In my teaching, I strive to empower students to progressively take charge of their own learning and become confident learners. I encourage students to explore the learning materials at home, bringing their questions, discussion points, and reflections to class. In class, they apply what they’ve learned through hands-on activities and receive instant feedback. This approach transforms the classroom into a dynamic space for exploration, where I act as a facilitator guiding their learning journey.

Teaching Experience

My teaching experience spans corporate and academic settings, where I have successfully taught learners with different educational backgrounds (non-CS) and various levels of expertise. As a Senior Associate in Education at Infosys, I have taught foundational programming for application logic (Enterprise Java), database management (SQL), server administration (IBM, WebLogic Middleware) in classroom settings for over 3000 employees overall, and received an average course satisfaction score of 4.2 (out of 5) from the trainees. I have also conducted online training for UI technology frameworks such as NodeJS, AngularJS, Bootstrap, and designed 2 comprehensive e-learning courses on ReactJS, and NodeJS. As a Teaching Assistant at Simon Fraser University, I facilitated learners’ interdisciplinary thinking when pursuing UI design projects.

Promoting Self-Directed Learning for Foundational Programming with Java: During my corporate teaching experience in the classrooms of Infosys, I prioritized self-directed learning by incorporating daily 3 hours of hands-on exercises with every lecture component. This allowed learners to build accurate mental models of the systems they worked with. I engaged in iterative feedback during in-class hands-on exercises, encouraging trainees to troubleshoot issues using think-aloud techniques and guiding learners to discover and correct faulty concepts themselves. Given the large class sizes (about 100 each), I encouraged advanced learners to assist their peers, promoting teamwork, knowledge sharing, and a collaborative environment.

Engaging Flipped Classroom and Interdisciplinary Thinking in UI Design: As a Teaching Assistant for the User Interface Design course at Simon Fraser University, I utilized a flipped-classroom approach, by focussing on problem-solving during face-to-face sessions. I guided several undergraduate project teams through human-centered design processes, providing weekly, constructive feedback to help them iterate on their designs. I encouraged students to pursue interdisciplinary thinking by encouraging them to consider the psychology of users, the nuances of the application domains in which they were building solutions (e.g., learning, health, creativity, physical activity), as well as the technical feasibility of their projects.

Teaching Philosophy

Overall, my teaching philosophy centers on hands-on practice, live feedback, and blending theory with practical application. With a decade of experience in various teaching capacities, I am well-equipped to instruct courses in programming, databases, and user-centered design.

My teaching philosophy is rooted in the following core values:

1. Self-Directed Learning: I facilitate an environment where students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning through hands-on exercises and live feedback.
2. Iterative and Constructive Feedback: I prioritize providing ongoing feedback that helps students navigate challenges and grow in their understanding.
3. Integration of Theory, Practice, and Interdisciplinary Thinking: I believe in combining theoretical concepts with practical applications, and exploring connections across diverse domains through building functional tools informed by multiple domains.
4. Flipped Classroom Model: I use class time for interactive problem-solving and deeper discussions, fostering a more engaging learning atmosphere.
5. Collaboration and Teamwork: I encourage group work and peer support, recognizing that collaboration enriches the learning experience.

Future Teaching and Mentorship Plans

In the future, I plan to expand my learner-centered approach by incorporating emerging technologies and interdisciplinary perspectives. With my broad academic and research training, I am confident teaching undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD courses in HCI, web development, introductory programming, and research design. I aim to develop new courses on self-monitoring systems and learning support tools, HCI applications for health, and learner-centered AI. I will continue using a flipped classroom model with hands-on practice to deepen understanding and promote knowledge-sharing.

Besides classroom teaching, I enjoy supervising undergraduate students. Throughout my PhD, I have had the chance to supervise 5 undergraduate students, whose contributions resulted in publications in top-tier conferences. Besides this, I have also mentored students through STEM volunteer networks in the past and continue to inspire young minds to pursue research. In the future, I plan to maintain my commitment to mentorship and help students achieve success in research.