University Teaching Initiative Award

Laura Finan, Ph.D.

• Assistant Professor in Illinois State University's Department of Psychology
• She earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Delaware in 2016

My motivation to become a college professor comes from…

The desire to contribute to my field of science which aims to support family and public health and to support the training of the next generation.

The three most valuable or important methods/approaches/attitudes/etc. that I bring to my teaching practice are …

I bring to my teaching practice are:

• humility so I can understand the diverse experiences and perspectives of my students
• technology so I can help students connect with the material in diverse ways
• a range of formative and summative assessments so diverse learners can demonstrate their knowledge.

The resource or person that has been the most important influence in my teaching career is … (and why)

My mentor Zena Mello who taught me to be a scientist and the skills to be a professor.

The most rewarding aspect of teaching for me is … (and why)

Getting to know my students! I love when students join me during office hours or walk with me between classes. These conversation inspire me as they ask the most interesting questions and share their perspectives and unique experiences.

For me, the least favorite part of teaching is … (and why)

Being limited by a 16 week semester! I love sharing and learning about developmental science and feel like we can never cover the material as deeply as I would like.

The most challenging aspect of teaching for me is … (and what I do about it)

Balancing the needs of diverse learners in my large classes. To overcome this challenge, I try to regularly elicit feedback from my students and enact said feedback when possible.

If you asked my students what makes me an effective teacher, I would hope that they would say … and/but I think that they would actually say …

That I make clear connections between the material we cover in the classroom and how that applies to their and others lives, policy, and practice.

Regarding my teaching accomplishments, I am proudest about …

Working with students in out of classroom experiences to provide one on one learning opportunities.

“My foundational beliefs about teaching and learning stem from the objective to help students see how course content can be applied to the world outside of the classroom.”