Teaching Portfolio

I currently teach at Washington State University, Vancouver as an Assistant Professor in the Department of History. I am also the Program Coordinator for the Roots of Contemporary Issues Program at WSUV. I primarily teach in the ROOTS program (Roots of Contemporary Issues, a world history course designed to teach undergraduates the basics of empirical research and writing skills as well as the connection between the present and the past).

The program targets 1st year and transfer students. In addition to research skills, ROOTS courses aim to provide students with written material and practice for their Writing Portfolio, help them navigate university academics and expectations, and encourage them to build a college community through interacting with a diverse range of students from multiple disciplines.

I also teach upper level courses in Sports History and Southeast Asian History.

Prior to WSUV, I taught a variety of survey and 100-level introductory courses in History and Anthropology at Northern Illinois University and Kishwaukee College. In history, these courses were World History Since 1500 and American History Since 1865 and in anthropology, Introduction to Anthropology: Biological and Cultural Anthropology. I have taught multiple sections of these courses and in varying formats and semesters, that is, face-to-face and online for 8 week and 16 week sections.

My full teaching philosophy statement can be read here. To read about my commitment to building a diverse and inclusive campus community, click here. To read some of my students testimonials, click here.

I use a variety of teaching materials and often change them to suit the changing needs, dynamics, and parameters of each course. I understand that not all students absorb materials through the same sensory vehicles, and not all students express their ideas through the same modes. (That is, not everyone is a reader or a writer!) I therefore offer a variety of materials in my courses such as film, audio (podcast) format, lecture, and hands-on projects. In my online courses I make videos week-by-week for my students so each one is tailored to the dynamics of those students. I offer students multiple formats to submit their work, such as documentary film, photo essays, and papers. My most popular format is what I call my “3D Option,” which allows students to be the most creative. Students can create any 3D object as their final project. In the past my students have cooked meals, baked, and 3D printed objects. For a look at some the projects I have overseen, click here.

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J. LoSavio