Teaching

Teaching Assistant Experience

KU Leuven (Belgium)

Earth Observation - Instructer - Fall 2023, Fall 2024

• Developed and taught practical exercise for microwave remote sensing

University of Colorado (Boulder)

REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) python bootcamp - Instructer - Summer 2022

• Developed and taught python coding exercises to summer REU students

Ice Sheets and Climate [ATOC 4500/7500]- Guest Lecturer - Spring 2022

Graduate Teaching Program - Lead TA - 2019, 2020

• Conducted training for incoming department TAs and organized pedagogy workshops for CU employees

Weather and Atmosphere Lab [ATOC 1060] - Teaching Assistant - Fall 2018

My Teaching Philosophy

I have had the privilege of being a faculty member for the Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP), a unique program where I spent two months on an Alaskan glacier. In this role, I developed lecture materials and practical exercises on glaciology, weather, machine learning, and climate modeling. This experience required adaptability, and I was often preparing lectures, labs and assignments with just a few hours’ notice. It was through this unique, immersive learning environment that I developed my teaching philosophy, which centers on the belief that learning is a dynamic process, best nurtured in a flexible and inclusive environment. My teaching experiences, whether on an Alaskan glacier or in a traditional classroom environment, have reinforced my commitment to adaptability, engagement, and student-centered learning. I involve a range of pedagogical techniques, outlined below, to accommodate different learning styles and foster a productive and inclusive educational environment.  

Allowing room for growth: Much like science itself, learning is an ongoing process. To that end, I provide feedback and offer opportunities for students to revise their work, thereby transforming mistakes into learning opportunities. For example, in the introductory weather lab I taught in graduate school, I gave students the opportunity to submit labs early, apply feedback, and re-submit them later. Not only did this improve many students’ grades, but I believe they were more involved and grew as critical thinkers during this process. In the final course evaluation, one student noted “I loved the early submissions and learned a lot from that”. 

Incorporating self-assessment and student feedback: Allowing room for growth is not just essential for students, but also for me as a teacher.  Recognizing that one size doesn’t fit all, I continually adapt my teaching methods based on self-assessment and student feedback to better meet students’ needs. For me, student engagement serves as a key indicator for assessing educational progress. For example, when initial lectures in my introductory weather lab were met with blank stares, I introduced active learning techniques, such as small group problem-solving. Students enjoyed this change, commenting “Devon really tried to alter her lectures to help students succeed. She was very helpful and adaptive”, in the final course evaluation.

Letting students become the teachers: In my classroom, I am not always the teacher. Peer-to-peer learning through small group activities fosters collaboration and the sharing of diverse perspectives. I prioritize student presentations, allowing students to take ownership of a topic and to develop essential science communication skills. During JIRP, I mentored student groups working on a variety of glacier and climate science-related projects to present their work to diverse audiences including the class, the Juneau Alaska community, and even to a group of expert glaciologists. Throughout these presentations, students found a sense of pride in their work and gained important experience communicating their results in different settings.

Promoting independent thinking and self-reflection: Because independent thinking is an essential part of the scientific process, I allocate time in my classroom for students to reflect individually and think independently. For example, in Alaska, other faculty members and I skied with students to an overlook featuring an incredible view of a glacier and the surrounding landscape, carved by glaciers. We asked students to reflect on the scene for 15 minutes and to think about things that they noticed and things that they were curious about. The students were extremely contemplative throughout this exercise, and it fostered a natural curiosity of the surrounding landscape, and provided a space for students to share their unique questions and perspectives. I like to provide time for these moments of individual self-reflection in a typical classroom setting as well.

Above all else, I believe it is imperative to create a safe learning environment for all students. It’s a principle embedded into every aspect of my teaching practice from day one, including establishing an early and explicit expectation of respect from all classroom members and making it clear that students should have this same expectation of me. I am mindful of providing encouraging, clear, and timely feedback on assignments and I am mindful of using supportive language in class. It is important for me to be approachable and accessible to struggling students, something I accomplish by answering student emails and providing feedback in a timely manner. In my teaching evaluations, students have expressed great appreciation for these efforts, with one student commenting: “She responded within 24 hours, and was extremely helpful both in and out of the classroom. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the lab because of Devon, as I was dreading the thought of taking a lab.”

I’m fully aware that the journey towards a wholly inclusive pedagogy is ongoing. Towards that end, I actively seek opportunities to explore and educate myself about new teaching practices that promote inclusivity, and I’m committed to incorporating these into my classroom as I continue to grow as an educator.