Teaching Portfolio

Contents

Formal Positions

  • Instructor, Fundamentals of Computer Science
    Center for Talented Youth Summer Intensive Studies Program (2011, 2010, 2009)

    • Developed and taught an introductory computer science course structured for gifted 8th-10th grade students.
    • Created all lesson plans, projects, and assignments.
    • Supervised a teaching assistant
    • Supervisor: Stu Gluck

  • Instructor, Computer Science 120: Introduction to Problem Solving with the Internet
    University of Massachusetts Amherst (Fall 2007, Spring 2007, Fall 2006, Summer 2005)

    • Redesigned a course in internet technologies for non-computer science majors.
    • Designed all lesson plans, projects, homework assignments, and exams; held office hours; and graded assignments.
    • Supervised a teaching assistant.
    • Fall and Spring semesters included roughly 60 students; Summer semester included 12 students.
    • Supervisor: Robert Moll

  • Instructor
    Labor/Management Workplace Education Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2006–2011)

    • Designed and taught courses to University staff members in various software packages, including the Microsoft Office suite and Adobe Dreamweaver.
    • Developed curricula conducive to students with varying backgrounds and levels of computer experience.
    • Supervisor: Fran Fortino

  • Teaching Assistant
    University of Massachusetts Amherst (2004-present)

  • Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Computer Science 250: Discrete Structures
    University of Maryland (2002-2004)

    • Served as a teaching assistant for five semesters for a sophomore-level course in discrete mathematics topics related to computer science.
    • Lead a discussion section designed to reinforce concepts taught in lecture (Spring 2003).
    • Designed homework assignments (Spring 2004, Fall 2003).
    • Assisted students in office hours and graded written assignments (all semesters).
    • Supervisor: Jandelyn Plane

  • Teaching Assistant, Computer Science
    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Summer 1998)

    • Assisted in teaching an introductory computer science course to high school students.
    • Graded written work and helped students with programming assignments in C++.
    • Supervisor: Jerry Berry

Student Feedback

Some recent comments from student evaluations:

  • "Extremely skilled at explaining topics in a variety of ways."
  • "Extremely knowledgeable, always makes himself available to students."
  • "Very enthusiastic about the subject."
  • "Inspir[ed] students to do better."

For the four most recent semesters where I was a teaching assistant for an undergraduate course, when students were asked to give an “overall rating of this instructor's teaching," I received an average score of 4.48 on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being "almost always effective" and 1 being "almost never effective." The average overall rating within my department was 4.05.

Teaching Development

I have taken advantage of a number of opportunities for improving my teaching:

  • In the Spring of 2009, I completed the semester-long course Introduction to Scientific Teaching, co-taught by Ryan Hayward, Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering, and Mathew Ouellett, Associate Director of the Center for Teaching at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This course focused on effective techniques for teaching undergraduate science classes. We discussed learning styles, active learning, course planning and assessment design, and teaching students from diverse backgrounds. Each student presented a micro-teaching module, created a teaching statement, and completed a teaching observation of a faculty member teaching an undergraduate science course.
  • While serving as an undergraduate teaching assistant at the University of Maryland, I completed the course Guided Experiences in College Teaching in the Spring of 2003. In this class, the students learned about different pedagogical techniques while acting as teaching assistants for various classes. I had the opportunity to lead a discussion section for a larger lecture course, an honor rarely given to undergraduates.

Example Materials

I have collected a number of in-class activities, worksheets, and syllabi that I have created.

Courses of Interest

I am interested in teaching a wide variety of computer science courses, but I am particularly interested in the following:

  • Lower-level
    • Introduction to Computer Science
    • Computation with Music and Sound
    • Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
    • Data Structures
    • Probability and Statistics for Computer Science
  • Upper-level
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Machine Learning
    • Music Informatics
    • Information Retrieval
    • Data Mining
 
 Phillip Kirlin
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