Pub Date : 2022-11-11DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2143366
Claire Timperley, Isabel Doudney, Rita Shasha
Abstract Undergraduate students are often assumed to be consumers of the material instructors bring to their attention. Rarely are they seen as producers of original research, other than in elite honors programmes or opt-in research opportunities such as university-based undergraduate research journals. Yet students new to a subject often have highly original responses to what they encounter. Though they may not yet be fully attuned to the contours of the scholarship, they are not limited by preexisting notions of what the defining questions of the field might be, nor are they as committed to the disciplinary boundaries that sometimes—intentionally or not—obscure or prevent promising lines of inquiry. We argue that recognizing students as emerging scholars capable of original, high quality work, and offering a structured assessment in the form of a peer reviewed class journal has the potential to transform how students they see themselves in relation to the discipline, supports the development of advanced research and writing skills, and encourages them to understand academic work as a collective rather than individual endeavor. This assessment also allows a wider range of students to access the benefits of participating in a comprehensive research activity that simulates the academic research process, rather than reserving such opportunities for those participating in elite programmes or opt-in research activities.
{"title":"Publishing as Pedagogy: Creating a Peer Reviewed Class Journal","authors":"Claire Timperley, Isabel Doudney, Rita Shasha","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2143366","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2143366","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Undergraduate students are often assumed to be consumers of the material instructors bring to their attention. Rarely are they seen as producers of original research, other than in elite honors programmes or opt-in research opportunities such as university-based undergraduate research journals. Yet students new to a subject often have highly original responses to what they encounter. Though they may not yet be fully attuned to the contours of the scholarship, they are not limited by preexisting notions of what the defining questions of the field might be, nor are they as committed to the disciplinary boundaries that sometimes—intentionally or not—obscure or prevent promising lines of inquiry. We argue that recognizing students as emerging scholars capable of original, high quality work, and offering a structured assessment in the form of a peer reviewed class journal has the potential to transform how students they see themselves in relation to the discipline, supports the development of advanced research and writing skills, and encourages them to understand academic work as a collective rather than individual endeavor. This assessment also allows a wider range of students to access the benefits of participating in a comprehensive research activity that simulates the academic research process, rather than reserving such opportunities for those participating in elite programmes or opt-in research activities.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"386 - 396"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47218685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-11DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2139268
Danvy Le, Antoinette Pole
Abstract Employers increasingly seek employees with more sophisticated technical skills to meet the changing global marketplace. A significant portion of political science graduates do not pursue advanced degrees, instead entering the job market and holding an array of occupations in organizations using social media, websites, and digital political marketing. While political science instructors are adept at fostering oral and written communication, emphasis on cultivating digital skills appears somewhat less common. This shortcoming may be a disservice to our graduates. Based on reflections from instructors teaching political science at two public universities, this paper describes pedagogical approaches to building digital fluency skills among Generation Z learners using platforms beyond learning management systems to align with learning outcomes that emphasize new and emerging technologies. This pedagogical approach facilitates content retention through higher order learning while building practical skills. Through innovative course assignments students learn new platforms thereby improving their digital fluency. To mitigate potential obstacles to implementation, we offer reflections on these assignments along with advice to facilitate student success.
{"title":"Beyond Learning Management Systems: Teaching Digital Fluency","authors":"Danvy Le, Antoinette Pole","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2139268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2139268","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Employers increasingly seek employees with more sophisticated technical skills to meet the changing global marketplace. A significant portion of political science graduates do not pursue advanced degrees, instead entering the job market and holding an array of occupations in organizations using social media, websites, and digital political marketing. While political science instructors are adept at fostering oral and written communication, emphasis on cultivating digital skills appears somewhat less common. This shortcoming may be a disservice to our graduates. Based on reflections from instructors teaching political science at two public universities, this paper describes pedagogical approaches to building digital fluency skills among Generation Z learners using platforms beyond learning management systems to align with learning outcomes that emphasize new and emerging technologies. This pedagogical approach facilitates content retention through higher order learning while building practical skills. Through innovative course assignments students learn new platforms thereby improving their digital fluency. To mitigate potential obstacles to implementation, we offer reflections on these assignments along with advice to facilitate student success.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"134 - 153"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49048447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-08DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2136095
T. Fazal, M. Sanchez
Abstract We report on the development and use of a course-long, online simulation in a recent, upper-level undergraduate course on the International Relations of COVID-19. We demonstrate how to conduct a simulation in an entirely online environment by including a description of our processes and logistical advice, guidance, and specific examples. This simulation format can be easily translated to fit varying durations, issue areas, and in-person formats. Our students reported that the simulation was a rewarding and thought-provoking experience, as they were offered a front-seat view to the inherent substantive and logistical challenges of international negotiation about an ongoing international crisis in real time.
