by Esther R. Namubiru
English faculty Dr. Albert J. DeFazio III is the winner of the 2024 Online Teaching Excellence award. What inspired him to pursue a teaching career? I asked this and other questions to the professor who also shared his plans to innovate and evolve as an educator at Mason and his advice to faculty thinking of teaching online.
What inspired you to pursue a career in teaching?
In the 1970s at Thoreau Intermediate School, I found myself in Mr. Michener’s class for both Social Studies and English. Mr. Michener had served with the Marines in the South and Central Pacific Campaigns, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima, so a classroom full of rambunctious seventh graders left him undaunted. He woke me up, encouraged me to take school seriously (all the while confessing that he’d barely passed his English classes), and sponsored the student newspaper whose staff met every day after school in his classroom. We corresponded through the 1990s and my debt to him is incalculable.
How does it feel to be recognized for your excellence in this field?
The recognition process is both diabolical and ingenious. It begins with the arduous and uncomfortable task of documentation and self-promotion: When did I start teaching a given course? What departmental service did I provide? Which professional development did I attend? But if you’re lucky enough to have had wonderful teachers, colleagues, and mentors in your professional life, the tedious tabulations quickly give way to warm reflections: Who taught me this skill? Who helped me with this student? Who asked more of me than I thought I was capable of giving? These reflections were the highlight of the process for me.
You have taught Advanced Composition Business 302 and Hemingway and Fitzgerald 202. Could you share a memorable moment from your teaching that highlights the impact you've had on your students in these classes?
Years ago, one of my classes was studying The Great Gatsby, reading a bit, discussing it, reading a bit more, and we were far enough into the book so that the themes started to resonate, and synapses began firing. One young woman raised her hand and with a look of utter disbelief asked, “Is all literature like this?” I can’t remember my response, but I’ll never forget the amazed and wonderful look on the face of a student who had just discovered the joy of reading literature.
Can you offer any advice or insights for other English professors thinking of teaching online?
The online learning environment morphs so quickly and technology develops so rapidly that I hesitate to offer advice; however, my colleague Jessica Matthews introduced me to the TextExpander app, which allows users to leverage their keystrokes by saving their text, like a boilerplate, and then customizing it for reuse (think WordPerfect Macros). This helps with the administration of the class as well as with feedback on student work. Once you have written a macro that describes, for example, a comma splice or misplaced modifier, and perhaps includes a link to a video explanation on Grammar Girl or Purdue Owl, you can apply that identical comment or customize it for future use, inserting it into feedback on a LMS, as comments in Word or google docs, or into emails. Using it again requires only a few keystrokes. So, when students email me inquiring about an extension on an assignment or requesting a video or telephone conference, I can respond with just a few characters, customizing my reply with the use of a few dropdown boxes identifying a good time to call or when an assignment may be submitted. Realizing these administrative efficiencies allows more time for genuine engagement with our content.
What other qualities do you integrate into your teaching approach?
Students in the online environment appreciate transparency in grading, consistency in format, and timely feedback.
Most of my students work full time and earning their degree is very much about doing the best that they can in the time that they have. As they try to manage their time, I provide them with a precise weight for each assignment so that they have the information that they need to make the choices that are best for them.
They also value consistency: they want regular due dates and times; a course schedule in a predictable format; and weekly reminders about what we just accomplished and what tasks are upcoming. They also appreciate receiving comments on their work within 24-48 hours, when the activity is fresh in their minds.
In what ways do you continue to innovate and evolve to meet the changing needs of our students?
Producing the portfolio required to compete for the awards offered by the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning is one excellent and humbling way to encourage innovation. Having to articulate your teaching philosophy, document your effectiveness and innovation in the classroom, and contemplate how you can improve your practices–and then submit that portfolio for a rigorous evaluation by your colleagues–highlights some accomplishes but also shines a bright light on areas that need improvement.
April 24, 2024
