Matthew J. A. Craig

WMU Signature: Teaching & Student Success

Signature Project: Going beyond the Library search: Using social

media to engage students in evaluating sources

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Graduate Teaching Assistant

Western Michigan University, School of Communication

Intro to Organizational Communication (COM 2800, Spring 2020)

Communication Research Methods (COM 3000, Fall 2019; Spring 2020)

Public Relations (COM 2500, Fall 2019)

Communication & Community Engagement (COM 1000, Fall 2018;

Spring 2019)

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Development Workshops attended

Western Michigan University

Mental Health First Aid Training, Jayne Fraley Burgett

Cool Tools: Writing Effective Exam Questions, Annette Hamel, PhD

Cool Tools for Teaching: Engaging Students in Different Study

Strategies, Allison Hart-Young, PhD

Cool Tools: Discover Your Strengths, Adrienne Fraaza

Teaching Inclusivity: Instructional Techniques to Improve International

Student Inclusion

 

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy maintains three pillars while mindful of classroom dynamics and student learning: engagement, practice, and dialogue. Communication courses offer a playground of experiences for students to engage with. As a first pillar, students need to be engaged in ways that apply to their lived experiences and call upon those experiences for reflection and insightful application. Engaging experiences with communication involves content beyond lecture material and incorporates activities in which students can witness in real-life issues and events that apply to communication.

 

Communication is a top in-demand skill asked by employers, and in response, keeping with my second pillar, I design the course structure so students practice what they've learned through learning assignments and projects they can also list on resumes and discuss in job interviews. As a communication practitioner, I know a thing or two when it comes to taking classroom content and helping students get their money's worth. Students of mine have shared through evaluation that my teaching style delivers relatable content and gives insight into applying communication to the workplace and general life experiences.

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Finally, communication is a means to shape dialogue within ourselves and with others. Students come from various backgrounds and points in their lives in which patience and capacity are required to help facilitate dialogue while engaging and practicing communication studies. Thus, I adhere to the concept of thoughtfully shared ownership over the classroom environment with mutual accountability for assignments, assessments, and class discussion while also meeting students where they are.

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