Dana-Marie Ramjit, Ph.D.

Overview

The elements of my philosophy of teaching and learning are:

1. Critical Pedagogy – as an instructor, I see my role as challenging, enabling, and supporting my students. My goal is to help them acquire knowledge based on evidence-based analysis of real-world phenomena and contextualize it to understand the wider society. I aim for students to evolve into critical and creative thinkers about public policy knowledge and fields of practice. This intellectual expedition is achieved in several ways: individual engagement with relevant, multifarious course materials (readings, lectures, videos, games); discussions inside and outside of the classroom with instructors and peers; and personal writing and group work to analyze real-world data, think critically about it and synthesize one’s questions and conclusions.

2. Respect for Students – university students have diverse experiences (age, communities, responsibilities, families). As an instructor, I prioritize respect and compassion for all students and strive to create an open learning environment for all to share their lives and experiences in the classroom suitably and creatively.

3. Values & Ethics – the Values and Ethics Code for the public sector of Canada includes respect for democracy, respect for people, integrity, stewardship, and excellence. My premises resonate with these principles.

4. Continuous Self-Improvement – my enduring commitment to the teaching profession involves continuously improving my practice through reflection and professional development to enhance my skills.

5. Community Service – my professional experience includes thirteen years of academic knowledge and 15 years of community development work among youth and the elderly. This work included organizing and conducting training and community education events at the local level. In 2021, I founded a non-profit, The Sapphire Project, that works mainly in developing countries like India to address the challenges of poverty, lack of access to education, and hopelessness.

I am interested in working with Adler students because of their passion, engagement, and energy. I also appreciate the diversity of our students and feel inspired by their inquiries. Finally, I am motivated to know that I am supporting people and providing a valuable service, and our Adler students are impressive in articulating their learning.