Teaching

My teaching interests lie in the areas of business strategy and entrepreneurship. These interests have been shaped by my teaching experience at various universities (discussed more below) and also by my research interests which are in the same areas.

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Teaching Experience

MgmtMBA 214 (UCI) - Entrepreneurship

• Instructor for MBA introductory course to entrepreneurship

• Instructor ratings Fall 2022: 3.96 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Fall 2021: 3.99 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Fall 2020: 3.94 out of 4.00

MGMT 113 (UCI) – Entrepreneurship

• Instructor for undergraduate introductory course to entrepreneurship

• Instructor ratings Winter 2023: 3.93 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Fall 2022: 3.97 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Fall 2021: 3.95 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Winter 2021: 3.95 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Fall 2020: 3.92 out of 4.00

• Awarded the “Excellence in Teaching Award” (given to one elective course per year, as voted by students)

INNO 214 (UCI) – Entrepreneurship

• Instructor for required course in Masters of Innovation and Entrepreneurship program

• Instructor ratings Winter 2023: 3.94 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Winter 2022: 3.77 out of 4.00

• Instructor ratings Winter 2021: 3.91 out of 4.00

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BUSI 411 (UNC) – Strategic Management

• Sole instructor for required undergraduate core strategy course

• Instructor ratings Fall 2018: 4.8 out of 5.0 (falls within the top 10% of all instructors)

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Guest lecturer: MBA@UNC Entrepreneurship Summit

• Invited to lecture at entrepreneurship summit for UNC MBA students

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Teaching Philosophy

I believe that students do not learn if they are not engaged. To that end, I emphasize student engagement in my teaching by striving to do four key things:

1. ​Show as much enthusiasm as possible. It is hard for students to be enthusiastic about the material if the professor is not also enthusiastic. As such, I consciously try to exhibit as much enthusiasm as possible in my teaching.

   • ​​Comments from evaluations: “He showed a real passion for the material and teaching,” “Great enthusiasm and passion for the subject material,” and “Obviously very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject.”

2. Use multiple pedagogies. I believe it is important that the class includes a mix of lecture, class discussion, small group discussions, video clips that illustrate key points, and in-class activities. I believe students are more likely to learn when the material is taught in a variety of ways.

   • ​Comments from evaluations: “He kept students engaged throughout the semester. Through dialogue and questions, every class flew by”, or “I enjoyed the way he structured the class, and how he allowed for ample opportunities for participation,” and “He made coming to class fun.”

3. Create a friendly and accepting environment. Students are less likely to participate when they fear their opinions will be shot down or dismissed. As such, I strive to create an open and friendly environment and demeanor.

   • ​Comments from evaluations: “I didn’t feel intimidated to talk in this class and I love how he welcomed opinions,” or “I loved how no matter what I said in class Prof. Howell made it relevant to the course and the case for that day. It really gave me the freedom to participate and explore new ideas without the fear of being shot down and embarrassed. My participation in this class is better than any other in the B-school.”

4. Incorporate current events. Students are most engaged and interested in the course material when it is applied to current events. To that end, I strive to teach the course concepts using as many real-life examples as possible, and I encourage discussion of current examples during case discussions.

   • ​​Comments from evaluations: “He puts a lot of time and effort into making sure that the content is engaging by teaching concepts that are relevant to both the course work and current events,” and “he also challenged us to stay up to date on current events…that was very helpful for me.”