Scott B. Miles - Teaching Overview

Department of Environmental Studies, Huxley College of the Environment at WWU

My teaching interests closely parallel my broader research goals of disaster mitigation through human-centered design of analysis tools and processes for applying those tools. I am committed to preparing undergraduate and graduate students to effectively develop analytical tools and the procedures for their use within the complex, multi-stakeholder situations that planners and policymakers. I have developed a pedagogy inspired by John Dewey's conception of the classroom as a community of people who learn through purposeful group activity and social interaction, with teachers as facilitators. I teach with passion, patience, honesty, and humor. I employ service learning and role-play to help students build team skills and connect their evolving knowledge to practical problems in their region. I have comprehensive training and experience in facilitating small and large groups, as well as methods for collaboratively engaging science-intensive topics.

To date, I have taught six different courses at WWU and am scheduled to teach two new (to me) courses in 2009-2010. These courses are in the geography program and planning and environmental policy (PEP) program in the Department of Environmental Studies The courses I am currently teaching are listed below, linking to pages with course overviews, syllabi, and student projects (in some cases).