My teaching philosophy has evolved from a combination of previous teaching experience and a well-formed knowledge base in a relatively large area of biology topics. Coupled with good communication skills and teaching methods, as well as a caring attitude towards students, my experience was further enhanced through training, teaching, research and supervision. Teaching is the central part of my academic life.I am continuously involved in initiatives that improve the quality of teaching. I see myself as a facilitator with the overall goal of developing in students the capacity for independent action, initiative and responsibility — through this constructivist approach, the students are able to reinforce the recently learned concepts. Through exercises, practical assignments, and written examinations, I encourage students to better understand the topics at hand and develop creative and investigative skills.I graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Cluj in 1989, and then 1996 I obtained the Ph.D. degree in Veterinary Sciences at USAMV Cluj, Romania. I have an extensive post-secondary teaching and supervisory experiences from the period between 1991 and 2002 with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, USAMV Cluj. Later after my immigration to Canada in 2002, I continue teaching at the post-secondary level in the fields of animal care, biology, anatomy and physiology, initially at NAIT Edmonton, and later at Athabasca University since Jan. 2006.During the period I have been with Athabasca University, I have completed major revisions for BIOL 230 and 235 including the addition of lab component for BIOL 230, and recently I have completed the development of a new course, BIOL 320 Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates, which includes supervised laboratory activities.
