I am a passionate and strong supporter of academic as well as operational integrity and excellence. I believe that it is the purpose of today’s academic leaders like me to protect high educational standards and maintain high learning outcomes, as well as ensure operational effectiveness and efficiency. I am certified in quality management and believe in the importance of ensuring institutional effectiveness. I support the value of regional accreditation and have years of experience in developing and managing academic programs in the true spirit of accreditation. Educational institutions must remain accountable to the society, and exceed the expectations of the public. Training and professional development of faculty and staff is a key part of this mission.
As a trainer, educator and teacher, I support the transformational learning approach. According to Jack Mezirow (2000) transformational learning is a process of getting beyond gaining factual knowledge alone to instead become changed by what one learns in some meaningful way. I believe that true learning is a transformation that takes place between the teacher and the student, as well as between the students themselves within the collegial learning environment. In this process, all parties are transformed. Obviously, it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that the student experiences a positive educational transformation. However, through maintaining and practicing the best practices and effective teaching techniques, the teacher also learns and improves in this process. I am a strong advocate for professional development and feel that even the best teachers and staff members must engage in continuous education and training.
I also feel that good training and teaching must be participative and learner centered. Learners learn better when they are active participants in their own learning process. The interaction within the learning environment is a vital part of the learning process, alone with field experiments and other practical learning experiences. Effective use of multimedia is also important to take into account different learning styles and accommodate the needs of today’s busy lifestyles. Today’s learners are diverse, and this diversity must be not only acknowledged but embraced in critical group discussions and activities. Learners learn from each other and sharing personal experiences to apply and understand learning concepts is very important.
Training and teaching should be applied so that learners learn the real skills needed in today’s demanding jobs, and by their employers. Core job requirements are an essential building block and it is important for learners to be able to build independent worldviews and be critical thinkers. I also feel that good training utilizes blended delivery models. Online learning can supplement regular classroom learning in many beneficial ways. I am very experienced and knowledgeable about the state of the art learning technologies and feel that these should be integrated into our teaching methodologies to meet the needs of the new generations.
