TEACHING
My teaching is grounded in experiential learning, reflective practice, and the belief that students learn most effectively when they are actively engaged in the creative process. Across Media Production, Cinema Studies, and Communication Studies, my courses emphasize hands-on application, critical reflection, and real-world relevance. Since my promotion to Associate Professor in 2019, I have continued to refine my pedagogy in response to student needs, disciplinary change, and the instructional challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The materials on this page document how my teaching has evolved through digital course design, student feedback, and external evaluation.
#1. Course Portal & Instructional Design
Improved Modular Course Design
To support both in-person and online instruction, I developed www.profavery.online - a comprehensive teaching portal that houses a full directory of my courses, along with syllabi, lessons, assignments, instructional videos, and learning resources. The site reflects a deliberate approach to asynchronous, modular, and scaffolded course design, allowing students to engage with material at varying paces while maintaining clear expectations and learning outcomes. What began as a response to pandemic-era teaching constraints has become a lasting instructional framework that continues to strengthen accessibility, clarity, and student engagement across all of my courses.
#2. Course Teacher Evaluations (CTEs)
Student Feedback & Contextual Interpretation
Course Teacher Evaluations (CTEs) from recent semesters are linked here to provide transparency and longitudinal perspective on my teaching. However, it is important to note that following COVID-19, the response rates to CTEs declined significantly across the institution. Additionally, it would seem results for semesters predating 2024 are no longer available but I have provided what I can access for the time being along with a reflection on the process.
#3. External Teaching Observation
Online Instruction Evaluation
In addition to student evaluations and internal observations of my in-person teaching, I include here an external teaching observation of my fully online section of COM 203 – Introduction to Media Writing, conducted by Kerry Curran, Chair of the English Department at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3). This assessment provides an independent perspective on my online pedagogy, course structure, and instructional effectiveness. Including an external evaluation of my virtual teaching complements the existing record of in-person observations and offers a broader view of my instructional practice across modalities.
#4. Teaching Philosophy 2026
Updated Reflections on a Different Time
My teaching philosophy is grounded in experiential, student-centered learning that emphasizes creative responsibility, collaboration, and reflection. Through hands-on coursework, co-curricular initiatives like ProLab, and community-based learning opportunities such as the Blackbird Film Festival, I design learning environments where students actively engage in the processes of making, revising, and sharing work with real audiences. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, I expanded my pedagogy to include modular, asynchronous course design through profavery.online, strengthening accessibility and adaptability across instructional modes. Taken together, my teaching reflects a sustained commitment to reflective practice, mentorship, and the creation of resilient learning systems that evolve alongside students and the world they inhabit.