Learn About My Teaching
This page provides example syllabi, some of my teaching strategies, and information about my experience with curriculum design & assessment. Contact me to inquire about my teaching philosophy and student feedback on my teaching.
Crafting Courses
I was solely responsible for creating the learning outcomes, assignments, and class schedule for the following courses I taught at Wabash College (links are to most recent syllabi):
- RHE 201: Reasoning and Advocacy
- RHE 270: Misinformation in a Social Media Age (1/2 credit)
- RHE 270: The Rhetoric of Student Activism (1/2 credit)
- RHE 270: National Identity, Public Opinion, and Rhetoric
- RHE 270: Rhetoric of U.S. Social Movements
- RHE 270: Strategic Communication
- RHE 370: Rhetoric and Identity
- RHE 370: What is “Rhetoric”?
- RHE 370: U.S. Presidential Rhetoric
- FRT: Hamilton: An American Musical & the Liberal Arts
- FRT: Defense Against the Dark Rhetorical Arts
Engaging 21st Century Students
Gamified classes to add extra credit “Achievements,” similar to what students encounter in video games. More information is available here.
Modified syllabus design to be more visually engaging, similar to a newsletter or flyer. View a side by side example from RHE 101: Public Speaking here.
Incorporated generative AI when it enhances rather than replaces learning outcomes. Instead of banning AI, I required students to cite it like any other source.
Extensive Teaching Experience
25
Years of Teaching Excellence
34
Different Courses
Taught
17
Different Courses Designed
Curriculum Experience at Wabash College
campus-wide SLOs
I was 1 of 3 faculty members in the humanities division who developed student learning outcomes for the Language Studies general education requirement.
Program Reviews
I participated in program review processes for the Rhetoric Department, the Enduring Questions freshman seminar, and the Business Minor.
Dept. Goal Tracking
As Rhetoric Department Chair, I led a curriculum mapping process that involved tracking department goals across all course offerings.
Learning Assessments
As Rhetoric Department Chair, First Year Experience Co-Chair, and member of Committee on Institutional Improvement, I participated in numerous quantitative & qualitative assessments.
Argumentation in Everyday Life
Argumentation in Everyday Life, released in 2019, is based on more than 15 years of experience teaching argumentation and debate classes at four different institutions. It’s great for introductory courses in argumentation, debate, and argumentative writing. See SAGE Publishing and below for more information about the contents and features of the book.
Key Contributions & Pedagogical Features
The Debate Situation
A fresh way of understanding the what and how of debate through a visual model.
Everyday Life Examples
Illustrations of concepts drawn from everyday life, such as pop culture, politics, & business.
Easy to use Standards
Evaluation criteria tied to the Toulmin model and applicable to any argument.
Find Your Voice
Periodic thought experiments help you reflect on and apply course material to your own life.
Key Terms & Glossary
Definitions of terms are easy to find throughout the chapter and at the end of the book.
Application Exercises
“Build Your Skill” prompts and application exercises help you dive further into the material.
