Experiential Learning
Teaching Philosophy
One of my preferred teaching strategies is to learn-by-doing, such as co-teaching with nature. Experiential learning, whether inside or outside of the classroom using a nature-based pedagogy allows for an in-depth and critical analysis of scholarly inquiry within the life and social sciences.
Nominated Professor of the Year - 2021/2022
University of Redlands
“Resilient, knowledgeable, selfless, empathetic, and inspirational - these are a few of the many words that students use to describe Dr. Shellie Zias-Roe”
— Excerpt from Gavi Dhariwal’s Nomination Speech of Dr. Shellie Zias-Roe for Professor of the Year - March 2022
Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness
Frameworks exist for providing evidence of teaching effectiveness. Teaching achievement can be structured within four evidence domains which include self-assessment, professional activities, measures of student learning, and peer review and recognition. These domains are often examined within specific areas, such as: effective teaching, skilled and collegial teaching, scholarly teaching, institutional leader, and national & global leadership. Representative examples of my teaching effectiveness include the following:
Effective Teacher/Advisor/Mentor
Higher Education Teaching Portfolio
Career Faculty Fellow: Office of Career and Professional Development - University of Redlands
Visiting Assistant/Adjunct Professor of 26 courses within nine years of teaching experience
Visiting Assistant/Adjunct Professor of ~700 undergraduate students face-to-face
Advised and Mentored ~45 first-year students through their second semester sophomore year
Visiting Assistant/Adjunct Professor of four first-year seminar courses centered on community-service learning: Civic Ecology and Sustainability Planning
Student Research Project Faculty Advisor & Mentor: Session Proposal ACCEPTED - American Planning Association National Conference, May 2, 2022 - “Community-Scale Resiliency Policy Appreciative Inquiry & Framework” - Brendhan Morris and Hannah Thurlow, University of Redlands.
Climate Teach-In: University of Redlands, April 7, 2022. “Climate Action/Climate Adaptation Plans U of R Student Framework”
Student Research Project Faculty Advisor & Mentor: Session Proposal - University of Redlands Spatial Summit, April 6, 2022. “Community-Scale Climate Change Policy Inquiry: Experiential Environmental Education at the University of Redlands” - Brendhan Morris, Hannah Thurlow, and Skylar Crawford
Student Research Project Faculty Advisor & Mentor: Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Los Angeles River Watershed Story Map Project - Shayla Funk, Senior and University of Redlands, 2017
Student Research Project Advisor: Sumner McPherson Poster Presentation - University of Redlands Geospatial Summit, 2016. “Planting Trees in Underserved Communities.”
Student Research Project Advisor: Yoko Matsuo Student Poster Presentation - American Planning Association, National Conference, Phoenix AZ, 2016. “Planning Future Food Environments.”
Student Research Project Advisor: Julieta Perez Student Poster Presentation - American Planning Association, National Conference, Phoenix AZ, 2016. “Spatial Equity: Access to Open Space.”
Student Research Project Advisor: Julieta Perez Student Poster Presentation - University of Redlands Geospatial Summit, 2015. “Spatial Justice and Equity Planning for Vulnerable Youth Using GIS.”
Student Involvement: University of Redlands students protest investment in fossil fuels - Redlands Daily Facts, February 14, 2016
Student Involvement: University of Redlands students participate in People’s Climate March - Redlands Daily Facts, October, 2014
Skilled and Collegial Teacher
Nominated for Professor of the Year - University of Redlands - AY 2021/2022
Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences nominated five faculty members as their Mortarboard Professor of the Year. This nomination is a nod by the students that I am making a difference in their educational journey.
E.C.O. - Environmental Career Opportunities: Visioning Environmental Careers
An environmental career community networking engagement between students and professionals across a wide spectrum of environmental careers. This was imagined as an opportunity to bring students together with environmental professionals and practitioners to share stories about their career knowledge and visions of the future working within a professional field that covers a variety of environmental topics. This program is executed in conjunction with the Department Coordinator of the Environmental Studies Department. Her role in organizational logistics and coordination is extremely critical to the success of the event.
Harvard: The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning - Teaching and Learning Strategies for Higher Education Certificate, 2018
Penn State University Sustainability Institute: Education through Sustainability Workshop, 2018
Nominated by Students as a Faculty Champion: Office of Career and Professional Development, September 2019
“Shellie was my FYS advisor. When she heard I was interested in both environmental studies and business administration, she recommended I do sustainable business so I could major in psychology as well. Also, she recommended me and only me for a peer advisor opening, which I ended up getting the job for. Also, she took us on a field trip to the ESRI headquarters, and I enjoyed it so much I'm considering minoring in spatial studies as well. I also got contact information of someone who works there so that I may intern there once I become an upperclassmen with more experience in the field. She has been a huge help in many ways and I appreciate all she has done for me.”
“Shellie is teaching us "on the job training" materials if we decide to gain employment in an environmental planning dept. She has exposed us to information that is utilized daily by environmental planners, where one of her previous students was hired as a direct result of the knowledge gained regarding Microsoft Project software from her class. Environmental planning is very complex with lots of different entities involved, and I feel the exposure Shellie is offering from her experience and expertise that I am better prepared for interview questions to be able to gain employment upon graduating. She is an asset to the students, and the Environmental Studies department.”
Scholarly Teacher
Ph.D. Committee Member: Algie Au, Ph.D. Candidate, 2020. “Human Behaviors, Urban Air Quality, and Respiratory Health”
Innovative teacher who integrates technology into courses by using evidence-informed approaches to contribute towards student learning and pedagogical knowledge.
Institutional Leader
EnVRonment: Immersive Environmental Studies using Virtual Reality Technology Grant
Faculty Technology Grants Encourage Academic Innovation Bulldog Blog Article - October, 2019
University of Redlands Our House Grants & Sponsored Research 2017, page 11
National and Global Leader
American Planning Association 2022 National Conference Session Proposals Peer Reviewer in Planning with Intention for Inclusion and Equity program content areas
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Expert Reviewer for the First Order Draft (FOD) of the Working Group III (WGIII) Contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) 2020
National Appointment by the President of the American Planning Association to the Diversity Task Force, 2017
American Planning Association 2016 National Conference Invited Speaker for 1st ever “Unconference for Planning in K-12 Education”
Teaching & Course Development Experience
Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental Planning Resiliency Planning: Climate Change Introduction to Environmental Studies Water Policy & Management/Low Impact Development Environmental Policy & Management Natural Resource Management Sustainability Theory & Practice Civic & Human Ecology Agroecological Systems Integrated Watershed Management Horticultural Therapy
U.S. EPA Urban Waters Federal Partnership
L.A. River Revitalization Project & University of Redlands Story Map - Shayla Funk, Senior
Immersion in Student Cultures
Connecting with students is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a professor.
What Students Have To Say:
“Shellie has inspired me to want to work in the environmental field as an environmental planner or consultant. The course helped me learn more about what goes into planning especially with climate change and other key factors that affect a city’s resilience.”
“I really like the way Shellie runs her classes. She knows a lot about her subject matter and is very engaging with students, rather than just lecturing and letting them figure out to find passion themselves. She made me want to learn more about the subject matter, and always dug a little deeper to find interesting examples, projects, and activities.”
“Awesome course that is extremely helpful in preparing students for the professional world, something that other classes often skip over/miss. I feel like this class fills a hole in my education in a fun and encouraging way, a lot of it due to the professor.”
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