Teaching Portfolio

Mona Khadem Sameni

Economics Ph.D. Candidate1
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
January 2016

For more teaching information please visit : http://monasameni.com/index.php/teaching-2/

Table of Contents
Teaching Philosophy..3
Teaching Evaluations.5
Teaching Enhancement.11
Appendix
Sample Syllabus...12
Sample Assignment..16
Sample Exam....18

Teaching Philosophy
My first experience in teaching occurred when I became an English teacher at Iran Language
Institute. At that time, I was an Economics undergraduate student and started dreaming of
becoming a university teacher in my own field. As a doctorate student at the University of
Wisconsin Milwaukee, I have had the opportunity to teach Economics courses both as an instructor
and as a teaching assistant, at both the principles and advanced undergraduate levels. More
recently, I have also taught a more academically diverse group of students by working as a lecturer
at UWMs Lubar School of Business and at Cardinal Stritch University.
Based on my experience, students learn more when they communicate more effectively with
their professor. Having realized that, I always put maximum effort into building professional-yetfriendly relationships with my students. I do so by clarifying their responsibilities, getting to know
every student in my class, and making them realize that I care about their understanding of the
material taught. Since this strategy is more practical in smaller class settings, for large classes I
initially take surveys to learn about the students backgrounds, their fields of interests, and their
knowledge of mathematics. Through the semester, I constantly ask for their feedback about my
teaching style and provide timely feedback to them regarding their progress in the course.
One key element of effective teaching is active student participation. I use various in-class
activities such as group quizzes and discussions to motivate my students to engage in the lectures
more attentively. To stimulate critical thinking, I use real-world examples and case studies and
introduce them to the state-of-the-art online resources. This works superbly for freshmen and
undecided students because they learn that economic theories and tools can actually be applied

and used. For upper level students, this strategy provokes research ideas and an enthusiasm for
continuing their studies in economics. If the context of the course permits, I ask my students to
write papers and provide them with the opportunity to present their work and discuss it with their
classmates.
The success of a course is highly dependent upon the professors support outside the classroom.
Understanding this critical factor, I ask my students to contact me regarding any concerns that they
have and to visit me during weekly office hours or by appointment. I have noticed the one-on-one
interactions with my students are particularly helpful for students who remain reserved in the
classroom. In addition, as an individual who has had some professional experience outside of
academia, I find these one-on-one relationships with my students as one of the most rewarding
elements of the job and a major motivation for my seeking a permanent career in the academy.
I have enjoyed teaching diverse students with various backgrounds and in different
environments. I have realized that no matter whether I am teaching an evening class of older
professionals or a morning class of inexperienced young adults, it is I who should tailor the
curriculum to the specific needs of the audience. I have found this is the best way to nurture their
enthusiasm for learning. I look forward to starting my career as an assistant professor and further
developing my teaching skills. Ideally, to be most proud of my profession, I will not only transfer
my knowledge of Economics to my students, but also inspire them to expand their imagination
and critical thinking.

Teaching Evaluations
I.

EVALUATION RESULTS: DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

i. INDEPENDENT INSTRUCTION

*Evaluation Summary-Departmental averages for similar courses are given in parenthesis

Course

Semester

Introduction to
International
Economic
Relations

Spring 2014

Fall 2013
Spring 2013
Fall 2012

Principles of
Spring 2012

Course
Q6 results

Course
Q7 results

Course
Q8 results

Instructor
Q9 results

Instructor
Q10 results

3.31
(3.52)

3.31
(3.46)

4.15
(3.93)

4.46
(4.28)

4.08
(4.27)

3.15
(3.46)
2.94
(3.25)
2.90
(3.25)
3.11
(3.27)

3.32
(3.31)
3.03
(3.19)
2.83
(3.17)
3.11
(3.22)

3.00
(3.61)
4.23
(3.42)
3.38
(3.32)
3.78
(3.29)

3.50
(3.91)
4.25
(3.70)
3.97
(3.69)
4.22
(3.60)

3.21
(4.01)
4.21
(3.82)
3.86
(3.73)
4.28
(3.67)

3
(3.23)
2.94
(3.14)

