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.

Christine Wilson

When we moved to Germany in 1998, I discovered that UMUC had a European Division that served the overseas military.  It was the perfect opportunity to continue teaching biology and to provide a needed service at the same time.

When not teaching for UMUC, and while in Europe, I pursued a PhD in natural sciences at Johannes Gutenburg University in Mainz. When we returned to the USA for an interim year, I worked at West Virginia State University. After we transferred to Asia, I resumed teaching for UMUC and completed my PhD. While working part-time for UMUC, I also taught for Raffles University in Singapore and wrote a small book about flowers in Singapore. While working full time for UMUC in Japan, I spent considerable time photographing native flowers and introduced non-native wildflowers in the countryside. I am still working on the images to complete a second book of wildflowers.

The opportunity to travel has afforded many experiences that I would never have had if I had not worked for UMUC. It is difficult to describe just one since cumulatively they have all affected my outlook on life. Relative to teaching, I have found that the many photographs that I have been able to take of Asian wildlife, flowers, pollution, local produce, people, places and events have had the most impact. For each class I have created PowerPoint slides using those images to add local drama and interest to lecture facts. Probably the most significant was the lecture created from a visit to a nuclear waste recycling facility in northern Japan with Environmental Science students.  

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

Teaching is really a function of constant learning (on my part!). My basic philosophy is that the information should be presented in an organized and energetic manner. It should be fun to attend a late evening class after a long day of work. Fun is relative, of course. My idea of fun involves presenting pertinent information that really affects life and survival.  If a student can understand why a piece of information is important to them, they are more likely to listen, learn and ask questions. Basically I feel that if the students start asking questions, then I have achieved part of my goal. If a student is interested in the subject matter, then they are more likely to spend the time needed to memorize facts and to apply what they have learned…and remember it.

In the classroom, I have observed my own instructors and selected features of their presentations that I liked and disliked.  Mostly, I have learned what not to do. It is important not to talk in a monotone, not to talk to the board, not to talk, talk, talk... Instead I deliberately vary my tone and stop talking to let the students think or write. I walk around the room, look people in the eye, talk to students at the back of the room, ask rhetorical questions, and wait for the rhetorical answers. The simplest thing that I learned (in an elocution class) was to raise my chin when speaking. Interestingly, lifting your chin projects your voice clearly, without having to increase volume, to all those individuals trying to be invisible at the back of the classroom.  Having a cup of coffee before class starts is also very helpful!

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

I am not sure if it special or unique, but I start each class with a 5 minute rapid fire review of what we did during the previous class. Then I tell them what we will discuss during the present class, and then I begin the presentation of new material. This allows me to start each class on time and still accommodate those students who inevitably arrive a minute or two late.  

During class, I tell short stories about real events (local, current, or past time) to break up lists of facts and to give meat and sustenance to a bare-bone fact. I always try to let the students know how the information will affect their lives, health, or happiness. I have found that if I list facts alone, they are quickly forgotten. However, if I tell anecdotes to them, then the facts and the anecdotes are remembered!

At the end of each class there is always a parting shot asking them to do something simple before the next class, such as drink a glass of orange juice with breakfast so that they have the vitamin C needed for ATP production.

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

I think that students like the fact that I talk “to” them and encourage them to respond. Eye contact is essential. A smile is quite helpful as well. Most of all, the students actually like taking notes, so I am careful to write the key words and cartoon diagrams on the board and wait for them to record them. We discuss the concepts while everyone finishes the diagrams. When all the writing is done, then the concepts are reviewed point by point. Just in case a point is missed, I provide study guides with each class. The study guide is usually one page with the key words and matching questions for them to complete. This ensures that the spelling is correct, and the key concepts are easily seen.

Recently I have incorporated PowerPoint presentations into each lecture with lots of images. These are provided in the online classroom that is available now for all face-to-face classes. They are great for review. In online classrooms, I have begun to provide detailed class notes, similar to a “lecture” with many short “activities” interspersed to keep the students actively reading and absorbing. 

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.

Christine Wilson

I teach both, but I definitely prefer face-to-face classes. In a face-to-face class you can immediately see if the students understand a concept.  The pace or direction of the lecture can be adjusted to suit the particular complement of students so that they get the most out of the time spent.

It is very difficult to develop a rapport with students online, but it can be done with careful wording and regular responses. I tend to say “Good work” a lot when responding online, just so the students know I read their work, and it was fine.   

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?

