People are often interested in taking a communication course because they hear that “communication is the answer” or we just need “better communication” to solve our problems. While the sentiment of these statements is valid, I strive to teach students that no one is automatically good at communicating, nor is it an easy task. My primary goal is for each student to understand the intricacies of communication at a practical level, so that they can analyze their own patterns and those of other people. A university education should prepare students to think critically, be self-reflexive, and apply what they learn to the world around them. If they are able to do this, then I believe it will influence their lives in positive ways for many years to come.

My personal experience as an undergraduate was instrumental in forming my perspective on education. I was the typical overachiever growing up--book smart, but not street smart. Attending a university in Chicago pushed me to learn in new ways. One of those moments was when I first learned about ethnography during an African American Communication course. Our project for the semester was to immerse ourselves in a scene that was majority African American, so I chose to attend historically black churches. In class we read articles about African American culture, history, and communication. Reading about these pieces was one method of learning, but my experiences in black churches that semester taught me that there are multiple paths to knowledge.

That project challenged me to apply what I learned outside of the classroom and to explore things beyond the reading material. It was terrifying. For the first time, the learning process was filled with uncertainty. However, my fear led me to learn in new ways. I became familiar with the truth that knowledge can come from both books and experience. I learned about ways of being, types of talk, and values different from my own. I learned about myself and my fear of the unknown. Through the process of showing up in awkward situations and feeling completely unprepared, I learned that I was capable of learning in new ways. That course was the beginning of my passion for ethnography and it inspired me to pursue increasingly challenging or unknown situations, such as studying abroad in India and attending my first academic conference in Norway. Based on those opportunities, I believe that experiential knowledge should be a key part of education.

The learning outcomes for my classes are designed to encourage multiple forms of educational growth by meeting two criteria: (1) students will learn essential concepts or theories and (2) students will apply those ideas to a real-life example or practice activity. I try to do this by minimizing time lecturing and using creative activities related to real-world scenarios. For example, in my course titled Discourse, Culture, and Identity, I encourage practical application of the material by having students collect data from daily interactions, public discourse, or formal interviews. I ask them to use that data to analyze a relevant social issue or cause and the communication that characterizes certain positions. This assignment helps students to learn about the research process and how to connect it to broader social life. In my Group Interaction course, students participated in a five-week Wildfire Management Simulation where they had to balance the priorities for their assigned professional role with the group’s overall needs. This helped them consider how topics like conflict, group-think, and decision-making require nuanced communication. Based on positive student responses, I worked with a faculty member to streamline the simulation and it is now offered as an online program through Harvard Business Publishing.

Undergraduates are at a unique point in their lives where they are confronting their assumptions and becoming independent thinkers. I get excited about guiding them through that process and challenging them to embrace new ideas. To be an effective teacher, I believe it is essential to remember what it was like being a student. Each student has different goals and it is vital to adapt one’s teaching to meet those needs. At the same time, the value of education is that it can expose you to new ways of thinking and a diversity of ideas. My priority is to promote equity and inclusion among my students by valuing their backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. I make sure to incorporate a variety of readings and examples that challenge students to consider new points of view. As a whole, my teaching style emphasizes co-learning with students and the practical application of communication theories. Students leave my classes being attentive to the complexity of communication and mindful of how to interact with others to make positive changes in the world around them.