3
(3.22)
3.05
(3.39)

3.59
(3.30)
3.40
(3.44)

4.19
(3.71)
3.72
(3.71)

4.04
(3.66)
3.72
(3.78)

3.44
(3.13)

3.22
(3.32)

3.61
(3.78)

4.06
(3.78)

3.94
(3.74)

Macroeconomics
Fall 2011
Summer 2011
Spring 2011

Q6: How does the difficulty of this course compare with the difficulty of your other university
courses?
1-Much less difficult, 2-Less difficult, 3-Similarly difficult, 4-More difficult, 5-Much more difficult
Q7: How hard is it to get any given grade in this course compared to other courses at the University
of Wisconsin - Milwaukee?
1-Much easier, 2-Easier than average, 3-Average, 4-Harder than average, 5-Much harder
Q8: Would you recommend this course to a friend?
1-Definitely not, 2-Less than likely, 3-Likely, 4-More than likely, 5-Yes, definitely
Q9: Would you recommend this instructor to a friend?
1-Definitely not, 2-Less than likely, 3-Likely, 4-More than likely, 5-Yes, definitely
5

Q10: Compared with other instructors at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, how
well did this instructor communicate the course material?
1-Poorly, 2-Less than average, 3-Average, 4-Better than average, 5-Extremely well

ii.

TEACHING ASSISTANT

*Evaluation Summary-Departmental averages for similar courses are given in parenthesis

Course

Semester

Fall 2012 (2 sections)

Principles of
Macroeconomics Fall 2011 (2 sections)
Fall 2015 (4 sections)
Principles of
Microeconomics

Question 6

Question 7

4.52 (4.51)
4.72 (4.30)
In Progress

4.40 (4.11)
4.27 (4.03)
In Progress

Q6: Overall, what is your assessment of the T.A.'s knowledge of the material related to the
course?
1-Almost none, 2-Few, 3-About half, 4-Most, 5-Almost all
Q7: We know how the professor conducts the course often influences what a T.A. is able
to do in a course. Given the professor's structuring of this course, how would you evaluate
your T.A.'s overall performance?
1-Poor, 2-Fair, 3-Average, 4-Good, 5-Excellent

II.

EVALUATION RESULTS:SHELDON B. LUBAR SCHOOL OF

BUSINESS

Instructor
Q1: The instructor was organized and well-prepared for class activities.
Q2: The instructor taught course material clearly.
Q3: The instructor prepared a syllabus that accurately reflected what was expected of the student.
Q4: The instructor had good presentation skills.
Q5: The instructor answered questions to your satisfaction.
Q6: The instructor demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the subject matter.
Q7: The instructor was available during office hours and upon appointment.
Q8: The instructors use of technology or other instructional media enhanced student learning.
Q9: Overall, the instructor was effective as a teacher.
Course
Q10: The course was well-organized.
Q11: The course fulfilled the objectives stated in the syllabus.
Q12: Given the objectives of the course, the course content was appropriate.
Q13: Successful completion of this course requires significant effort.
Q14: The course text and other required readings were useful in learning the course material.
Q15: The assignments were useful in learning the course material.
Q16: The exams (papers, projects...) accurately reflected the required course material.
Q17: Grades were assigned fairly and impartially.
Q18: Overall, this was a good course based on the above criteria.
Responses range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest (strongly disagree) and 5 being
the highest (strongly agree). Business school averages for courses with a similar level of difficulty
are listed in parentheses for comparison.
EVALUATION SUMMARY- LUBAR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Instructor
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q8
Course
Semester
4.70
4.32
4.77
4.23
4.47
4.65
4.75
4.23
Summer
(4.56)
(4.31)
(4.56)
(4.36)
(4.46)
(4.62)
(4.60)
(4.40)
2015
Spring
Financial
2015
Institutions
Summer
2015
Spring
2015

4.50
(4.56)

3.50
(4.10)

Q9
4.70
(4.45)

4.00
(4.20)

3.30
(4.10)

3.40
(4.00)

4.00
(4.10)

4.60
(4.00)

2.80
(4.00)

3.50
(4.14)

Q15
4.38
(4.30)

Q16
4.77
(4.40)

Q17
4.92
(4.48)

Q18
4.75
(4.45)

3.60
(4.00)

4.10
(4.12)

4.10
(4.15)

3.90
(4.50)

Q10
4.77
(4.46)

Q11
4.85
(4.56)

Q12
4.92
(4.52)

Course
Q13
Q14
4.23
4.31
(4.35) (4.21)

4.00
(4.06)

4.00
(4.10)

4.10
(4.30)

3.90
(4.23)

4.00
(4.50)

III.

