Dr. Carrie Ross

Education

Ph.D. in Animal Science – University of Georgia, August 2012

M.S. in Environmental Science – University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, May 2008

B.S.A. in Animal Science – University of Georgia, August 2006

B.S.E.H. in Environmental Health – University of Georgia, August 2006

A.S. in Agriculture – Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, May 2003

Teaching Philosophy

My philosophy on instructing students has developed through my experiences as a student in undergraduate and graduate courses. My college professors who made a deep impression on my learning experience were the ones who made an effort to present material in an engaging instructive manner. Making use of any resource at their disposal to engage students, including power points, videos, or hands-on learning. Despite the difficulty of the subject it was evident that they worked their hardest to provide all students with the chance to gain an understanding of the topic and it was always evident that they had an interest in what they were teaching. They also made an effort to be approachable within the classroom and as an advisor. It is my goal to make my instruction of students of the same quality that I had the chance to receive.

I work hard to develop a learning environment in my courses for all learning styles to provide students with extensive opportunities. I prefer to use interactive lecture materials including power point presentations to present information. Students are able to view succinct bullet points of information, with the addition of figures to emphasize a topic with the use of power point. The use of the board allows for the opportunity for students to hand write notes, which I have found aids in retention of presented materials. I also like to provide the opportunity, where available, to show videos or have a hands-on activity to further emphasize topics. I believe it is critical to provide laboratories with “hands-on” activities whenever possible. My own experiences as an undergraduate are most notably memorable when “hands-on” was a primary portion of the curriculum. I was provided with numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge of practical skills dealing with animals, animal production, and even basic laboratory procedures. For me this was life changing and the very reason I entered Animal Science. I strive to provide that to my students today, while finding when tasks are intimidating to simply relate my own experiences to students gives them the confidence to try. The knowledge that everyone has a starting point and that at times we all stumble on our way to understanding is a very strong confidence builder. I have found this particularly helpful when tasks included things such as de-horning, castrations, shearing, or other intimidating procedures. Building confidence as well as a skill set gives students a firm foundation to take them in the direction they set for their life.

I believe the classroom is where learning begins. I like to promote a classroom environment where open discussions are welcome as part of lecture to foster learning among the students. Open discussion allows the students a chance to voice questions during academically challenging or controversial topics, and more importantly allows them to think critically and logically while working to apply the material. The students then have the chance to ask question during lectures on difficult material; they are not only helping themselves, but others who might not understand either.

My ultimate goal that I strive for each and every time as an instructor is relating my passion for science to my students. I love the subjects I have taught. I do my best to convey my aspirations for learning about science to my students by relating difficult topics to something tangible. I try to engage them in animal science through positive experiences and hands-on learning activities. These experiences vary from student to student. As I relate my passion, for the subject matter, I hope to instill in my students the knowledge to pursue their own careers.