I strive to employ teaching strategies based on current research about how people learn and remember. I am very aware of how easily a student can become disengaged in the classroom, especially in this era of laptops and cellphones. I work to structure classes so that learners are actively engaging in the material. For example, although it was not a part of my own college experience as an undergraduate, I have seen that social learning is often a very effective method of learning and retaining information; thus, I frequently incorporate partner and small-group work into my teaching strategies.
Courses Taught
History of European and North American Dress (AMD 354), Iowa State University, Fall 2016
- Teach one section of course, which is an overview of dress from ancient times to the mid-1800s.
- Class was developed around team-based learning principles and features a flipped classroom with online lectures and in-class learning and discussion opportunities.
- Work collaboratively with the teachers of two other sections of course.
- 3 credit hours, 16 students
Dress and Diversity in Society (AMD 165), Iowa State University, Fall 2015 & Spring 2016
- Served as instructor for course, which focused on the socio-psychological aspects of dress for individuals and society.
- Delivered in-class lectures, activities, and facilitated learning groups. Created and updated online and in-class lectures, text documents, activities, quizzes, individual assignments and group assignments.
- Course featured a flipped classroom and team-based learning.
- Graded assignments, communicated with students, used Blackboard extensively.
- Supervised 3 graduate student TAs
- 3 credit hours, 300 students per semester
Dress and Diversity in Society (AMD 165), Iowa State University, Summer 2015
- Online version of course
- Create and update online lectures, text documents, activities, quizzes, individual assignments and group assignments
- Grade all assignments, communicate with students
- 3 credit hours, 40 students
Textile Science (AMD 204), Iowa State University, Spring 2014
- Taught weekly lab section.
- Gave presentations, created slides, prepared experiments and demonstrations.
- Graded assignments.
- 3 credit hours, 17 students
Courses TA’d
Dress and Diversity in Society (AMD 165), Iowa State University, Fall 2013-Spring 2015
- Graded assignments including exercises, critiques, reflection papers, and individual and group work.
- Edited and graded online discussion boards.
- Used Blackboard extensively.
- Taught occasional lecture classes.
- 3 credit hours, 300 students per semester
Consumer Behavior (AMD 467), Iowa State University, Fall 2014
- Created PowerPoint slide decks.
- Taught occasional lab sessions, assisted with in-class activities
- Graded assignments and posted grades on Blackboard.
- Tweeted relevant news about subject matter and class reminders to students.
- 3 credit hours, 70 students
Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility (CMGT 577), University of Southern California, Fall 2009 and Fall 2010
- Volunteered to serve as Teaching Assistant for Dr. Susan Resnick West while working in a staff position at the University of Southern California.
- Course first offered in Fall 2009; I assisted with initial development of course
- Ran class blogs and attended all classes
- Managed guest speaker appearances and logistics
- 4 credit hours, 30 students per class
Teaching Practicums
Introduction to Retail Merchandising (AMD 275), Iowa State University, Spring 2017
- Taught course unit on Human Resources function
- Attended all class sections and assisted with in-class activities
- Grading and Blackboard management
- 3 credit hours, 150 students
Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences (AESHM 474), Iowa State University, Spring 2017
- Worked with supervisor and course instructor Dr. Linda Niehm
- Developed and taught new unit on social media entrepreneurs
- Worked with student consultants and liaised with local businesses
- Attended all class sections and assisted with in-class activities
- 3 credit hours, 140 students
Arienne McCracken 