Teaching Philosophy (and not only …)
I always enjoyed the process of learning which later became my inspiration for dedicating
my time to helping others. The main objective of my career as a Professor of Computer Science
has always been referring to my own experience as a student in order to analyze the pros and cons
of the teaching process. It has always helped me in communication with students which is the key
to successful class sessions.
I always try to keep the thin line between being a friend of a student and the objective
evaluator and demanding professor at the same time as I believe that demanding the most out of
everything leads to bigger steps to success of the student. Once they get used to working hard and
studying wisely, it gets easier for them to keep up with the new material and that is what I have
always been trying to establish as a credo for my teaching process.
I am an local expert of accreditation and a coordinator of ABET accreditation at Tbilisi
State University. Additionally, I have years of experience in curriculum development which helps
me to identify the optimal ways of sharing knowledge to students from different backgrounds.
From developing and implementing curriculum to communicating effectively with peers and
executive teams to achieve specific goals, my background has prepared me to excel in activities
that support educational development. What is more, by participating at International Forums such
as Workshop on INTAS Programms supporting Young Scientists, ICIAM 07, The International
Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics, International Conference on Computational
Intelligence, etc. I managed to get superior interpersonal and multitasking capabilities, which I
use to excel at providing individual support for students. Additionally, I obtained a well-rounded
knowledge of specifics of how different industries work which I use to motivate the young students
in pursuing their careers.
While participating in various international projects including Fulbright Faculty
Development Program, SUNY Stone Brook in New York as a visiting Researcher and as adjunct
Professor at San Diego State University – Georgia, I realized that intercultural experience helps
learning process to become more inclusive which motivates students to engage in classroom
activities and helps them realize that it is quite normal for everyone to come across the obstacles.
Classroom management, syllabus development, ABET international accreditation are among the
few areas that I have been fully excelled for the majority part of my academic career. As Computer
Science is one of the most innovating fields of studies that Georgian students have shown a great
devotion to, I believe it is my responsibility to guide them through the learning process by
providing them internationally-acclaimed methods and materials of teaching and that is what I
have been striving for. I have been creating and implementing hands-on educational activities and
real-life projects for beginner to advanced students of Computer Science to help them prepare for
not only the academic success but for the outstanding results in their experience of working in
industries in the future as well. That is why every assignment that I have used in my classroom
has been focused on putting theoretical knowledge in practice.
During the years of my experience as a teacher, seeing students growing personally and
professionally over the years has been the most rewarding experience. Their success stories and
their incredible achievements are always motivating me to put my whole energy into their studying
process.
I believe that there is no universal approach to teaching and as a Professor, it is my
responsibility to identify what works best for each student and put my heart in it. I always remind
my students that hard work always pays off. Sometimes it might not be visible at first stages of
academic career, but eventually students who work hard during their studies end up being one of
the best employees in the company due to their skills to do the tasks efficiently. This is what I have
always been encouraging my students to never give up because commitment and devotion always
pays off. Additionally, I believe that at some point when they face difficulties and even a failure
which are inevitable at some point of everyone’s life, they need to feel the encouragement from
their mentor to realize that they are not alone.
Every individual is different when it comes to their preferences to the learning process
which is why I always try to stay flexible during my teaching sessions. For me the outcome is the
most important which is why I always accommodate students with everything they require from
me. My main objective is to help students advance their knowledge by providing an opportunity
to combine their theoretical knowledge and practice, which helps them to develop themselves as
problem-solvers eager to contribute to making a world a better place.