Category Archives: EDUCATOR
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION Interested in creative expression and psychological development, I began my education with a focus on counseling and expressive arts therapies. After some years working in public health and then international English education, I decided to pursue an interdisciplinary degree in English. One highlight of this doctoral program was the dual focus on language and…
Keynote Speaker: Professional Development Opportunities for Online Students, Tiffin University
Presentations from the 1st Annual Graduate Research Conference, Tiffin University, Ohio: Keynote, “Creating Opportunities for Student Professional Development in Online Programs”; March, 2019
“He Was the One Teacher That Pushed Me the Most During My Stay Here at SNHU”
“Then came my final capstone class again. Learning from past experiences, I requested Dr. Marlen Harrison as a capstone mentor, whom I felt was the best professor I ever had at SNHU. He was the one teacher that pushed me the most during my stay here at SNHU. I knew if I worked hard and could earn a good grade for him, that it was a grade well deserved.”
Student Testimonials
A vital part of my teaching pedagogy involves metacognition and reflective writing. The following are excerpts from mid-course and final reflective letters, as well as emails and Facebook posts, written by students around the world who have taken my courses. Click the course title to view its syllabus; click the students’ names to visit their…
Philosophy of Teaching
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING “To love what you do and feel that it matters, what could be more fun?” In the classroom, I employ a humanizing, student-centered pedagogy where all learners’ voices are valid, and where practice, exploration and reflection are more important than perfection. My goal is to nurture a critical learning environment that honors…
Bridging Passion and Profession: Supporting Agency and Investment in Multilingual University Writers
“The authors sought to look back at the trajectory of their experiences in a second language communication and composition course in order to more deeply understand the roles of agency and investment in their own and fellow classmates’ learning.”
Book Chapter: Humanizing Pedagogy and the Personal Essay
“classroom observations showed us that there was a strong connection between not only the theory and practice of using personal essays, but also of the outcomes such practice will have on student writing, creating a more humanized classroom environment.”
Language and Technology: An Interview with Dr. Harrison
Marlen was currently interviewed by a UK-based writer for a forthcoming article on language and technology. Here’s what he had to say… 1. In your opinion, how has the maximum number of characters allowed in a Tweet, coupled with people’s preference for short Facebook updates, influenced the way we communicate on social networks? Hmmm, I…
A Student’s Spirit Guide
Written by Michelle Colyar for Prof. David Loomis’ Journalism 120 course at IUP; published with permission of author and subject INDIANA- Brock Kawana never wanted to go to Indiana University of Pennsylvania. While wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt with the logo IUP Kawana explained why. “I knew IUP had a reputation for a lot of…
Meeting the Minister of Education
As part of the presentation of plans for a united language campus (KieliKampus) at JYU, Marlen along with student-researchers Jenni, Otto & Kate was invited to discuss his teaching philosophy and students’ acheivements in research and professional writing. In the audience were faculty, staff & administrators of JYU as well as representatives of the Finnish…