Christine Wilson

I became interested in teaching biology because every summer of my young life we spent in the woods. After the last day of school in June, my family would drive to northern Canada and set up a campsite where we would live until a few days before class would start in September. It is hard not to love nature if you live in it every day. We had to haul water, cook over a fire, use an outhouse, and on rainy days shiver in a tent, but on the other days we could run through the woods, swim, fish and enjoy the sunshine. Even to this day I am most content, not watching TV, but watching birds, squirrels, chipmunks, flowing water, and swaying trees. 

Besides independent forest and floral research and photography, as a teacher I have the luxury of assigning research reports to students. It is through their diligent writing that I continue to learn about a wide range of topics. Beyond that, to stay current, I read scientific journals and stay in communication with colleagues.

I really love trying new experimental techniques, especially in microbiology. I also love to play with gadgets such as Geiger counters and light meters when I teach environmental science. 

Interviewer:

What is the most challenging to you in teaching in this area? What teaching strategy do you use when you encounter the challenge? Are there any special challenges in teaching this subject matter online?  If yes, please explain what could be done to meet the challenges.

Christine Wilson

Teaching in a biology lab is great fun. Probably the greatest challenge in a lab class is organizing the lab with a limited number of supplies. In some locations, an actual lab room, with microscopes and equipment, is available, but one never knows what will be there or if ordered supplies will come in on time. To solve this problem, I have a suitcase with essential equipment in it that I take where ever I go. As far as teaching is concerned, I have learned to set up the lab in “fifteen-minute” stations. So if I have only a few items, the students can still have the maximum lab experience at each station. The only thing that I have to be careful of is to be sure that the work can be completed at each station in the time allotted so the lab class “flows."

The most challenging problem I face is trying to get first-time online students really involved in what they are supposed to be learning. Time management, rather than the subject matter, seems to be the biggest problem. It is nearly impossible to determine if students have really put in the time and effort needed to complete the lab or lecture work or if they have done just the minimum and were lucky with their responses. I have tried to use the online conferences to promote involvement with interesting activities and daily personal responses to postings. Even then I still have students who rush to finish their work an hour before the deadline. Those students do not get the benefit of personal interaction that may help them understand and remember the concepts more clearly. To deal with the procrastinators, I have resorted to offering “bonus points” if they post conference responses during the week instead of on weekends. That has had some limited success. During the week students are allowed to correct their posted responses, as needed, to earn the maximum points possible.This has helped greatly to spread the work load out for them and has resulted in greater successful completion of the online work.   

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

Biology courses are a prerequisite for graduation in many fields. Every individual needs a basic understanding of how their body works and how to survive in the world around them no matter where they work or what they do. 

To enter the medical field, some basic biology and anatomy and physiology courses are required. One thing to keep in mind is that anatomy and physiology comes in two parts and both parts must be completed at the same institution for the credits to transfer.

If you are interested in majoring in Biology, I would recommend taking all the courses possible that are offered at your institution of choice. The broader your background is, the better your chances will be of succeeding. To actually work in any one of the many biological fields, the basic requirement is a four year bachelor’s degree in Science. To be able to teach in the field, most colleges minimally require a master’s degree, but of course prefer a PhD.

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

UMUC has the advantage of having offices on or near military facilities all around the world. A student can walk in and speak directly with a representative or can chose to access information, register, and order their books via the convenient online Web site. 

Face-to-face classes, taught by traveling experts in their fields, are offered evenings and on weekends to fit working schedules. Over the years that I have taught for UMUC, medical specialty courses have been offered to complement the needs and requests of the students. If an instructor is present, all they had to do was ask to teach it and have a minimum number of participants.

Online classes are set up with the needs of the military student in mind as well. The essential courses are always available, no matter what semester it is! Flexibility is the key. Students can start classes any semester they wish and can take a break for a temporary duty assignment (TDY) and then resume classes with ease.  

To top that off, the UMUC credits earned are recognized by nearly every college and university in the United States, as well as in many other areas of the world! You can even start your degree while in the military and finish it later, if you wish!

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

I think that the most attractive component of working for UMUC as a faculty member is the fact that you can travel and live in some very exotic places. Besides teaching highly motivated and disciplined military students, which is a joy in of itself, you can spend free time exploring and absorbing new cultures.  

Interviewer:

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

Christine Wilson

UMUC has a mentor program in place, so you do not have to start at ground zero. In the field of biology, a new instructor has the advantage of the support of previous instructors. I have found those individuals to be most generous in sharing of their notes, past exams, PowerPoint slides, supplies, and teaching tips. Do not be afraid to ask!

The other recommendation that I would have for a new biology instructor would be to build a set of personal lab supplies that they can count on as they move from location to location while overseas. If you anticipate needing certain items, UMUC is very good at ordering whatever is needed. Getting set up in a new location can be a challenge, but in every case, I found that the local field representatives and area administrators were wonderful in smoothing the way.