EDUCATION

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Education is about preparing students to succeed and helping them to learn and aspire. As an educator, I work to “educe,” or tease out, the potential in each person and teach students to teach themselves. Guided by established theories, institutional goals, student needs, current literature, and personal experience, I am passionate about leading students through a process of personal awareness, education, and growth that allows them to create their own plans for success in real-world settings. I emphasize transferable skills that can be applied across a range of life experiences.

Students in my classes improve their critical thinking abilities, gain appreciation for diversity, and enhance their communication skills. Students learn to challenge themselves, others, and the current social condition in positive ways. Through open and respectful discussions, diverse student groups are allowed to explore and develop an understanding of each other's cultures, attitudes, and beliefs. Considering individual, community, and global concerns, they learn to think beyond their own personal experiences, celebrate differences, and recognize how they influence others. Experiential and interactive activities are designed to foster a voice among all students and help them develop applicable writing, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills important in today's academic, professional, and social arenas.

PHILOSOPHY OF HEALTH EDUCATION

Health education happens all around us each day, intentionally and unintentionally. Each moment of our lives influences our knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about health as we interact with our physical and social environments. Health education is most powerful when it becomes an intentional, purposeful, and comprehensive effort guided by theoretical and ethical principles. The purpose of health education is provide people the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to be active participants in their health. Health educators work in a variety of settings and are able to apply the Responsibilites and Competencies for Health Educators to meet the needs of various populations. As a health educator, my goal is to use my creativity, critical thinking, organizational, and technological skills to create effective health education interventions at the college and community levels. I hope to positively influence students and community members in ways that benefit their health for the short- and long-term.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• holistic health
• health behavior
• technology in health education
• environmental health

CURRENT PROJECTS

• GO!
• FotoFeedback Method
• Health Education Resource Office (HERO) Peer Health Coaching (Web information coming soon!)
• Health Education Advanced Learning & Technology Hub (HEALTH) (Web information coming soon!)
• Promoting Outdoor Physical Activity