{"title":"A Course-Long Online Simulation: The International Relations of COVID-19","authors":"T. Fazal, M. Sanchez","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2136095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2136095","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We report on the development and use of a course-long, online simulation in a recent, upper-level undergraduate course on the International Relations of COVID-19. We demonstrate how to conduct a simulation in an entirely online environment by including a description of our processes and logistical advice, guidance, and specific examples. This simulation format can be easily translated to fit varying durations, issue areas, and in-person formats. Our students reported that the simulation was a rewarding and thought-provoking experience, as they were offered a front-seat view to the inherent substantive and logistical challenges of international negotiation about an ongoing international crisis in real time.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"297 - 306"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47391432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2135517
William W. Newmann, William Christiansen
Abstract An active learning approach to the study of US national security decision making decision making can be achieved through the use of an in-class role-playing simulation. This article considers the importance of solid foundations for simulation design: (1) simulation preparation should be linked to class materials and learning outcomes, but also stand on its own; and (2) success in mirroring reality requires a careful, even rigid, simulation structure. This article also provides a methodology for assessing the simulation’s impact on two separate issues: (1) student knowledge of the national security interagency process (based on a knowledge quiz given three times during the semester); and (2) student perception of the difficulty of making of national security decisions (based on a questionnaire given three times during the semester). Students were assigned roles within the national security bureaucracy, and presented with a challenge—the possibility of large-scale Iranian intervention in the Syrian Civil War. The assessment of student knowledge is still a work in process, complicated by logistical factors. The assessment of student perceptions of difficulty of decision making, however, yielded interesting preliminary results that should be replicated to make any conclusions more robust: Students began the course with a perception that national security decision making is highly complicated and difficult. Following lectures and readings, the perception of difficulty decreased significantly. However, the simulation increased student perception of decision making difficulty close to its original level. These results suggest that simulations are important for capturing complexities within decision making that lectures alone cannot.
{"title":"Simulating the US National Security Interagency Process: Solid Foundations and a Method of Assessment","authors":"William W. Newmann, William Christiansen","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2135517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2135517","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract An active learning approach to the study of US national security decision making decision making can be achieved through the use of an in-class role-playing simulation. This article considers the importance of solid foundations for simulation design: (1) simulation preparation should be linked to class materials and learning outcomes, but also stand on its own; and (2) success in mirroring reality requires a careful, even rigid, simulation structure. This article also provides a methodology for assessing the simulation’s impact on two separate issues: (1) student knowledge of the national security interagency process (based on a knowledge quiz given three times during the semester); and (2) student perception of the difficulty of making of national security decisions (based on a questionnaire given three times during the semester). Students were assigned roles within the national security bureaucracy, and presented with a challenge—the possibility of large-scale Iranian intervention in the Syrian Civil War. The assessment of student knowledge is still a work in process, complicated by logistical factors. The assessment of student perceptions of difficulty of decision making, however, yielded interesting preliminary results that should be replicated to make any conclusions more robust: Students began the course with a perception that national security decision making is highly complicated and difficult. Following lectures and readings, the perception of difficulty decreased significantly. However, the simulation increased student perception of decision making difficulty close to its original level. These results suggest that simulations are important for capturing complexities within decision making that lectures alone cannot.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"331 - 348"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46690750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2130795
B. Martin, M. Redmond, Liz Woodside
Abstract The benefits of experiential learning are well-documented, but large course enrollment can be seen as a barrier to providing meaningful experiential learning experiences. Political science literature on experiential learning in large undergraduate classes has prioritized simulations of political processes over direct student engagement in actual political processes. This multiple case study analyzes two in-class electoral candidate debates, one municipal and one federal, organized in a 300-student introductory social welfare course. Detailing the tensions inherent to organizing for maximum student engagement, and drawing on qualitative data from 73 student reflections, we found that in-class electoral candidate debates are feasible and effective as an experiential civic education activity. Though preparation work was complex and substantial, in-class candidate debates resulted in a rich learning foundation for the whole course. Key components for effective learning included student generated topics and questions and a wide range of candidates. Debriefing was also essential given the varied levels of prior knowledge inevitable in large classes. This paper extends the literature on teaching in the large policy classroom to a promising new experiential learning activity. It provides useful guidance for others who wish to harness the benefits of experiential civic education in large classes.
