Ph.D. Student, Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies
Prior to coming to UT, I graduated from the University of Rhode Island with my Master’s degree in Cultural Studies of Sport. During my time at URI, my interest in how the sport world operates grew, and that led me to pursue a Ph.D. in Sport Studies in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies. At UT, I have had the ability to hone my teaching skills through opportunities provided from Teaching and Learning Innovation programs such as CIRTL, Teaching with Inclusivity, and PERMA training.
Another major factor in pursuing a Ph.D. was the love of teaching that I had previously developed in my Master’s program. The TLI programs allowed me to strengthen my abilities as a teacher and hopeful future faculty member. Specifically, each program had a focus on how an individual’s identities are paramount to knowledge dissemination. I was able to understand how my background influenced the ways in which I understood and taught information.
Additionally, a major learning curve in the CIRTL program was connecting lesson plans to course learning outcomes. Being thoughtful about the purpose of each part of a lesson is important, in order to match expectations and allow students to receive the best education possible.
While I have loved teaching a wide variety of courses at UT, the best part of teaching is always when students reflect on their experiences and discuss how they learned to see parts of the sports world they had never considered before. My teaching evaluations at the end of semester have continuously improved each year, and it is largely due to the TLI programs I have completed. They have helped me consider my role as an instructor and knowledge facilitator.
If you are a graduate or Ph.D. student instructor looking for professional development opportunities to further your teaching skills, consider partaking in our Summer CIRTL F.U.E.L. Program. More information and registration links can be found by clicking here.