I have always dreamed of becoming a good teacher since I applied for the PhD program. During my PhD career, I have taught two different courses and have been the teaching assistant for two different courses. During each class, I have a strong passion and feel obliged to make the class productive, attractive, and impressive.
Teaching Experience
- Operations Management (OPIM 3104)
- Self-built course website: https://hongfeiuconn.github.io/OPIM3104/
- Spring 2018
- School of Business, University of Connecticut
- class size: 136
- Teaching evaluation: 4.3 out of 5
- Main Contents
- Decision-making tools
- Inventory management
- Linear programming
- Forecasting
- Operations Management (OPIM 3104)
- Business Information Systems (OPIM 3103)
- Self-built course website: https://hongfeiuconn.github.io/OPIM3103/
- Fall 2018
- School of Business, University of Connecticut
- class size: 41
- Teaching evaluation: 3.9 out of 5
- Main Contents
- SQL
- Microsoft Access
- Excel
- Database Design
- Introduction to R
Workshop
- Introduction to Neural Network
- Fall 2019
- School of Business, University of Connecticut
Teaching Assistant
- Business Information Systems
- Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017
- School of Business, University of Connecticut
- Operations Management
- Fall 2017
- School of Business, University of Connecticut
Teaching Interests
I am interested in technical courses related to mathematics, statistics, econometrics, and computer language in business application. The technical knowledge can help students thoroughly understand the business tools they are using. In my opinion, although business students do not have to fully master the very basic details behind the technical tools, statistical software, or well-built packages, they at least need to know what happens behind the technique and how to interpret the analysis results.
Lecture Design
- Reliability
- Reliability means all the contents I teach should be as precise and correct as possible. To guarantee reliability, I always make good preparations before class and look up authorized textbooks and online materials.
- Absorbability
- Absorbability means most of the students can follow my lecture provided that the lecture contents are in accordance with the course requirement. Teaching is not about how much I give to my students, but about how much they can get from my lectures.
- Expandability
- Expandability means that I need to teach not only the contents in textbooks, but also the most up to date content. I do not teach students “dead knowledge” but teach them to think critically. For example, when I teach inventory management, the inventory model becomes more complicated as assumptions are relaxed, so I take this opportunity to let them know why people need to make assumptions in business context and why assumptions are important but at the same time noteworthy.
Teaching Philosophy
- To be inspiring inside classroom
- To enlighten students’ interest inside the class, I usually start my class with a practical problem in a business context and induce students to think about how to solve this problem. An interesting story can always motivate students to think and follow my steps. Then I abstract the business problem to a technical problem and introduce the students the technical tools such as mathematics and statistics. Next, I will show them how to solve the problem with technical tools. At last, I will bring them back to practice and discuss the application, limitation, and some other extension knowledge.
- To be responsible outside classroom
- Outside the class, I never miss any students’ emails and guarantee to reply to them in time. I keep regular office hours and always add extra office hours before exams. I am kind to all students, but rigorous in creating a fair class environment for everyone.