Teaching Philosophy

Pedagogical Ponderings.

Reflection. My teaching philosophy evolved through observation of my past professors, active participation in pedagogy workshops, and experimentation within the classroom during my tenure as a graduate student and currently as a faculty member at the University of Alabama. Amidst this process of observing, training, and testing, I developed my own pedagogical style. In doing so, I have discovered that teaching is a blend of art and science—an amalgamation continually refined through introspection as well as feedback from students, peers, and mentors.

Pedagogical Assessment.

“Commitment is enhanced when people believe that achieving the goal is possible, and that achieving that goal is important” (Locke & Latham, 1994, p. 17).

Learning objectives.Goal setting is the cornerstone of my course curricula. For each course I teach, I strive to create learning objectives that are specific, measurable, action-oriented, relevant, and challenging. To ensure students understand the applicability of my course objectives, I provide a detailed syllabus at the outset of each of my courses, which outlines my expectations and explains how each assignment and activity contributes to the attainment of the course goals. As my courses progress, I solicit student feedback through electronic surveys and focus groups. This feedback-driven approach enables me to identify and bridge any learning gaps, adapting my teaching to ensure the successful achievement of my course objectives.

Pedagogical Strategies

“Deep and meaningful learning experiences are best supported by actively engaged learners” (Kuh et al., 2005).

I adhere to an authoritative teaching style in accomplishing my course outcomes. Under this paradigm, I establish clear learning goals that serve as the proverbial scaffolding for my courses; however, within this framework, I foster autonomy by offering multiple pathways for attaining my course objectives. To facilitate this approach, I incorporate a diverse range of teaching techniques into my curricula. Examples of instructional methods I incorporate into my courses include:

Collaborative classrooms. In my Personal Health Behavior course, I emphasize student-instructor interaction and the exchange of ideas through integrated group activities. Students begin the course by conducting self-assessments of their health behaviors, which are followed by group discussions aimed at identifying and implementing strategies to improve their health outcomes. This method not only fosters classroom engagement but also tailors the learning experience to meet the individual needs of each student.

Data-driven pedagogy. My Principles of Health Promotion course features a theory of planned behavior-based instrument that I designed to assess students’ sleep intentions. After completing the questionnaire, students participate in small-group discussions to develop intervention strategies to enhance their sleep outcomes. I then use their responses in an interactive lecture, employing statistical software to demonstrate how public health theories apply in practical contexts.

Flipped instruction. In my undergraduate Program Evaluation course, I employ active learning techniques by providing core content through online audiovisual presentations. Classroom time is then dedicated to hands-on data analysis in a computer lab, blending theory with practical application to deepen understanding and engagement in evaluation methodologies.

Scholarship incorporation. Recognizing students’ curiosity about academic research, I integrate findings from my own studies into my curricula. In my graduate-level Program Evaluation course students analyze randomized control trial data I have collected. This hands-on approach helps them design their own evaluation plans, using real-world data to bridge theory and practice.

Digital learning. To cultivate a dynamic learning environment, I integrate technology-driven activities into my courses. For instance, during guest lectures on sleep debt addressed to college students, attendees use their mobile devices to self-report their sleep duration and participate in an online mental alertness test. We then analyze these responses to explore variations in psychomotor vigilance among different sleep duration categories. This simulation scenario provides students a tangible demonstration of how sleep deprivation directly denigrates their academic potential.

Pedagogical Musings.

“Knowledge is necessary for, but not sufficient to produce, most behavior changes” (Rimer & Glanz, 2005, p. 12).

Creating leaders. This time-tested behavior change principle resonates in the classroom. Effective preparation extends beyond imparting content; it equips students with the skills they need to apply acquired knowledge to real-world challenges.

Actualizing potential. Ultimately, I believe that students pursue higher education to discover fulfilling careers that imbue their lives with meaning and purpose. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I spent five years employed in both the private and public sectors, achieving two promotions during this span of time. This experience provided me with insight into the skills that employers seek in college graduates, which include: (1) the ability to follow instructions, (2) effective communication across various mediums, (3) critical thinking and problem-solving, and (4) goal-setting and achievement. In parallel, I design assignments to meet my course learning objectives while fostering skills students require for professional success. When explaining my assignments to my students, I share this insight, illustrating how the course projects will nurture competencies essential for realizing their career ambitions.

Reciprocal growth. Ultimately, my teaching philosophy is rooted in a commitment to student-centered learning and continuous improvement. I utilize a diverse range of teaching modalities that not only encourage students to extend beyond their mental comfort zones, but also actively engages them in the learning process. I believe that effective teaching hinges not only on subject matter expertise but also on a genuine willingness to listen, adapt, and innovate. I am dedicated to fostering a supportive and respectful learning environment where all students feel valued and empowered to contribute. As I continue in my journey as an educator, I remain committed to enhancing my teaching methods, embracing innovative pedagogical strategies, and creating impactful learning experiences for my students.

