I
am privileged to have the honor of teaching at Temple. The diversity of students
at both the undergraduate level provides an experience that few instructors will
ever experience. An instructor in finance has an ideal situation where you can
apply the theory developed in the class or text to real world applications
immediately. My approach in the classroom is just that. In my class we will use
a number of internet resources to examine real time financial information and
explain relationships. I have a number of spreadsheet templates that allow you
to "play" with inputs to better understand financial relationships.
Learning finance should be fun, not drudgery.
In
my classes I want students actively involved in the learning process. For
example, I want students to be able to
·
Explain
- in fairly basic terms - current events that relate to our subject material.
·
Access
print and internet resources that relate to our subjects.
·
Calculate
financial relationships using real market data
·
Take
risks by answering questions posed in class
Let
me address the last item on the list above. Whether its a large or small class,
I will always be asking questions in class, usually as part of a review at the
beginning. If you can answer these questions, then you will do well on exams
because this is the material I will use. Everyone needs to develop the ability
to speak up in front of a group and take the risk of stating their opinion. I
will push you as far as you will let me. Participating in my class is a life
skill, not a finance skill.
Students
who want to learn finance do not have to be "financially" inclined.
They just need the desire and must be willing to stick with the material. I try
to make it easy for you to learn. Class notes and spreadsheet templates are
posted on my class home page. I use a class listserv to communicate additional
information for the course and am always available to answer questions via
e-mail.
Even
when I teach large sections, I try to get to know as many students as possible.
Don't be surprised if I call you by name by the middle of the semester.
Regardless of class size, I want you to use me as a primary resource for
learning the class material. I make this availability possible through the use
of email. No question is too "trivial" or "stupid." The only
"stupid" questions are those that are unasked.
I
look forward to seeing you - electronically or physically - in class! Best
wishes for academic success in whatever path you choose.
MBA
teaching at Temple is also a privilege. In the fifth largest market in the
United States, Temple attracts a wide range of students with varied backgrounds.
My task is to bring those experiences to bear on the material being addressed in
the class.
Finance
at the graduate level is an exciting subject because of its immediate
applicability. I will rarely use back-of-the-chapter questions if a live
application is available. The downside of this approach is that real world
data are messy and rarely provide as clean an answer as a textbook problem. My
primary goal, however, is to help you learn that few finance problems involve a
single, correct answer. Most likely, a set of possible responses would be
appropriate (with some more appropriate than others), each with their own
risk-return tradeoff. My goal is for you to be able to frame these tradeoffs in
the context of the firm's strategy.
My
courses are structured to make learning easier for the part-time MBA student.
Class notes and spreadsheet templates are posted on my class home page. I use a
class listserv to communicate additional information for the course and am
always available to answer questions via e-mail. You can email assignments to me
as well.
I
will work hard to make the class a good learning experience for you. However,
learning is a partnership, not a one-way street. I expect you to come to class
prepared - and prepared means more than just reviewing the material a few
minutes before class. For my 2 ½ hour classes you probably need to spend at
least that amount of time reading the assigned material and ancillary resources.
Class participation plays an important role in the learning process and I will
be calling on students frequently - especially when I review concepts from the
previous classes. I encourage students to form study groups because peers can be
very helpful in the learning process.
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Last Update: 15-October-01 15:30