{"title":"Electoral Candidate Debates for Policy Learning in Large First-Year Classes","authors":"B. Martin, M. Redmond, Liz Woodside","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2130795","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2130795","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The benefits of experiential learning are well-documented, but large course enrollment can be seen as a barrier to providing meaningful experiential learning experiences. Political science literature on experiential learning in large undergraduate classes has prioritized simulations of political processes over direct student engagement in actual political processes. This multiple case study analyzes two in-class electoral candidate debates, one municipal and one federal, organized in a 300-student introductory social welfare course. Detailing the tensions inherent to organizing for maximum student engagement, and drawing on qualitative data from 73 student reflections, we found that in-class electoral candidate debates are feasible and effective as an experiential civic education activity. Though preparation work was complex and substantial, in-class candidate debates resulted in a rich learning foundation for the whole course. Key components for effective learning included student generated topics and questions and a wide range of candidates. Debriefing was also essential given the varied levels of prior knowledge inevitable in large classes. This paper extends the literature on teaching in the large policy classroom to a promising new experiential learning activity. It provides useful guidance for others who wish to harness the benefits of experiential civic education in large classes.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"270 - 286"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41549520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2132164
Robert J. McMonagle, R. Savitz
Abstract We examine the impact of two types of active learning—traditional standardized debate and the newer value-line debate, both under-studied in political science pedagogy—on students. Our study argues that value-line debate is as valuable as the more structured debate, based on student perceptions of learning outcomes through Likert-format survey data (n = 105) across 8 key variables. Therefore, we argue that employment of a combination of debate styles in the classroom is a sensible pedagogical approach. We also argue that upper-level students rate debating experiences higher than introductory-level students rate theirs. In short, one can infer from our research that faculty in a normative sense should be reassured about employing either the newer value-line approach or traditional structured debate type.
{"title":"Active Learning: Beyond Structured Debates in Political Science Pedagogy","authors":"Robert J. McMonagle, R. Savitz","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2132164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2132164","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We examine the impact of two types of active learning—traditional standardized debate and the newer value-line debate, both under-studied in political science pedagogy—on students. Our study argues that value-line debate is as valuable as the more structured debate, based on student perceptions of learning outcomes through Likert-format survey data (n = 105) across 8 key variables. Therefore, we argue that employment of a combination of debate styles in the classroom is a sensible pedagogical approach. We also argue that upper-level students rate debating experiences higher than introductory-level students rate theirs. In short, one can infer from our research that faculty in a normative sense should be reassured about employing either the newer value-line approach or traditional structured debate type.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"355 - 370"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46033503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-20DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2134020
Vivienne Born, Clare R. Brock
Abstract Graduate student writing is an under-attended to challenge for many incoming graduate students, whose skill levels often do not match the expectations of their graduate programs. Utilizing socialization theory as a foundation, we propose a Writing Bridge Program model to quickly, affordably, and clearly, develop graduate student writing, improve retention, and demystify the hidden curriculum. This article lays out the need for explicit graduate writing instruction and offers a model for meeting this need, particularly in low-resource environments. In order to evaluate the success of the program, we look at qualitative student comments regarding their experience in the Writing Bridge Program. We offer evidence for how dedicated writing programs can impact student attitudes toward the writing process through improved confidence and familiarity, and by decreasing feelings of impostor syndrome and isolation.
{"title":"Writing for Social Sciences and Humanities: Bridge Programs and Improving Graduate Student Outcomes","authors":"Vivienne Born, Clare R. Brock","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2134020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2134020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Graduate student writing is an under-attended to challenge for many incoming graduate students, whose skill levels often do not match the expectations of their graduate programs. Utilizing socialization theory as a foundation, we propose a Writing Bridge Program model to quickly, affordably, and clearly, develop graduate student writing, improve retention, and demystify the hidden curriculum. This article lays out the need for explicit graduate writing instruction and offers a model for meeting this need, particularly in low-resource environments. In order to evaluate the success of the program, we look at qualitative student comments regarding their experience in the Writing Bridge Program. We offer evidence for how dedicated writing programs can impact student attitudes toward the writing process through improved confidence and familiarity, and by decreasing feelings of impostor syndrome and isolation.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"371 - 385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41356869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-18DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2130070
M. Cameron, A. Ribeiro, Gerald Baier, Spencer McKay, Rebecca Alegría Monnerat, C. Cameron
Abstract Competition among parties is a central feature of democratic politics, but extreme partisanship can undermine democratic practices and institutions. We report the results of a formative curricular intervention involving reflective discussions designed to avoid hyper-partisanship in a training program for anyone—including university students—with political aspirations. The opportunity was provided by an annual Institute for Future Legislators at the University of British Columbia. The program offered weekend boot camps, followed by a parliamentary simulation held in the chambers of the provincial legislature. Data were collected from questionnaires and facilitated reflective discussions. Thematic content analysis of transcriptions of these discussions showed that they enabled participants to gain detachment from their parties, even as their appreciation grew for the complex balancing acts that partisan politicians must continuously perform.
