CTE Home >> About the CTE >> CTE Staff >> Zachary G. Goodell

Zachary G. Goodell

Co-Director

Phone: (804) 827-0562 Office: Center for Teaching Excellence Virginia Commonwealth University Academic Learning Commons 1000 Floyd Avenue, Suite 4102 Richmond, VA 23284 Email: zggoodel@vcu.edu

Background

I grew up in Charlottesville, VA where my dad was a professor at UVA for about thirty years. I came to VCU as an undergraduate student in 1983. In 1987 I earned a B.S. in Psychology and I quickly put the degree to use bartending and painting houses! After a year I decided to go back to VCU to get my masters in Sociology. In 1990 I earned my M.S. in Sociology and began teaching sociology courses as an adjunct both at VCU and at J. Sargent Reynolds Community College. In 1997 I went back to school at VCU for a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration –concentrating on Higher Education in urban settings. In 2000 I was approached by Joe Marolla who asked me if I would help him start a Center for Teaching Excellence here at VCU and I accepted. I have been working here ever since! I also continue to teach for the Sociology program where I have been since 1992.

As Co-Director of CTE, my responsibilities include:

• Co-direct the daily operations of the CTE
• Coordinate
• CTE Junior Faculty Mentorship Program
• CTE Faculty Learning Communities Program
• Provide training and support for the effective use of “clickers” in instructional settings

I also offer workshops in the following areas:

• Classroom Assessment (Formative Assessment)
• Classroom Management
• Teaching with Audience Response Systems (Aka “clickers”)
• Fostering Critical Thinking Skills in Students
• Affective Domain: the Role of Motivations, Attitudes, and Emitions in Teaching and Learning
• Exploring Learning-Centered Teaching Practices
• Developing a Teaching Philosophy
• Developing a Teaching Portfolio
• Developing a Syllabus
• Teaching Large Classes

I am also available for consultations, classroom observations, or a beer!