Learning is an intricate and amazing process that should be treated with the care and  respect it deserves. Effective teaching practices engage students, facilitating a desire to learn, while less effective practices tend to frustrate and disengage them, moving learning goals beyond reach (Hattie, 2009). As a K-12 learner, I faced many challenges; engaging with the learning content was often difficult as I regularly became bored during lessons when I was not challenged, or my interest was not piqued. Teachers who delivered purposeful lessons allowed further exploration of topics in safe learning environments. These environments were supportive of my efforts and motivated me with a stronger desire to learn and continue learning. Conversely, when faced with a lack of confidence in my abilities, unsafe learning environments, or unsupported exploration of topics, I was
demotivated and failed to attain learning goals.

As an instructor, my ultimate goal is to make the learning process engaging, enjoyable,
and efficient while creating positive learning experiences that are challenging but not
frustrating, supported with additional scaffolding when required, and conducted in safe
learning environments that instill confidence in students’ abilities. To enhance learning
efficiency and motivation, I aim to design a curriculum that is immediately applicable and
demonstrates the relevance of learning content. This approach ensures that students see
the value in all subjects, fostering deeper engagement with the material. This philosophy,
rooted in reflections of my personal experience as a learner and as an international
learner in an additional language, is also informed by best practices and applications of
learning theories (Newman, 2020; Schön, 1983).

Conducive classroom climates or safe learning environments facilitate the exploration of
content where questioning promotes understanding and instills the value of exploration
(Stewart, 2021). Reflecting on my own experiences as a shy undergraduate student who
avoided classroom interactions due to fear of being challenged or embarrassed, I
recognize the importance of creating a classroom environment where all students feel
safe to participate and ask questions. I noticed that in every class that I taught, there were
students who had the same fear. Thus, by providing various communication options and
fostering a culture of respect and support, I ensure that no student is left behind due to
fear of embarrassment or misunderstanding. I offer multiple, anonymous communication
channels for students to ask questions, ensuring that everyone feels comfortable seeking
help without fear of judgment from their peers. These communications support students’
advancement towards learning outcomes and provide me with an indication of where my
instruction requires enhancement. My lesson plans are flexible and can be adjusted
if additional support is required or if rephrasing and additional contextual
examples are needed.

During my first semester of instruction in the Faculty of Forestry, I quickly realized that the
students’ knowledge of forestry and related topics far outweighed my own. I encourage
students, as holders of content knowledge, to share their knowledge with me and their
peers using the communication strategies and tactics taught in our course. This
experimental learning process allows students to compare newly gained strategies and
tactics to previous communication attempts. As communication is context-dependent,
newly learned strategies may not always work as hoped. However, adding these new
strategies to their communication toolbox allows students to make informed decisions
about which communication strategy to apply in a specific context, thus increasing the
chance of successful communication.

During my undergraduate years, my passion for learning was clouded as my academic
goals remained unclear. Courses with content that had an immediate impact on my life
seemed far more important and motivated my learning, reducing my desire to wander and
explore alternative learning paths. From this, I believe that student motivation is
dependent on the passion gained from the applicability of the learning content. My
instruction of communication thus focuses on the applicable nature of the subject. As I
teach communication topics and theories, I have students experiment with the production
of communication using newly acquired skills to ensure deeper learning and practical
application. This, in turn, increases their communication competency and boosts their
confidence.

Clarity in all aspects of instruction facilitates efficient and effective learning while reducing
possible frustration. Assignment instructions and parameters must be completely
unambiguous, and feedback on completed assignments must clearly focus on specific
issues encountered, providing options for revision. I provide assignment instructions that
are easily understood, first as written text followed by class discussion and then
discussions on how students will approach the assignment. I make it clear that if any
further questions arise, I am available for discussion at any time. This approach works
well for classes with students from diverse educational, social, and cultural backgrounds.
I encourage students to reach out during the production process, as it is often easier to
provide guidance to students going in the wrong direction compared to requiring
resubmissions from disheartened students who receive unexpectedly low grades.

