Teaching Philosophy
What I value most in teaching is helping students answer one question for themselves: Why does this matter to me? When students can answer it, they take ownership of their learning. This matters even more now, as AI becomes part of how students learn. AI can increasingly provide personalized learning experiences tailored to individual needs.
This raises another question I want students to find their own answers to: Why do we still learn together at a university? I want to create classrooms where students can experience the value of learning with others. I believe reexamining the value of learning together will become an increasingly important responsibility for higher education in the years ahead.
I have developed several classroom strategies for both, which I describe in my teaching statement and am always happy to talk about.
Teaching Interests
Based on my teaching and research experience, I am eager to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including:
- Introduction to Informatics
- Foundations of information science, information behavior, HCI, and human–AI interaction, and the ethics of information technologies.
- Human–AI Interaction for Thinking and Learning
- How interactions with AI shape thinking, learning, creativity, and agency.
- Designing and Evaluating Interactive Information Systems
- User-centered design, prototyping, and evaluation.
- Think Deep, Dream Big, Build Future with Peers and AI
- A new course I’d be happy to discuss in interviews or in-person conversations.
Courses
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I301
Introduction to Informatics
4.86 / 5.0
TA evaluation
Yujin is very nice and approachable; she always tries to clear up any confusion in the topics and always hosts activities that make the discussion very engaging, and I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the topics. She also brings in real–life examples and experiences from alumni of the field to share the experience and knowledge to students about the reality about this field.
Student evaluation -
I301
Introduction to Informatics
4.86 / 5.0
TA evaluation
I loved interacting with our TA, as she has been very helpful to students. Especially since this was an introductory class, she has done a good job in breaking complicated terms down into simple terms which have helped engage a lot of students.
Student evaluation -
I303
Ethical Foundations for Informatics
4.93 / 5.0
TA evaluation
I am beyond grateful for Yujin as a TA! She made the lectures digestible and gave us great opportunities to learn and discuss our findings. Even when injured, she was an effective communicator and answered my questions quickly and cheerfully. She embraces feedback and loves to hear from us. I always felt comfortable in her class and enjoyed it so much because of her.
Student evaluation -
INF 380E
Perspectives on Information
4.64 / 5.0
TA evaluation
Yujin was very encouraging and supportive throughout the course and respected that everyone is coming from different backgrounds and perspectives.
Student evaluation
Teaching Certificates
- Advanced Teaching Preparation Certificate, Center for Teaching and Learning, UT Austin, Spring 2024. Lesson planning, discussion facilitation, student engagement, and student well-being.
- Teaching Preparation Certificate, Center for Teaching and Learning, UT Austin, Fall 2023. Pedagogical theory, grading and feedback, and syllabus design.
In the Classroom
Starting with my second TA appointment, I met students on my own once a week, leading the group activities, discussions, writing studios, and APA citation seminars I developed. These are the final slides I always share on the last day of class, filled with my students’ name tents (blurred here to protect their privacy). On the first day, each student made their own name tent, and I used them to take attendance: at the start of every class, I handed each tent back to its owner, face to face, and collected them again afterward. Learning every face and name early on helped me build the rapport with students that our class needed.
