David Johnson, Ph.D., is a retired university faculty member with more than 30 years of college teaching experience, including 25 years teaching accounting, finance, and business-related subjects.
He earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction: Learning Technologies from the University of Minnesota, where his studies focused on how people learn, instructional design, and Cognitive Load Theory — the science of reducing mental overload and improving understanding. He also holds a master’s degree in marketing and finance from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois. He began his career in public accounting after passing the CPA exam.
Over the years, Dr. Johnson became increasingly interested in a fundamental question:
How can complex subjects be taught more clearly, practically, and effectively?
That question now shapes all of his courses.
His teaching focuses on helping students reduce mental clutter, organize information more clearly, and develop practical systems for understanding difficult topics and making better decisions.
In addition to his financial education courses, his newer courses explore how AI tools such as ChatGPT can be used responsibly as thinking partners to improve clarity, judgment, learning, and decision-making in the AI era.
His courses are designed especially for practical learners who want clear explanations, real-world application, and structured frameworks rather than unnecessary complexity.
