasn't just 2 filing cabinets – their customer took them into the back room where there were 38 more filing cabinets with cardboard piled up on top of all of them.

According to their calculations, the scanning along would take over 5 years and would fill up over 600 hard drives! So they wanted to change their project. I refused, but worked with them in breaking down the problem and looking for alternatives. A few weeks later they came back for their final presentation, and they had found a solution – the scanning could be done within 3 months, a high density, expandable storage unit was found, and a procedural methodology was worked out. There was now only one hitch – the cost. The total cost of the solution was about $250,000. I asked them, "What did your customer say when you showed him the solution?" They indicated the customer said, "Who do I make the check out to?"

Interviewer:

How would you describe your teaching style or philosophy? What experiences or person(s) have influenced your style or philosophy?

BJ Gleason:

I believe in making a change in the student – introducing them to the inner workings of the computer and how it has an impact on every facet of their lives. I try to show them that while computers may be hard, they can also be a lot of fun.

In high school, Mr. John O'Hara, my science teacher, showed me how much fun education could be. He loved teaching, and it rubbed off on me. Then in college Dr. Anita LaSalle saw something in me and really encouraged me.

Interviewer:

Please explain if you do something special or unique in your teaching and what made you develop this.

BJ Gleason:

I try to keep up to date with the field – and it is not easy – technology changes so rapidly. I also make sure that the students understand the need for industry certifications – now a requirement for computer people in the military. I also emphasize the importance of a college education – both are now required in stay in the field. Even though I received my first computer degree in 1983, while the technology has changed, many of the underlying principles are still the same.

Interviewer:

What do you think it is about your teaching style that appeals to students?

BJ Gleason:

I'm enthusiastic, and I really put myself out for them. Instead of just reading or writing papers, I'll drag in almost 100 lbs of equipment: routers, switches, cables, PCs, servers, etc, and we will set them up, experiment with them, and I will challenge the students to learn. One woman, a senior, had to take me for her final class. She had managed to avoid me for all her other classes. She had taken classes online or with other instructors. She had avoided me because she heard I was hard. After the class, she told me she had felt cheated. She had learned so much in my class. Even after she graduated, she continued to enroll in my classes.

Interviewer:

Do you teach face-to-face, online, or both? Do you have a preference between teaching face-to-face and online? If so, please explain.

BJ Gleason:

I only teach face-to-face. I did a lot of work with online programs in the early 1980's, and while the technology has improved, I found I didn't get the same sense of accomplishment when the students were on the other end of a computer screen. The hands-on work I do in my classes would be difficult to replicate online. It is also so much fun watching the students as they actually learn from doing.

Interviewer:

Please tell us about your chosen discipline-i.e., what made you interested in the area initially? What do you do to stay current in your discipline? What do you like best about teaching in your discipline?

BJ Gleason:

I always loved science and electronics and didn't even know that you could study computers in college. Then I went to the New Jersey Institute of Technology originally as an Electrical Engineering major, and at the book store I saw the books that the computer classes were using, I made the switch – and Dr. LaSalle became my mentor.

To stay current I rely on certifications – studying and getting a certification to prove your knowledge – and then I pass that on to my students. Certifications are how I have been able to keep my 25 year old college degree up-to-date.

I like the gadgets in my discipline, the cool toys and neat new things. I like taking them apart, figuring out what makes them tick, and then making them do things their designers never thought they could do.

Interviewer:

What is the most challenging to you in teaching in this area? What teaching strategy do you use when you encounter the challenge?

BJ Gleason:

The most challenging part is keeping current in the field. I stress that to my students. In fact, I allow my students to take an industry recognized certification in place of one of their class exams. I've had over 100 students earn Network+, A+, Security+, CCNA, and several other certifications while they have attended my classes.

Interviewer:

Are there any special challenges in teaching this subject matter online? If yes, please explain what could be done to meet the challenges.

BJ Gleason:

For those who teach this discipline online the challenge is making sure the students get the hands-on experience they need. Even though I teach the upper level computer course, some of my students – computer and information science majors – don't have laptops! I feel that is like an English major without a pen and paper!

Interviewer:

What suggestion would you give to students who are interested in majoring or working in your discipline?

BJ Gleason:

The degree and certifications are just the starting points – they will get you the interview. However, your skills and love of the field will get you the jobs.

Interviewer:

In your opinion, what makes UMUC the college of choice for students?

BJ Gleason:

UMUC is the college of choice for students because of the diversity and the fact that we are in the field with them and can give them what only online schools don't - choices.

Interviewer:

In your opinion, what makes UMUC the employer of choice for future faculty members?

BJ Gleason:

I've been very pleased with the administration, and I like the fact that virtually all of them had "worked the field" in one capacity or another and understand the needs of the teachers and students.

Interviewer:

What suggestion would you give to new faculty who are interested in teaching in your discipline at UMUC?

BJ Gleason:

Be enthusiastic about the subject matter and pass that on to the students.