I have been an educator in one form or another pretty much my whole adult life - starting as a substitute teacher the day after I graduated high school, tutoring throughout college, and serving as a teaching assistant and instructor for 8+ years at the University of Iowa. I have also engaged in formal training, as well as research and writing related to teaching and pedagogy. I was awarded the University of Iowa Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award in 2020.

What I enjoy most about teaching is empowering students to use social scientific methods to ask questions and generate solutions. My teaching philosophy is driven by three overarching goals: to teach sociology from an intersectional lens, to demystify the process of sociological knowledge production, and to elevate voices that are underrepresented and marginalized.

Teaching-Focused Research and Writing

How instructors can incorporate Ear Hustle – a podcast produced and recorded by people in prison – to teach about mass incarceration.

In a review published in the journal Teaching Sociology, I wrote about how instructors can incorporate Ear Hustle, a podcast produced and recorded by people in prison, as class material in a range of sociology courses to help students learn about the far-reaching impacts of mass incarceration by hearing directly from those impacted.

Hansini Munasinghe. 2020. Podcast Review: Ear Hustle. Teaching Sociology. 48(3):262-264. doi:10.1177/0092055X20931537 Article →

Project in Progress: Utilizing Student-Centered Goal Setting

I am currently conducting a research project on the use of student-centered goal setting. This project is part of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) at the University of Iowa.

Training in Teaching and Pedagogy

Received Graduate Certificate in College Teaching from Iowa’s College of Education.
Pursued training and research experience in evidence-based and reflective approaches to teaching as a member of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL).

Teaching Experience

Primary Instructor

Designed and taught a fully-online course on Social Inequality for 11 semesters, including creating recorded lectures and all learning material, assignments, activities, and exams.
Facilitated weekly discussions of about 25 students each, synthesizing class materials and tackling difficult and sensitive topics related to sociology.
Supervised and collaborated with graduate student teaching assistants in summer semesters.
Coordinated administrative duties, including grading and meeting needs of students.

Course(s)	Semesters
Social Inequality	Summer 2021, Spring 2020, Fall 2019, Summer 2019, Spring 2019, Fall 2018, Summer 2018, Spring 2018, Fall 2017, Summer 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016

Section Instructor

Taught in collaboration with faculty and other graduate students in a range of sociology courses.
Designed learning materials, including activities, writing assignments, and media, to facilitate student engagement.
Conducted class discussions with groups of 20-40 students, synthesizing class materials and tackling difficult and sensitive topics related to sociology.
Coordinated administrative duties, including grading assignments and exams, frequently communicating with and meeting needs of students.

Course(s)	Semesters
Introduction to Sociology	Spring 2016, Fall 2015
Social Inequality	Spring 2015, Fall 2020

Grader

Coordinated administrative duties, including grading assignments and exams, frequently communicating with and meeting needs of students.

Course(s)	Semesters
Social Inequality	Spring 2015
American Family	Fall 2014
Race and Ethnicity	Fall 2014
Social Inequality	Spring 2014
Social Networks	Fall 2013
Research Methods	Spring 2013

Courses

Social Inequality see syllabus (Fall 2019)
International Migration
Race & Ethnicity
Gender & Family
Introduction to Sociology
Statistics & Research Methods