SELECT COMMENTS

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

*Great teacher. Always makes sure students understand the concepts.

*Covered material very well. Knows her stuff.
*She is the most understanding teacher I have ever had. Id recommend her to everyone.

*The in class examples helped solidify the knowledge. She made sure that everyone was
able to understand the material in a fun way. I enjoyed this class!
*It was nice that we could print the notes ahead of time. That way I could listen and learn
better.
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS

*Really good class. Well organized. Good notes/presentations. You are a great instructor!
*Mona was always very helpful and really wanted us to know the material.
*The instructor was interactive and knowledgeable about the course. She kept it interesting
and always tried to engage the class.
*It was a good course, dont change it!
*The course was very informative. The instructor was professional and detailed about the
lectures, answered questions clearly and used great visuals to enhance the material for a
better understanding of the students.
INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS

*Class was very good. The instructor was accommodating and made everything easy to
understand.
*The class was great learned a lot. The information was hard but the teacher did a great job
at explaining it.
*I enjoyed the class. I think it was very well taught and I like how the teacher got the
students involved.
*I found the class was very constructive. The instructor made it fun each session.
MICROECONOMICS

* I feel the class was well prepared and informative. Mona was very well prepared and
prompt with responses. Emails the class reminds of home works and quizzes.
* Mona brought up interesting discussions in the classroom. I learned a lot.
8

My Latest Summary of Teaching Evaluations at

Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business

10

Teaching Enhancement
A. Course Development (Healthcare Economics)
In spring semester 2015, I was offered to teach one section of Healthcare Economics
at Cardinal Stritch University. Although I had already committed to Lubar School of
Business for teaching their Financial Institutions course, I still held meetings with
Stritch people from the College of Business and Management and the Nursing School
for this joint course. I have all the materials ready for teaching this course.

B. Faculty Training Course

Prior to teaching at Cardinal Stritch University, all faculty members are required to
take a training course which is offered in a blended format. This is specifically
designed to familiarize the faculty with the latest technology developments such as
the online, blended and expedited course offerings.

11

Sample Syllabus

Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Summer 2015
Class Information
Class Title: (BUS ADM 455-001 Financial Institutions)
Meeting Dates: TR 5:30 pm - 8:50 pm, Lubar S241
Instructor: Mona Khadem Sameni
Office: Lubar N338
Office Hours: TR 1-3 pm or by appointment
E-mail: khadems2@uwm.edu
Phone: (414) 229-6196
_______________________________________________________________________
Course Description
This advanced undergraduate course is designed to familiarize you with the tools and mechanisms
with which investors, rms, intermediaries, and the Fed interact to determine the interest rates and
other asset prices to affect the financial system.
Upon completion of this course you should be able to have a clear picture of the financial markets
and what role various institutions play in it.
Through applying your brand new theoretical knowledge to real world case studies and state-ofthe-art articles you will start enjoying discussing world financial issues better than ever!

Prerequisites
BUS ADM 350, Principles of Finance or BUS ADM 351 Business Scholars: Principles of
Finance with grade C or better.

12

Attendance Policy
Class attendance is mandatory but at the same time does not mean physical presence. I like my
classes to be interactive so your insights and involvement in the lectures are highly valued and
indeed graded! Also, due to the distractions caused, the use of electronic devices is not allowed in
this class.

