If you had asked 10 year old Tyler what he wanted to be when he grew up, the answer would have been a very enthusiastic, “Teacher!”

Over time, however, that desire lessened as my fascination with technology grew. I ultimately ended up attending Fanshawe College to study Computer Systems Technology. I never fully abandoned that desire to teach, though. For a period of time in high school and college, I wrote tutorials for a major online security forum. I also ran the Community Access Program site in my hometown about 20 years ago, allowing people to come in and learn computer basics.

In college, I tutored and ran study sessions, and once I graduated, I got involved in any teaching/training I could. This involved returning to my former high school to speak to students, running training programs at conferences and even briefly teaching at my former college.

Returning to Teaching

It’s been more than a decade since I taught at the college, and the opportunity arose to return as a part-time professor. I wasn’t entirely sure I had the time, but it’s hard to say no to one of your favorite professors. Plus, I love sharing my knowledge or, as my family would say, being a “know-it-all.” So, I sat down and developed the course. I’m now gearing up to start teaching it.

Since we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic, the classes will all be taught remotely. While I’ve taught in both the classroom and online, this will be my first time experiencing asynchronous teaching. Which means that it’ll be a bit of a learning experience for me.

I’m definitely both nervous and excited about what the semester will bring. I’ve struggled with how to set up everything and ensure that the students get the (Read more...)