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.

Laura Witz:

As I approached 40, I realized I wanted to make a dramatic change in my life-style. I was tired of eating at my computer and sleeping in my office, watching the world go by my window. My spouse and I developed a 12-month plan for de-cluttering our lives and moving from Arlington, VA to rural Georgia by 2004. When colleagues at the University of Maryland told me about UMUC, I met with Theresa Marron-Grodsky, who told me about on-line teaching. The opportunity to teach for UMUC fit right into our relocation plan, so I jumped at the chance. I've never regretted it.

When I'm not teaching, I'm a plumber and electrician, farmer and mommy. My specialty these days seems to be bathrooms. Nearly every home my husband and I buy for our property management business seems to need new bathrooms. We have been our own laborers, office staff, masons, landscapers, etc. We're like a never-ending version of that show on cable, "Flip That House."

A few years ago, I nearly lost my health due to overwork. Because of this, I encourage my students to set limits and prioritize, rather than trying to do everything at once. I set up my classrooms so that students who are pressed for time and energy can simply concentrate on submitting the substance of assignments. They don't have to wonder what the finished product should look like, or how many pages it ought to be. Of course, students who desire can try something different and creative. I'm always open to that. But for those who want to "get it done," I try to provide a template that can simply be personalized to fit their needs.

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

I have learned that we can't learn everything in one class or in one semester. I make space for students to do extra, learn extra, pursue an interesting tangent, or make an assignment fit their own work situation. But I don't expect or require such extras.

Rather, I keep the course objectives in sight at all times, and update students as to our progress toward those objectives. I try to be a model of single-mindedness. The idea is to focus on a particular goal and not lose sight of how our current activities are leading us toward that goal.

In my experience, the American ideal of "having it all" turned out to be untrue. Worse, it turned out to be dangerous to my health and spiritual well-being. During the first half of my work life, I believed the ideal and I tried to achieve it. I was certainly not alone. All my friends were doing the same thing. In the United States, it seems we do things to excess. This is certainly true of work. On average, we put in more overtime than any European country. The International Labor Organization (ILO) found that “American workers put in an average of 1,825 hours per year, far more than workers in most European nations.” What do we have to show for it but ill health, overwhelming debt, and misbehaving children?

Since I was like everyone else, I didn't see anything wrong with my behavior. All I knew was that my relationships had dwindled and I no longer had hobbies or leisure time. Then I spent a summer in Syria. Watching life there helped me see our U.S. behavior from a different perspective. I recognized that overwork isn't necessary. Nor is it healthy.

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

One of the most successful experiments I've run in the on-line classroom is "just-in-time" learning. This isn't my label, but a colleague's. She liked the effect this seemed to have on my students, and she began using it in her classroom as well. The technique is simple, but powerful. I make it a point to bring class attention to particularly strong examples of some concept we are presently working with. For instance, in "Research Methods for Managers," if someone posts a good example of using the t-test in a business situation, I post a response that says, "EVERYONE LOOK! Strong example of t-test." In that post, I tell the student what s/he has done particularly well and I ask for permission to bring their work to the attention of other students in class who may be struggling. If possible, I will group together several strong examples, commenting on the strengths of each, so as to demonstrate all of the essential characteristics of the concept or procedure we're discussing. This acts as a model for other students to follow. I find that, given this type of "how to," I get more postings, and more frequent interaction among students. I assume this is because students feel more confident when they can model their own work on a successful attempt.

The positive effects of this "just in time" technique are multiple and inter-related. Students gain confidence, interaction increases in the conference topics, as a result, students like the classroom more, and more peer-instruction takes place. Especially where technical and mathematical issues are concerned (as in MGMT 650), a well-articulated explanation from peers is more cognitively accessible to novice researchers than the most eloquent lecture notes I could write. I back this claim with anecdotal information-students thank each other in the conference topics, for explaining something in a way that "makes sense" to them, finally!

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

I remember what it was like to be a graduate student. I didn't sleep at night, for fear I'd be ousted from the program for failing to meet expectations. I now know my anxiety was the natural result of not knowing the expectations. So I try my best to tell students exactly what's expected and help them avoid anxiety wherever possible.

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.

Laura Witz:

I currently teach online. It was quite a challenge for me, after years of teaching face-to-face. I didn't like it at first. I missed real-time interaction. Now I have developed ways to “interact” with students that seem almost like a face-to-face classroom. The nice thing is, our classroom is “open” 24/7.

I think I'd rather teach online. In this format, I can put all my energies into helping students. I don't have other factors draining my energy: No commute, no pantyhose, and no briefcase to carry. Instead, I can focus my energy on classroom materials and discussion.

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?

Laura Witz:

My personality craves structure. Social science is a very structured discipline with accepted procedures. As well, the doctoral program I attended was more structured than others. So I went in the direction that best fit the way I naturally work.

I stay current vicariously. In every course I teach, we delve into social scientific research. Students go into the data bases and find research articles on topics of their choosing. They review the purpose, research method, and conclusions of those articles. Since students' interests are so varied, I get a pretty good idea, from grading their work, of the latest trends and hot topics in business, education, intercultural communication, and conflict management.

Communication is related to everything in the human world. I can relate to any topic students bring to the classroom.

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

Whatever discipline you choose, try to find something that fits your personality. Social scientists are obsessed with objectivity, evidence, logic, and precision. If you'd rather be creative and novel, or if you prefer people to books and numbers, you might be happier in a different arena.

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

UMUC has the best reputation of any online degree program. Clearly, that's what it takes to attract students.

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

UMUC offers what everyone is after these days - flexibility. When you teach on line, you make your own hours. The commitment is no less great than teaching face-to-face. But you decide when to commit hours for discussion, grading, writing, etc. You're not restricted to daylight hours when everyone can meet on campus. If you want to teach on a Saturday, you don't have to get someone to unlock a building for you.

Interviewer:

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

Laura Witz:

Don't be intimidated by the idea of teaching online. It gives you the chance to develop some really strong written materials. If you really enjoy teaching, the online arena will be a pedagogical challenge. For instance, you may have thought your materials were "clear." The online format, because it does not allow students to see your expression or listen to your vocal inflection, reveals immediately where you need to be clearer. You will, of necessity, learn new teaching skills.