Shanna Luke

Shanna Luke began working at Southern Miss in September 2003 as an instructional designer for the LEC. She received an undergraduate in Advertising with an emphasis in Graphic Design in 1992 and a master’s in Adult Education in 1995 from USM. She has completed all coursework for a PhD in Instructional Design at the University of South Alabama.

After working as a graphic designer for several years, Shanna began working in higher education in 1995 where she developed the Institute for Learning in Retirement at Hinds Community College. After moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, she directed the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Community Services program which included professional development for K-12 teachers with a focus on character education, youth leadership development for all the high schools in the MGCCC district, and other community education programs.

My Instructional Philosophy

I believe that the key to effective teaching and learning is putting students in the center of the learning environment. Students’ interests, experiences, and processes for constructing knowledge should be incorporated in everything that happens in the classroom (virtual or traditional). Another key component to learning is making mistakes and learning from those mistakes. This can be the most important part of the learning process and students should be given the chance for “trial and error” before being formally assessed. Students can also learn from other students, therefore, instruction should provide opportunities within the class to work with classmates (as colleagues) to develop and perfect their skills and knowledge. A well-constructed semester can allow a student to grow in their content area and expand their thinking skills.