My teaching philosophy centers around three principles: 1) mindset change, 2) less is more, 3) the role of a facilitator.
I consider my teaching successful if my students leave the class with a different mindset about at least one thing. For example, they may enter my class thinking AI is going to replace most jobs and take over the world, especially after the popularity of Generative AI such as ChatGPT. They will graduate from my class knowing that even ChatGPT is still a weak form of AI due to the lack of general intelligence.
I am a big believer of active learning and "less is more." I would rather cover fewer topics with greater depth, than bombarding students with lots of information that will not stick. I use hands-on exercises regularly to help students learn about the importance of IT in today's business world, whether it is ERP, CRM, e-commerce, mobile apps, social media, ransomware, phishing, responsible AI, blockchain, or IoT.
With the explosive amount of information available on the Internet, teachers should not and will not be the sole source of knowledge. I see myself more as a facilitator of learning or a designer of learning experiences, than simply a disseminator of knowledge. I strive to make my classes a safe environment for students to learn from not only me but also other students. I enjoy learning from my students as well.
Over the years, I have participated in many workshops on course design, syllabus development, student motivation and evaluation, active learning, case-based teaching, multimedia presentations, online course design.
Here are a list of courses that I have developed and taught over the years:
Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies (Executive and DBA Levels)
This course is designed to help top executives to become tech savvy and prepare their organizations for the rapidly changing technological environments. We start with a deep dive into IT as a disruptive force and how companies and individuals can be innovative. We cover the fundamentals of business analytics and how emerging technologies such as the artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing can continue to transform and shape our businesses, lives, and society.
AI for Competitive Advantage (Master Level)
This course is about artificial intelligence and its business applications. Through a combination of readings, case discussions, exercises, and projects, we will explore the following questions:
- What is artificial intelligence? How do machines learn? What are major machine learning techniques?
- How do machines play games, recognize images and speeches, translate, answer questions?
- What are convolutional neural networks? What is reinforcement learning?
- What are business applications of AI in finance, accounting, human resources, marketing, sales, etc.?
- What is explainable AI? What are the ethical risks and challenges associated with AI?
- What is the impact of AI on humanity? Will or when will superintelligence emerge?
Web 2.0: The Business of Social Media (MBA and Undergraduate)
This course focuses on key social media technologies and their business applications in marketing, advertising, innovation, and collaboration. How to design and implement a social media marketing strategy or campaign? How can businesses effectively respond to social media crises? How can managers use to social media to promote employee engagement and collaboration? What are the risks and "dark sides" of social media. Students will read, think, and discuss these questions through a combination of readings, cases analyses, and hands-on projects.
IDSC 3001 Information Systems for Business Processes and Management (Undergraduate Level)
This is a broad survey course required of all Carlson School undergraduate students. It covers topics including enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), electronic commerce, social media, privacy, security, IT infrastructure, database, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, etc. The course equips business students with a comprehensive and solid understanding of digital technologies and how they have and will continue to transform businesses.
Research Seminar on Emerging Technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, & Virtual Reality (PhD Level)
This is a PhD Seminar on the latest research on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, metaverse, and social media. Example topics include AI transparency, AI aversion, human-robot interactions, designs and mechanisms of blockchain, the impact of augmented reality and virtual reality, peer production, and online social networks. We will be reading and discussing book chapters and articles from multiple disciplines including but not limited to information systems, human-computer interaction, management, communication, and computer science.
Research Seminar on Social Media and Online Communities (PhD Level)
This is a PhD seminar to expose students to theories and methods related to social media and online communities. We cover key topics in motivation, identity, collaboration and innovation, social networks, community dynamics and evolution, electronic word-of-mouth, and risks associated with social media. Through readings and class discussions, students will learn how to read academic papers, how to synthesize papers to understand the big picture, how to motivate a research question, how to theorize, and how to write papers.
I consider my teaching successful if my students leave the class with a different mindset about at least one thing. For example, they may enter my class thinking AI is going to replace most jobs and take over the world, especially after the popularity of Generative AI such as ChatGPT. They will graduate from my class knowing that even ChatGPT is still a weak form of AI due to the lack of general intelligence.
I am a big believer of active learning and "less is more." I would rather cover fewer topics with greater depth, than bombarding students with lots of information that will not stick. I use hands-on exercises regularly to help students learn about the importance of IT in today's business world, whether it is ERP, CRM, e-commerce, mobile apps, social media, ransomware, phishing, responsible AI, blockchain, or IoT.
With the explosive amount of information available on the Internet, teachers should not and will not be the sole source of knowledge. I see myself more as a facilitator of learning or a designer of learning experiences, than simply a disseminator of knowledge. I strive to make my classes a safe environment for students to learn from not only me but also other students. I enjoy learning from my students as well.
Over the years, I have participated in many workshops on course design, syllabus development, student motivation and evaluation, active learning, case-based teaching, multimedia presentations, online course design.
Here are a list of courses that I have developed and taught over the years:
Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies (Executive and DBA Levels)
This course is designed to help top executives to become tech savvy and prepare their organizations for the rapidly changing technological environments. We start with a deep dive into IT as a disruptive force and how companies and individuals can be innovative. We cover the fundamentals of business analytics and how emerging technologies such as the artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing can continue to transform and shape our businesses, lives, and society.
AI for Competitive Advantage (Master Level)
This course is about artificial intelligence and its business applications. Through a combination of readings, case discussions, exercises, and projects, we will explore the following questions:
- What is artificial intelligence? How do machines learn? What are major machine learning techniques?
- How do machines play games, recognize images and speeches, translate, answer questions?
- What are convolutional neural networks? What is reinforcement learning?
- What are business applications of AI in finance, accounting, human resources, marketing, sales, etc.?
- What is explainable AI? What are the ethical risks and challenges associated with AI?
- What is the impact of AI on humanity? Will or when will superintelligence emerge?
Web 2.0: The Business of Social Media (MBA and Undergraduate)
This course focuses on key social media technologies and their business applications in marketing, advertising, innovation, and collaboration. How to design and implement a social media marketing strategy or campaign? How can businesses effectively respond to social media crises? How can managers use to social media to promote employee engagement and collaboration? What are the risks and "dark sides" of social media. Students will read, think, and discuss these questions through a combination of readings, cases analyses, and hands-on projects.
IDSC 3001 Information Systems for Business Processes and Management (Undergraduate Level)
This is a broad survey course required of all Carlson School undergraduate students. It covers topics including enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), electronic commerce, social media, privacy, security, IT infrastructure, database, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, etc. The course equips business students with a comprehensive and solid understanding of digital technologies and how they have and will continue to transform businesses.
Research Seminar on Emerging Technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, & Virtual Reality (PhD Level)
This is a PhD Seminar on the latest research on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, metaverse, and social media. Example topics include AI transparency, AI aversion, human-robot interactions, designs and mechanisms of blockchain, the impact of augmented reality and virtual reality, peer production, and online social networks. We will be reading and discussing book chapters and articles from multiple disciplines including but not limited to information systems, human-computer interaction, management, communication, and computer science.
Research Seminar on Social Media and Online Communities (PhD Level)
This is a PhD seminar to expose students to theories and methods related to social media and online communities. We cover key topics in motivation, identity, collaboration and innovation, social networks, community dynamics and evolution, electronic word-of-mouth, and risks associated with social media. Through readings and class discussions, students will learn how to read academic papers, how to synthesize papers to understand the big picture, how to motivate a research question, how to theorize, and how to write papers.