Teaching

My formal teaching philosophy is simple; to develop skills in the individual that they can apply in their working life. I choose the development of skills rather than the acquisition and application of knowledge due to the rapidly changing nature and role of IT in statistical courses. Knowledge learned today may be irrelevant tomorrow. The ability to critically select information sources, mentally summarize the concepts and apply those concepts to solve a real life problem is what education means to me.

I see my role as a teacher to motivate and engage students, enabling them to become independent learners able to source information, critically assess its suitability for purpose and apply key concepts to new situations. Motivated and engaged students will be retained on the course and eventually complete the course successfully. In my teaching I set up norms and expectations of behavior early in the class and maintain those norms throughout the course.

My experience has taught me that the relationship between students and me as a teacher depends to a large extent upon the age of the student. What is appropriate for a school age student would be inappropriate for an adult student. What works for a European student may not work for an Asian student. Certainly in all cases the relationship should be one based on mutual respect, but the power relationships need not be one of dominant and subordinate. In a best case scenario a student will feel able to approach the teacher on an equal footing, listen attentively and ask questions easily. My maxim has always been to treat individuals as individuals since there is great diversity both between cultures and within cultures, within the sexes and between the sexes and any other group we might like to consider.

Teaching environments may differ from traditional to online but in both cases my understanding is that an effective learning environment should maximize purposeful communication between the teacher and student and ideally between the students. An effective learning environment is engaging, empowering, motivating and has a life of its own such that it requires minimal re-energizing by the teacher.

With an extensive experience in online teaching where adult learners are dominant in the classroom, I have found that adult learners can themselves be a teaching resource in a learning environment where they freely express their experiences. So, I find that fostering a positive learning environment also allows me to learn from students while I share my own experiences and knowledge.

Courses taught at Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade

  • Time series analysis (Analiza vremenskih serija)
  • Multivariate analysis (Multivarijaciona analiza)
  • Theoretical econometrics (Ekonometrija, 4th year)
  • Basic econometrics (Ekonometrija, 3rd year)
  • Theoretical statistics (Teorijska statistika)
  • Sampling theory and experimental design (Teorija uzoraka i planiranje eksperimenta)
  • Theoretical statistics (Statistika II)
  • Sampling theory and experimental design (Statistika III)
  • Computer programming - Fortran IV (Programiranje za racunare - Fortran IV)

Courses taught at Department of Sociology, University of Belgrade

  • Statistical analysis (Statisticka analiza)

Courses taught at Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

  • 72160 Statistical analysis
  • 73213 Research methods and interpretation
  • 160 Quantitative business methods
  • 71150 Information systems
  • 71252 Systems analysis
  • 150 Computer concepts
  • 4029 Introductory mathematics for statistics
  • MAT 1100 Foundation mathematics
  • 181 Elementary mathematics for tertiary studies
  • 182 Intermediate mathematics for tertiary studies
  • 183 Technical mathematics for tertiary studies
  • SP100 Software applications
  • PP110 Programming principles
  • SF100 Software fundamentals
  • SO100 Systems overview
  • Introduction to the web
  • Microsoft Excel 98/2000/XP
  • Microsoft FrontPage 98/2000/XP

Initiated, developed and wrote set texts for courses

  • Multivariate analysis (Multivarijaciona analiza)
  • Time series analysis (Analiza vremenskih serija)

Initiated, developed course and web-based learning environment

  • 71254 Electronic commerce

Technical editor for courses

  • 72160 Statistical Analysis
  • 71354 Computer networks and data communications
  • 71258 Collaborative technologies

Developed web support pages

  • 71150 Introduction to information systems and technology
  • SP100 Software applications

Use of statistical, time series analysis and econometrics programs

  • SPSS
  • R
  • Statistica
  • Stata
  • EViews
  • OxMetrics
  • Demetra+

Applied time series analysis

  • Short-range forecasting of economic time series
  • Decomposition of economic time series
  • ARIMA modelling of economic time series
  • Structural time series models
  • Multivariate time series models

Use of the Microsoft Office applications

  • Excel
  • Access