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? What life experiences have influenced your teaching at UMUC?

George Harding:

I have taught ADMN640, Information Systems for Managers, in the Graduate School since 1998. I also teach TMAN621, Systems Analysis and Operations Research. I have been involved with Manufacturing Engineering, Information Technology and Project Management for 35 years, working for DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals, DuPont, General Electric and Baumritter Corporation. In addition to my industrial career, I have taught various math and computer courses as an Adjunct Professor at a number of colleges in the Delaware area. I earned my Doctorate in Education from Wilmington College, my MBA from the University of Delaware, and my BS in Management from New England College. Before getting my college degrees, I graduated from the General Electric Apprentice Program as a Journeyman Toolmaker. I also have 9 years of military experience with the Army and the Air Force.

The technical challenge of teaching online instead of f2f and the fact that UMUC is a pioneer in online education was the main inducement for my becoming a UMUC faculty member. In addition, I took UMUC courses in Korea while serving there with the U.S. Army.

I am retired from industry (DuPont and DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals), but I continue to teach as an adjunct.

Education has enriched my life and this is my way to give back to future generation some of the benefits I have received.

I have always been on the leading/bleeding edge of technology in both my industrial and educational careers. I was an early adopter of computers and web technology in my classroom, so the opportunity to teach online is a natural progression.
My industrial experience in information technology and project management enables me to bring a wealth of knowledge, experience into my classrooms.

Interviewer:

Please tell us if you teach face-to-face, online, or both and explain what made you choose that format of teaching.

George Harding:

I teach online at UMUC and face-to-face at various colleges in Delaware. Although I enjoy face-to-face teaching, I prefer teaching online because it allows for more in-depth analysis of the topics being taught.

I have always liked mathematics and the logic of problem solving. I encourage my students to think critically and not to take things at face value. As I tell my students, the mathematical and logical solution is only the first step in selling the concept/solution to management.

Interviewer:

What do you find most satisfying about teaching in your chosen format(s)?

George Harding:

I find that discussions in an online class are "broader and deeper" than those conducted in a face-to-face classroom where students respond with a "top of the head" answer to questions and the classroom time limits do not allow time for in depth discussion. Online Discussions allow students to do independent research on the topics instead of simply expressing their initial opinions. This results in on-line classes being more work than face-to-face classes for both the students and the instructors. Every student has to participate (no "hiding in the back of the classroom"). In my experience, students learn more as a result of the experience.

I love the challenge of answering questions asked by my students. They inspire me to continue learning. In the computer and Operations Management field no one knows it all, so I'm often challenged by the questions asked. Researching the answers to such questions keeps me on a constant quest for new knowledge/approaches.

Interviewer:

What do you find challenging about teaching in your chosen format(s)?

George Harding:

I view online courses as being at the frontier of educational innovation where we are pioneering ways to take advantage of the possibilities of online delivery. This intellectual journey is particularly challenging in math and computer courses where students need a great deal of "hand-holding". Both of the courses I teach at UMUC, ADMN640, Information Systems for Managers, which is a Project Management and Database course and TMAN621, Systems Analysis and Operations Research, are very technical which requires keeping up to date in the ever changing technology.

Interviewer:

Please tell us about your chosen discipline�how long have you worked in or taught it? What made you interested in the area? What keeps you interested in the area?

George Harding:

Operations Management was always a large part of my industrial career. I started teaching it in the early 1970s. As spreadsheet software such as Lotus and Excel provided functionality for supporting Operations Management Mathematics, I incorporated this technology into my classrooms. Systems Analysis and Project Management have always been part of my Operations Management curriculum.

Database development and management were an integral part of my industrial career. I started teaching database management and development in 1998.

I started my industrial career as an Industrial Engineer when computer and Operations Management were getting their start in industry. I was fascinated by the prospect of using computers and Operations Management to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the systems with which I became involved.

Although great progress has been made in computers, databases and Operations Management, these areas continue to improve and innovate. I enjoy helping to pioneer and improve these areas.

Interviewer:

What joys do you experience in teaching in this area?

George Harding:

The technology keeps changing/improving and I enjoy seeing and participating in this progress.

Interviewer:

What challenges do you experience in teaching in this area? Please describe any special challenges you face if you teach online in comparison to teaching in a face-to-face classroom.

George Harding:

Some of the online challenges of the online classroom that I work very diligently to overcome are:

Interviewer:

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

George Harding:

Simply stated, my teaching philosophy is:

Students rise to the expectations of their instructor/facilitator and my expectations/standards are very high (the most you can expect is the least you demand). I strongly believe that candidates for a Masters Degree should be able to:

These requirements, which I like to call the 4 As of a Masters Program, are the same as on-the-job requirements for problem solving (practice for the real world).

My teaching style is to provide a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and supports the student's commitment to learn. I am committed to providing the highest quality education which will enable my student to succeed in the work-a-day world.

My industrial experience and the need for education and training of the work force have greatly influenced my style/philosophy of teaching.

Interviewer:

Please explain if you do something special or unique in your approach and how you developed that approach. What do you think it is about your approach that appeals to students?

George Harding:

Because math is difficult for many students to learn, the challenge is to make it as easy as possible for the student to assimilate the information needed. Toward this end, I have developed a Problem Solving Format that "walks" the students through the process and guides them to the answer. This format evolved from my industrial experience, where when we have a difficult process that needs to be performed, we develop a procedure and a checklist. As the operator completes each step in the process, he records the results until the procedure is completed. Using this approach in the problem solving process used in my classes, my students find that if they follow the prescribed Problem Solving Format along with the supplemental instructions for the particular topic being learned, the answer "drops out the bottom" when the Problem Solving Format is completed.

In addition, I use examples from my industrial experience to link the topic being taught to the students' work-a-day-world. I find that students relate better to material if they can associate it with something with which they are involved.

Interviewer:

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

George Harding:

Students interested in majoring/working in Operations Research, which encompasses Systems Analysis and Project Management, need to be well versed in computer literacy, mathematics and statistics.

Interviewer:

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

George Harding:

New faculty who are interested in teaching Operations Management need to be well versed in computer literacy, mathematics and statistics and need to keep abreast of the changes that are occurring in this arena. They also need to realize that teaching online requires more time and effort than face-to-face classes.