My Philosophy for Teaching and Learning

Education and learning have been my primary focus throughout my 16 years of practice as a licensed social worker. Lately, I have had the opportunity to think more about my philosophy of teaching and learning. With that in mind, I reflected on my own experience with technology in education. I value instruction and learning because I realized early in life that education is not always an equitable experience. I consider my parents and grandparents and understand that receiving an education is not a matter of intelligence because they were and are extremely intelligent; rather, it is the result of opportunities to participate in learning. When there are mouths to feed, bills to pay, crops to harvest, and a lack of knowing how or where to even start, those opportunities are not accessible to all.

My perceptions in education have been shaped by an awareness of educational obstacles, whether micro or systemic. This perspective drives my determination and intensifies my commitment to creating an equitable learning environment that helps students know they belong and matter in higher education. The development of online learning has removed barriers and vastly increased the opportunities for educational attainment for so many. Distance education and online learning allow working and caregiver students to participate in coursework by eliminating commute time and the need to be on campus at designated times that may not fit their already full schedules. Because of this, my goal as a social worker and an educator is to continue employing technological methods, including but not limited to discussion board assignments, ePresentations, and technological accommodations to increase accessibility and reduce barriers to education for students.

As a social work educator, I believe that technology is most powerful when it deepens human connection, expands access to learning, and supports students in constructing meaning from their experiences. My teaching philosophy is grounded in Transformative Learning Theory, Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, and Constructivist Learning Theory (Ertmer & Newby, 2018; Mayer, 2024; Mezirow, 1978). All three theories present frameworks that position learners as active participants who build knowledge through interaction, reflection, and engagement with real problems. According to Ertmer and Newby, when used intentionally, technology becomes a stimulus for learning and creating meaning from the learning experiences (2018).

Understanding meaning and context, as well as who our students are, is vital in social work education (Bates, 2015). We learn that a person is not separate from their environment. Technology offers simulation activities that allow social work students to immerse themselves in the client's environment, helping them understand contexts that affect a client's well-being. Simulations and discussion activities allow us to engage with others, challenge what we think we know based on our own experiences, and transform our opinions and learning, creating new meaning.

Transformative Learning begins with engagement. According to Jack Mezirow, change occurs through conscious awareness, improving our understanding of the world and thus transforming behaviors and attitudes (1978). As a social work educator, I believe one goal of teaching future social workers is to transform our students' understanding of themselves and their ability to positively impact the world around them. Class discussions, discussion board prompts, interactive computer simulations, and selected readings, available in both hard copy and eBook formats, are used to challenge students’ thinking about marginalized groups.

In my classroom, as I scaffold digital content with traditional technologies such as presentations and lectures, I draw on Richard Mayer’s scholarship on multimedia learning (2017). I design digital learning experiences that reduce cognitive overload and enhance understanding of the topic. According to Mayer, effective multimedia instruction is not about adding more, but about presenting visuals and words in ways that help learners incorporate new information with what they may already know. In my courses, this means I use brief, focused instructional videos and presentations followed by short quizzes or guided questions. I also incorporate interactive activities that prompt collaboration and reflection. I believe practicing collaboration is critical in social work education, as students learn to work with clients, colleagues, and the community.

In the end, my goal is not simply to teach content but to cultivate transformative learning. By developing a learning environment that emphasizes hands-on learning, collaboration, and reflection, I hope to empower students to become skilled, ethical, and compassionate social workers who can make a positive difference in their clients’ lives and in their communities. Technology is one of the tools that help me create learning environments where curiosity is encouraged, reflection is expected, and growth is possible.

References

Bates, A. W. (2015).  Choosing and using media in education: the SECTIONS model. In Teaching in a Digital Age. (8.1 - 8.10).

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2018). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. In R. E. West (Ed.), Foundations of learning and instructional design technology: Historical roots and current trends. (pp. 131- 150). EdTech Books.

Mayer, R. E. (2024). The past, present, and future of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. Educational Psychology Review, 36(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09842-1

Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective Transformation. Adult Education, 28(2), 100–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/074171367802800202