I have often struggled with providing efficient and effective feedback to students as I have
found that students respond to textual feedback differently. Initially, I provided vast
amounts of written feedback to students struggling with producing text-based
assignments, particularly those studying with English as an additional language.
However, this was often more frustrating than helpful. To address this problem, I
experimented with screencast feedback recordings, a form of recorded multimedia
feedback (Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Lipsch-Wijnen, & Dirkx 2022; Mayer, 2002).
I strongly believe in supporting the positive social aspects of learning brought about by
student-student and student-teacher interactions. This became more apparent after the
move to online teaching due to COVID-19 restrictions. Prior to online teaching, many
students interacted with each other and me before and after each class. This time was
crucial for discussing course aspects, highlighting problems, and comparing approaches
to learning material and assignments. To address the loss of social interaction and
learning, I made myself available by showing up to online classes 15 minutes prior and
staying after class, in case any students wanted to ask questions or chat. Students
indicated that this approach positively addressed the lack of social interaction and
lowered feelings of isolation.

While working on my Ph.D., I attended courses taught in Chinese, a language I was
learning. A simple three-hour class required heightened attention, often overloading my
cognitive abilities and excluding me from deeper understanding and discussions of the
learning content compared to native speakers. This experience has profoundly impacted
the courses I instruct, which are generally comprised of students with varied degrees of
communication abilities. Many students take my course in their additional language, in a
new context, while living in an unfamiliar culture and on top of that, they are exposed to
the study of communication for the first time. These students enter the course with a clear
disadvantage, often less familiar with the context, styles, and practice of communication
in Canada. Thus, my instruction must be culturally responsive (Gay, 2018). To address
this issue, I clarify that my courses are abilities courses, and regardless of current
communication abilities or knowledge of context, I focus on improvements rather than
ranking students by ability and applying grades accordingly regardless of previous life
experience (Gay, 2018). The aim of my communication instruction is that if learned
strategies are understood and applied in appropriate contexts, students’ communication
abilities will increase (Weimer, 2013). I encourage students to focus on increasing their
communication ability over the course duration, rather than solely on grades.

I strongly believe in providing robust grading approaches. Since joining the Faculty of
Forestry, I have worked on accurate and robust grading methods that produce greater
validity. Some students believe that grades are given subjectively by instructors, but I
emphasize that grades are measurements of how well the learning content has been
integrated into assignment submissions. I compare grading to a thermometer: if one is
unhappy with the current temperature, the temperature cannot be increased unless the
actual temperature rises. If the thermometer indicates a false increase, it is broken or
useless. Similarly, if a student requires a grade increase, there must be an improvement
in their assignment submission. To encourage students to enhance their work and
understand problem areas, I develop detailed rubrics that guide them through
assignments, clarify expectations, and provide a clear framework for self-assessment and
continuous improvement (Cornelius-White, 2007).

As many of my students are transitioning into adult learning, my instructional
approach reflects this by shifting from pedagogy to andragogy, fostering a more selfdirected and engaging learning environment tailored to adult learners’ needs. Despite
these efforts, I have occasionally received feedback regarding inconsistent grading or
students feeling that their effort was not reflected in their grades. To address this, I have
implemented a system where teaching assistants are actively involved in the grading
process, ensuring consistency through regular calibration sessions. We frequently
compare and recalibrate grades across different classes and sections to maintain
fairness and accuracy. Since making these interventions, I have not received any
comments on inconsistent grading or students feeling that their effort was not reflected
in their grades. While this approach has yielded positive results, there is still room for
improvement. Therefore, I am committed to exploring alternative grading
methodologies, including student mastery and ungrading, to better align student focus
on learning and understanding rather than solely on grades.

Teaching communication is my passion, and while challenges remain, they are not
impossible to overcome. Communication is an incredible subject to teach, guiding
students through skill-enhancing opportunities. As I hone my instructional skills, I
witness increasing ‘aha’ moments, where students realize how miscommunications
can be addressed using strategies learned and practiced in my course, fostering
greater success.

These ‘aha’ moments, where students apply strategies to design interactions that foster
greater success, highlight the rewarding aspect of teaching communication. While
challenges persist, my ongoing development as an instructor continues to enhance my
ability to guide students effectively. Seeing students improve and succeed reinforces my
dedication to teaching and my commitment to overcoming any difficulties
encountered along the way.