References

Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., Whitt, E. J. &
Associates. (2005). Student success in college: Creating
conditions that matter. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. P. (1994). Goal setting theory. In H. F. O’Neil & M. Drillings (Eds.), Motivation: Theory and research. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Rimer, B. & Glanz, K. (2005, p. 12). Theory at a glance: A guide for health promotion practice, second edition. (NIH Publication No. 05-3896). Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute.

Teaching Philosophy by Adam P. Knowlden, MBA, MS, Ph.D. – Last Updated: 2/2024

Health Disparities Philosophy

Health Disparities Research Statement.

My research seeks to reify the relationship between sleep and adipose-based cardiometabolic health outcomes, with a focus on addressing health disparities. Cardiometabolic disease pathways associated with obesity and sleep are often conceptualized as closed systems encompassing a constellation of intertwined biological and mechanistic processes. However, it is my assertion that complex public health problems must consider the cultural context in which the lived experiences of those affected are embedded.

Subsequently, I believe exploring how sleep and adipose-related outcomes impact the most vulnerable members of society is crucial in shaping our identity as a community of researchers, academics, and public health practitioners.

While progress has been made in modeling the links between sleep and adiposity, the influence of social determinants driving health disparities within these domains has received limited attention. Subsequently, I am gathering epidemiological, clinical, and ambulatory data as part of the SLUMBRx (Short Sleep Undermines Cardiometabolic Health) study to model the demographic and ecological factors mediating these health outcomes among rural populations.

This line of research holds substantial promise for public health within a health disparities framework; objective, empirical data exploring the interaction between adiposity and sleep, contextualized within a socioeconomic schema, are important for understanding cardiometabolic pathogenesis in diverse populations and for developing public health interventions to prevent its conception and treat its consequences.

Central to achieving these goals is my commitment to fostering a sense of trust in the communities I serve. A core tenant of my research philosophy is ensuring participants fully comprehend their rights as study volunteers during each stage of research inquiry. As such, I employ multiple mediums of communication, rooted in health literacy techniques, to ensure research volunteers understand both the benefits and risks to study participation throughout the lifecycle of an investigation.

Health Disparities Teaching Statement.

I believe the classroom environment is optimized for education when learning is interactive, engaging, and conducted in a non-threatening atmosphere. To foster a safe learning space, I engender a psychosocial ecology of empathetic listening and compassionate communication within my classroom.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood”
(Covey, 1989, p. 120).

During the delivery of my course materials, I strive to ensure that health issues facing underrepresented communities are at the forefront of my learning objectives and assignments. For example, in my undergraduate Environmental Health course, students react to the Anniston Alabama Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) case study in which minority communities were exposed to environmental contaminants through improper disposal of PCB waste products. In addition to assessing the policy prescriptions designed to initiate site remediation, this exercise requires students reflect upon the implications of the Anniston Community Health Survey data which found disproportionately elevated PCB levels among African Americans in Anniston, relative to their White counterparts (Pavuk et al., 2014).

As well, students in my doctoral, Advanced Evaluation of Health Programs course develop skills to incorporate face and content validation techniques to design culturally relevant measurement tools. As part of an in-class, panel of experts round table discussion, students critique methods to evaluate social determinants of health apropos to their specific research foci.

Health Disparities Service Statement.

Cultural humility is at the core of all service opportunities I undertake. Whether service initiatives are advanced at the university, community, or professional level, I believe all stakeholders impacted by the results of the service activity have a right to express their voice.

“Cultural humility is a process of self-reflection and discovery in order to build honest and trustworthy relationships. It offers promise for researchers to understand and eliminate health disparities, a continual and disturbing problem necessitating attention and action on many levels” (Yeager & Bauer-Wu, 2013).

For example, when I served as chair of the search committee for the University of Alabama Department of Health Science tenure-track, open rank biostatistics professorship, I requested the college-wide ethics committee provide training to all members of the search panel. I requested their coaching as I believed it was our moral responsibility, as a committee, to ensure we operated with cultural competency and sensitivity throughout all stages of the search and interview process.

Concomitantly, during my role as Associate Editor for the peer-reviewed journal, Health Education & Behavior, I actively sought the expertise of reviewers from a diversity of backgrounds and research perspectives when my finalizing editorial decisions.

References

Covey, S. R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Pavuk, M., Olson, J. R., Sjödin, A., Wolff, P., Turner, W. E., Shelton, C., … & Anniston Environmental Health Research Consortium. (2014). Serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in participants of the Anniston Community Health Survey. Science of the Total Environment, 473, 286-297.

Yeager, K. A., Bauer-Wu, S. (2013). Cultural humility: Essential foundation for clinical researchers. Applied Nursing Research, 26(4), 251-260.

Health DisparitiesPhilosophy by Adam P. Knowlden, MBA, MS, Ph.D. – Last Updated: 3/2023