{"title":"Partisanship and Political Learning: Lessons from Training Politicians","authors":"M. Cameron, A. Ribeiro, Gerald Baier, Spencer McKay, Rebecca Alegría Monnerat, C. Cameron","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2130070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2130070","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Competition among parties is a central feature of democratic politics, but extreme partisanship can undermine democratic practices and institutions. We report the results of a formative curricular intervention involving reflective discussions designed to avoid hyper-partisanship in a training program for anyone—including university students—with political aspirations. The opportunity was provided by an annual Institute for Future Legislators at the University of British Columbia. The program offered weekend boot camps, followed by a parliamentary simulation held in the chambers of the provincial legislature. Data were collected from questionnaires and facilitated reflective discussions. Thematic content analysis of transcriptions of these discussions showed that they enabled participants to gain detachment from their parties, even as their appreciation grew for the complex balancing acts that partisan politicians must continuously perform.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"154 - 173"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47272813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-14DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2131560
A. P. Martin
Abstract Existing literature on using humor in teaching identifies several social and pedagogical benefits, ranging from making students feel more comfortable and interested in the subject matter to facilitating a critical pedagogy approach. However, there are several risks associated with humor attempts that are detrimental to learning and to student experiences. Through analyzing qualitative data from three focus groups (FGs) with 2nd and 3rd year Politics and/or International Relations (Pol & IR) students, this article advances a student-centric understanding of the pitfalls of using humor in content delivery. While humor is often subjective, timing, frequency, established conventions, subject matter, and lecture persona all impact how students perceive humor used by lecturers. This article juxtaposes existing literature on approaches to using humor in teaching, and its pedagogical benefits, with empirical evidence of student perspectives and expectations to highlight the practical challenges and risks of including humor attempts in effective Pol & IR teaching.
{"title":"It’s a Bit Inappropriate: UK Students’ Negative Perceptions of Using Humor in Teaching Politics","authors":"A. P. Martin","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2131560","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2131560","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Existing literature on using humor in teaching identifies several social and pedagogical benefits, ranging from making students feel more comfortable and interested in the subject matter to facilitating a critical pedagogy approach. However, there are several risks associated with humor attempts that are detrimental to learning and to student experiences. Through analyzing qualitative data from three focus groups (FGs) with 2nd and 3rd year Politics and/or International Relations (Pol & IR) students, this article advances a student-centric understanding of the pitfalls of using humor in content delivery. While humor is often subjective, timing, frequency, established conventions, subject matter, and lecture persona all impact how students perceive humor used by lecturers. This article juxtaposes existing literature on approaches to using humor in teaching, and its pedagogical benefits, with empirical evidence of student perspectives and expectations to highlight the practical challenges and risks of including humor attempts in effective Pol & IR teaching.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"231 - 249"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48762667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-12DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2127361
Lindsay Burt, A. Klotz
Abstract Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who run independent sections for larger lecture courses typically receive insufficient feedback. Course evaluations, already flawed by numerous biases, offer an amalgam of student reactions to lecture and section, even when comments specifically laud or criticize section instructors. Course designs also vary greatly: Some professors meet regularly with their team of GTAs; others delegate to a lead GTA; and many simply let their GTAs do anything that gets students talking. Instead, we advocate a team-orientation approach: Lesson Study. Modifying the use of Lesson Study in science education, in turn adapted from a Japanese approach gaining popularity among K–12 educators, we concentrate on mentoring that emphasizes collaborative learning, rather than likeability surveys. Sections use a common assignment, which facilitates GTA participation in design and evaluation. The team meets in advance to confirm common pedagogical goals and again after sections to debrief. Insights may lead to immediate adaptations in subsequent assignments in the same term or revisions to the original assignment in subsequent semesters. Overall, this approach centers the collective articulation of lesson plan design and delivery through deliberately reflective practices that benefit both faculty members and GTAs.
{"title":"Lesson Study in Introduction to International Relations","authors":"Lindsay Burt, A. Klotz","doi":"10.1080/15512169.2022.2127361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2127361","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who run independent sections for larger lecture courses typically receive insufficient feedback. Course evaluations, already flawed by numerous biases, offer an amalgam of student reactions to lecture and section, even when comments specifically laud or criticize section instructors. Course designs also vary greatly: Some professors meet regularly with their team of GTAs; others delegate to a lead GTA; and many simply let their GTAs do anything that gets students talking. Instead, we advocate a team-orientation approach: Lesson Study. Modifying the use of Lesson Study in science education, in turn adapted from a Japanese approach gaining popularity among K–12 educators, we concentrate on mentoring that emphasizes collaborative learning, rather than likeability surveys. Sections use a common assignment, which facilitates GTA participation in design and evaluation. The team meets in advance to confirm common pedagogical goals and again after sections to debrief. Insights may lead to immediate adaptations in subsequent assignments in the same term or revisions to the original assignment in subsequent semesters. Overall, this approach centers the collective articulation of lesson plan design and delivery through deliberately reflective practices that benefit both faculty members and GTAs.","PeriodicalId":46033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Political Science Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"219 - 230"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60018995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}