Psychology
Ping Chu is a professor in the Psychology Department at Austin Community College (ACC). She earned an M.A. in Psychology and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Since 2010, she has been teaching Introduction to Psychology and Statistical Methods for the Behavioral Sciences. Ping has recently become interested in adult education and has been teaching College Prep Math for ACC’s School of College Readiness for the past three years.
How has your community college teaching experience shaped your character over your career?
Sixteen years of teaching at ACC has reshaped my perspective on higher education, helping me appreciate a model that serves the community rather than an exclusive few. Over time, I also observed certain characteristics of both the students and the faculty, including a distinct sense of entitlement among some students and a tendency for vulnerable adjunct faculty to appease them for positive evaluations an job security. My teaching experience at ACC ultimately drove me to reflect on my values as an educator, and to choose practices that are in line with my values.