Course Material
The required textbook for this course is: Financial Markets and Institutions, 11th Edition, Jeff
Madura, Cengage Learning.
You are advised to buy the cheaper electronic version of the book from the following address:
www.coursesmart.com
If you have access to an older edition of the book, you can use that, but its your sole responsibility
to catch up with any updates. You are also expected to read The Economist, and The Wall Street
Journal every week. We will discuss articles from these publications in class, and try to associate
them with the topics you have learned.
Make-Up Exam Policy
There is no make-up exam given. If you have a reasonable excuse not to take an exam, I will
decide how to grade case by case.
Course Grading:
Percentage of Final Grade
Midterm
30 %( July 23rd class time)
Final
35 % (TBA)
Online quizzes
15%
Class activities
20%
And Assignments
___________________________________________________________
Total
100%
***There is no extra credit in this class***

13

Class Website
The syllabus, miscellaneous materials and quizzes will be posted to the class website. In order to
have access to them, simply log into the class webpage using your PAWS account. The address is:
https://uwm.courses.wisconsin.edu/
Note: For information on the Universitys policies for religious observances, incompletes,
academic misconduct, grade appeal procedures, final examination policy, students called
to military service, discriminatory conduct, and complaint procedures, please access the
following link: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/SyllabusLinks.pdf.
Participation by Students with Disabilities
If you need special accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of this
Course, please contact me as soon as possible.
Academic Misconduct
The university has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to
develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. Students
are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the
appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others' academic endeavors. Student
academic misconduct information can be found at:
http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm.
Extra Help
Should you need any help, please come to my oce during oce hours or by appointment. You
could also consider the UWM free tutoring. Further information is available at
http://www4.uwm.edu/pass/services/

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Tentative Course Outline

Date

Topic

Week 1

9-Jul

Overview of the Financial Environment (Ch. 1), Interest Rates

(Ch. 2, 3) Online Quiz 1: Due Date, Jul 12 Midnight

Week 2

16-Jul

An Overview of The Fed (Ch. 4), Monetary Policy (Ch. 5)

Online Quiz 2: Due Date, Jul 19th Midnight

Week 3

23-Jul

Money Markets (Ch. 6) Review & Midterm Exam

Week 4

30-Jul

Bonds (Ch. 7 summary-chapter 8), Mortgage Markets (Ch. 9)

Online Quiz 3: Due Date, Aug 2 Midnight

Week 5

6-Aug

Week 6

13-Aug

Foreign Exchange Markets and Financial Crises in the World (Ch.16),

Commercial Banking (Ch. 17)
Online Quiz 4: Due Date, Aug 9 Midnight

Bank Management (Ch. 19), Bank Performance (Ch. 20)

Review Session

15

Sample Assignment
Introduction to International Economic Relations -Spring 2014
Mona Sameni

Term Paper Requirements and Topics

Requirements:
Each student is required to choose a topic and write a coherent paper of maximum 4 pages. The
paper should present a background of the topic and discuss alternative points of view. You are
expected to use what you have learned in class to analyze the issue and your paper should have a
conclusion that describes your own position regarding that issue.
Papers are due the last day of classes, but each should come with a 10 minute presentation that are
due the last 4 sessions of the class. Further instructions will be given in the class.

Select your topic from one of the following:

A. International Trade
1. Trade and the Environment - especially with respect to trade between richer and poorer
countries, concerns the impact of trade on environmental goals and whether trade pacts
(like NAFTA) with the poorer countries somehow hurt the environment or put US firms at
a disadvantage because of stricter US environmental rules. Also, what are the prospects
for a global treaty to replace the Kyoto Treaty (which the US did not sign)? If countries
agree to specific targets to limit pollution, should these pollution rights be tradable
between countries?
2. Globalization and the World Economy What does globalization mean? Do
international agreements (through the World Trade Organization (WTO)) limit national
sovereignty and is that a good or bad thing? Should countries be allowed to protect
certain industries, e.g., those that are central to national culture? If so, where do you
draw the line about which goods can be protected?

