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?

Marietta Damond:

I was always interested in teaching, even when I was in graduate school. I taught a bit back then, but focused primarily on research. My career also took me in a research direction as I began using my behavioral research skills to conduct program evaluation. When I was approached to teach at UMUC in 1996 via a phone-mail course, I jumped at it. I have been teaching for UMUC ever since. It fits my life perfectly as I now conduct research and program evaluation through my own home business part-time. I always leave time to teach at least one course per semester and the balance between research and teaching really works for me. I really enjoy teaching because I feel that my teaching experiences enhance my research life and my research experiences enhance my teaching

Interviewer:

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

Marietta Damond:

In my ten years of teaching at UMUC, I have taught using voice-mail and face-to-face. I have taught via WebTycho exclusively, though, for the last 7 years. Distance education teaching requires a unique approach, and I have come to enjoy it. The online format works for me because like many of my students I am busy with work and with my family throughout the week and find it convenient to check into the classroom from home. I also have come to learn many of the nuances of working in an online environment and have learned how to develop a classroom environment where students can easily and comfortably participate to their fullest.

Interviewer:

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

Marietta Damond:

I always find it satisfying when a class truly �gels� and is openly sharing ideas about the class material, helping one another to analyze and synthesize the content. When a class is really going well, the students themselves become co-instructors in a way. They are critically thinking about the course material and are challenging its content. They are writing thoughtfully about the topics and they are helping and encouraging their classmates to do the same in a supportive manner. When a class begins, there is no telling whether a class has the interest, time or skills to develop in this way. When it happens, I find it to be very rewarding.

Interviewer:

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

Marietta Damond:

There are always some semesters where it is difficult to connect with students. Sometimes, no matter what methods I use, a good percentage of students are largely absent from the classroom or participate at the absolute minimum required. This is frustrating because I feel that it pulls energy out of the group as a whole and negatively affects students who are active and enthusiastic. In these cases, I ask students for feedback about the class so that I might know what prevented them from interacting more frequently. Generally, students state that external factors are largely the reason for their absence, but it is difficult for me to know if this is the case.

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?

Marietta Damond:

I am a social psychologist and I have been working in this field for 21 years. I have been teaching in this field for 10 years. I became interested in social psychology and sociology because of how the theories and research studies associated with these areas are so easily applied to everyday life. This still interests and excites me, and I feel that I convey this excitement to my students. The application of this material to everyday life makes it fun and interesting � for me to teach and for them to study.

Interviewer:

What joys do you experience in teaching in this area?

Marietta Damond:

I love seeing/hearing my students have �aha� moments as they realize how a certain principle of sociology or social psychology explains an element of their life. Many things that we do mindlessly can be explained by some of these principles, and when they discover this they are amazed!

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.

Marietta Damond:

I am occasionally frustrated when I am not able to have a good discussion with my class about certain subjects. We discuss many interesting topics � some are quite controversial. Occasionally I feel that we are not able to really dissect these topics in the online environment. In a face-to-face class, a good, meaty discussion can occur with only 1/3 of the class participating and everyone benefits � even for those who are not actively involved in the discussion. Online, students who are low-participators may not read through every entry in the discussion area. If they do not, they will miss out on the discussion occurring between the other students. I alert students to these discussion threads, but I do not know if these other students feel involved in the discussion or even check in on it at all.

Interviewer:

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

Marietta Damond:

My teaching philosophy focuses primarily on providing a trusting environment for students to learn, with clear and frequent communication, and the flexibility to allow students to be creative and show their knowledge in their own way.

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?

Marietta Damond:

I really just attempt to validate every student's learning experience. Not everyone approaches classroom learning in the same way. Although my syllabus is consistent, and I apply class rules consistently, I do not necessarily approach each student the same way. Some students need extra encouragement, some students need a lot of freedom to explore ideas on their own, some students need reassurance that they can disagree with me while others need to show me that they do agree. I try to show every student that their perspective counts, while also encouraging them to explore why they have that perspective and why others might have developed different perspectives. Students tell me that by the end of our classes together they have thought about things in a new way and understand certain things differently than they ever thought they could. They also tell me that they felt comfortable sharing their opinions without knowing at all what my opinions were. I am moved by these comments.

Interviewer:

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

Marietta Damond:

I would tell students to have an open mind, to be curious about the opinions and research of others, and to keep an eye out for the unexpected.

Interviewer:

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

Marietta Damond:

I would give the same advice as that above!