Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy is:
We are all learners
Students should be exposed to ideas and made to connect dots on these ideas
Socratic methods are preferred and CAN work in classes up to 100 or above
Basic materials must be memorized by students before we can even begin a discussion (ie, what is science? Really?)
Student interaction is a major part of their education; TV courses taken in isolation are not good pedagogy regardless of profitability. I took a course from C. Ray Carpenter, the pioneer of TV education at Penn State. He looked back on his pioneer work as a total waste of his time, regardless of the many kudos he received from PSU administrators and others.
Courses I Teach
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4271
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HUMAN OSTEOLOGY
Human osteology is an intense laboratory course on the biology of human connective tissues. The course focuses on bone and tooth anatomy. It also includes sections on the microstructure of hard tissues, growth and development, age determination, sexual differentiation, stature reconstruction, disease, trauma, and decomposition. -
ANTH 1020
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Human Origins: Evolution and Diversity
Introduction to biological anthropology; surveys of hominid fossils, primate biology and behavior, human biological variation, ecology and adaptation, and evolutionary theory. -
ANTH 4255/6255
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RACE AND CULTURE
This course will view the crucial human question of race, using the insights of social science, biological science, and history. What is race? Does it even exist? How is race treated in different cultures? What is the history of racism? Emphasis will be placed on the American experience, but will use worldwide examples for comparison. -
ANTH 4291/6291
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EVOLUTION OF HUMAN HEALTH
History of human health in ecological, cultural, and historic contexts. -
ANTH 4391/6391
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ANTHROPOLOGICAL DEMOGRAPHY
Demographic survey of anthropological populations, including population history, methods of demographic analysis of small populations, skeletal series, population structure, and biological and cultural analysis of population change, marriage, and vital events. -
ANTH 4995
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MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: SENIOR PRACTICUM
Practical experience in handling sociomedical problems in a community setting. -
ANTH 4999
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HONORS THESIS/PROJECT
Restricted to students in the Honors Program working on their Honors degree. -
HONORS 4474
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Seminar/Workshop in Social Sciences
(Topics will vary from year to year) “The Human Discovery.” Reading books written primarily by persons making interesting discoveries concern our species describing their experience (e.g., Don Johanson on “Lucy,” James Watson on DNA, Joseph Weiner on Piltdown, John Chadwick on Linear B, etc.).
Teaching Projects
- Cancer Prevention Research Training Program (CPRTP). Project Lead: As Secondary Advisor. Collaborators: Dr. Anita Kinney. National Cancer Institute 09/01/2010 - present.