16

3. Analysis of International Trade Sanctions-What are sanctions? Which countries are

currently facing the most severe sanctions and what are the options for them? What are
the effects (costs and benefits) for the economy?
4. International trade organizations or agreements (E.g. NAFTA, WTO, etc.)
5. When did these first come into existence? What are their actual functions? What are the
pros and cons? Whats your position on them?
6. Large U.S. corporations and outsourcing. What trade theories could be used to justify
outsourcing? If it is not beneficial what should be done instead?
B. International Finance
1. Financial Integration and effects on trade of tradables and nontradables.
What are the crucial differences between tradables and non tradables. What is financial
integration? How could financial integration affect these trade trends?
2. International finance trilemma. What is basically meant by this and how does this affect a
countrys choice of export and import and current account?
3. Exchange rate volatilities in fixed versus floating exchange rate systems.
First elaborate on the differences between these two exchange rate systems and then give
evidence and analysis on how these two also differ in terms of volatilities and thus do we
have evidence on which one should be picked by countries?
4. Financial Debt crisis, burden of debt and default risk. (Argentina and Greece in particular)
What financial crisis did these two countries face? Whats wrong with a country being in
debt? What measures did these countries and international communities choose to deal
with the crisis?
Feldstein and Horioka Puzzle. What is it? Is it still relevant in todays world? Can it be used
as e benchmark for financial market openness?

17

Sample Exam
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Econ 104-001 Principles of Macroeconomics
Instructor: Mona Khadem Sameni
First Midterm exam- October/ 10/ 2012
Name: _____________________________

Instructions:
1. The exam lasts 75 minutes.
2. There are 25 mandatory multiple choice questions each worth 1 point and Two optional
analytical questions which will have 4 extra points if you answer them correctly. The exam is
worth 25 points in total.
3. Read each question carefully and choose the best answer.
4. Good luck!

PART A: Multiple Choice Questions

____1. Economics is a social science rather than a hard science like physics because:
a. Economists abstract from reality when creating their theories.
b. Economics is easier to study than physics.
c. Economists must explain their theories to policy makers who lack formal mathematical
training.
d. Economists study human behavior, which is affected by an unpredictable and vast range of
influences.
____2. The purpose of economic science is to
a. Show people that it is better to want less.
b. Encourage people to care more about others.
c. Analyze the problems of market economies only.
d. Develop principles by which to rank alternative uses of scarce resources.
____3. People generally purchase less of a commodity as its price increases. This implies that the
relationship between quantity purchased and the price of the commodity must have a
a. Slope always equal to one.
b. Positive slope.
c. Zero slope.
d. Negative slope.

18

Figure A

____4. If the government has stated that it will pay whatever it must to obtain 1,000 units of good X,
which demand curve in Figure A is appropriate?(Hint : In this case good X is a necessity for the
government)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
____ 5. Some medical authorities announced in the late 1980s that an acne medicine named Retin-A also
had previously unknown wrinkle-reducing properties. An economist would expect to find that, after this
announcement, the price of Retin-A ____ and the quantity sold ____. (Hint: Does this change shift supply
or demand? How?)
a. rose; fell
b. rose; rose
c. fell; fell
d. fell; rose
____6. A shift in the demand curve for sailboats resulting from a decrease in incomes will lead to
a. higher prices of sailboats.
b. lower prices of sailboats.
c. a corresponding shift in the supply curve for sailboats.
d. lower output of sailboats.
____ 7. If orange juice prices double next year, there will be a
a. rightward shift in the demand for grapefruit juice.
b. rightward shift in the supply of grapefruit juice.
c. leftward shift in the supply of grapefruit juice.
d. leftward shift in the demand for grapefruit juice.
____ 8. During the American Revolution, the Pennsylvania legislature enacted price controls on
essential commodities. The result of this legislation was
a. a large increase in the availability of those items, ending shortages.
b. a severe shortage of those essential commodities.
c. an increase in the price of those items, thus alleviating shortages.
d. a minor inconvenience as persons adjusted to the new law.
____ 9. An upward-sloping supply curve shows that
a. buyers are willing to pay more for a scarce product.
b. suppliers are willing to increase production of their goods if they can receive higher prices
for them.
c. buyers are unaffected by sellers' costs of production.
d. the price of a product is not influenced by the price buyers are willing to pay.
19

Figure B

____ 10. Women today are having more babies than women did fifteen years ago. The result is that
mothers today have trouble finding baby-sitters and are shocked at what they must pay for child care.
Which graph in Figure B best illustrates how the situation has changed?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
____ 11. The demand curve for necessary products like medicine is almost:
a. vertical
b. horizontal
c. Having normal slope
d. Any of the above is possible.

____ 12. The United States typically experiences a large surplus of milk annually. This is caused by
a. a price ceiling in the market.
b. not enough demand for milk.
c. a price floor in the market.
d. overproduction of milk by the cows.
Figure C

20

____ 13. In Figure C, there would be a surplus of T-shirts if the price were
a. $10.
b. $8.
c. below $8.
d. between $8 and $6.
____ 14. A shift in the supply curve of bicycles resulting from higher steel prices will lead to
a.
b.
c.
d.

higher prices of bicycles.

lower prices of bicycles.
no change in the price of bicycles.
larger output of bicycles.

____ 15. If Honda (a Japan-based firm) produces a car in Ohio and exports it to Japan, in which
country's GDP will the car be counted?
a. Japan's, because Honda is a Japanese company
b. Japan's because that is where the car is purchased
c. The GDP of the United States because that is where it was built
d. Both Japan and the United States
____ 16. If hot dogs cost $2 this year and $3 next year, then 100 hotdogs will contribute
a. $200 to this year's nominal GDP and $166 to next year's nominal GDP.
b. $200 to this year's real GDP and $300 to next year's real GDP.
c. the same dollar amount to each year's nominal GDP because hotdogs are intermediate
goods.
d. $200 to this year's nominal GDP and $300 to next year's nominal GDP.
____ 17. An example of an intermediate good would be a(n)
a. new car.
b. used car.
c. new tire for a used car.
d. tire for a new car.
____ 18. The following are the equations for the supply and demand curves in the market for tooth
brushes.
Demand: Qd = 20 - 2P
Supply: Qs = 5 + 3P
where Qd is the quantity demanded, Qs is the quantity supplied, and P is the price per
tooth brush in dollars.
According to the data given, the equilibrium price of a tooth brush is:
$3 a.
b.$5
c.$11
d.$15

21

____ 19. The Iranian Revolution in 1979 led to another interruption of oil supplies to the United States.
This caused the reoccurrence of
a. deflation.
b. full-employment.
c. trade surpluses.
d. stagflation.
____ 20. To fight recession, the government may
a. decrease aggregate demand, which will also lead to lower unemployment rates.
b. increase aggregate demand, which will also lead to higher price levels.
c. increase aggregate demand, which will also lead to lower price levels.
d. decrease aggregate demand, which will also lead to higher unemployment rates.
____ 21. If the capital stock increases, then the economy can produce ____ output with the ____
amount of labor.
a. same, same
b. less, same
c. more, same
d. less, less
____ 22. Dan earns 22$ per hour in 2011 whereas in his previous job in 2010 he used to earn 20$ per
hour. If CPI for 2011 is 220 and CPI for 2010 is 200, holding all other factors constant, in which year is
he better off?
a. He is obviously better off in 2011.
b. He is obviously better off in 2010.
c. He is neither better off nor worse off.
d. Not enough information to answer this question .
____ 23. The growth rates of actual and potential GDP
a. are similar in both the short and long run.
b. are similar in the short run but not the long run.
c. are similar in the long run but not the short run.
d. are different in both the short and long run.

____ 24. Someone who is out of work because they are between jobs is experiencing
a. frictional unemployment.
b. structural unemployment.
c. seasonal unemployment.
d. cyclical unemployment.
____ 25. The reduction of structural unemployment in the United States' economy may require
a. an increase in the minimum wage.
b. a reduction in government spending.
c. an decrease in interest rates.
d. increased spending on worker retraining.

22

PART B: Optional Analytical Question (4 bonus points)

1) Explain the effect of the following changes on equilibrium price and quantity of Toyota Camry cars:
(a) increase in average incomes of households.
(b) increase in cost of production of the cars as a result of increase in wages of Toyota company workers.

2) Compute CPI (Consumer Price Index) for year 2007

We know 1982 is the base year so = 100
CPI 2009?

23