Themes
2008 Teaching and Learning Conference - Call for Papers
THE CALL FOR PAPER AND WORKSHOP PROPOSALS EXTENDED TO WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
For the 2008 Teaching and Learning Conference, APSA will accept paper and workshop proposals for the themes listed below.
PAPER PROPOSAL THEMES:
Program Assessment
What innovative methods and strategies are effective in assessing undergraduate and graduate programs in political science? How can we use assessment techniques to improve the quality of our programs? Proposals might consider the evaluation of the utility of standardized tests or exit interviews as assessment instrument, the role of capstone courses, or an examination of the function of portfolios.
Diversity, Inclusiveness, and Inequality
This theme will focus on issues of difference, diversity and inequality from multiple perspectives, which may include but are not limited to: curriculum and course content, the ongoing changes in the demographics of students on campus, and challenges faculty face as scholars of varying identities leading such courses.
Internationalizing the Curriculum
This theme will focus on fostering student's capacities to understand, engage with, and learn from global cultures, ideologies religions and political systems. Examples of this could include the role of international affairs in the political science curriculum, rethinking the introductory course in American politics, and the role of study abroad, etc.
Teaching Research Methods
How do political science faculty encourage the learning of research methods? Examples might include problem based techniques, project based research, team teaching research methods, data analysis and interpretation, etc.
Simulations and Role Play
In what way can simulations and role-play expand student learning opportunities in political science? Examples of these teaching techniques and strategies include Model United Nations, Model European Union, in-class self designed simulations, role playing exercises, etc.
Graduate Education
This theme will explore the pedagogical approaches and programmatic structures most effective in the development of graduate students and graduate, masters, and doctoral programs. Examples might include analyses of program structures, discussions of effectiveness of comprehensive examinations, preparation of teaching assistants, or the function of subfield reading lists in the curriculum.
Core Curriculum/General Education
How does political science contribute to and enhance undergraduate general education curriculum? Papers could evaluate the impact of political science courses in developing reasoning and communication skills or explore techniques for teaching non-majors effectively.
Civic Engagement
This theme will explore the plethora of active learning techniques available to enmesh students into their local communities and examine their impact on student learning. Examples could include service learning, interning and externing programs, and experiential learning requirements.
Teaching Across the Discipline
How can political scientists improve student learning by teaching across the discipline? This theme will examine how student learning can be enhanced by connecting political science to other academic disciplines and via co-curricular collaborations. Examples of potential topics include learning communities, team teaching, collaborations with student affairs, and interdisciplinary courses.
Professional Development
This theme explores the work done by faculty members outside of the classroom, such as mentoring and advising both undergraduate and graduate students on internships, post-graduate education, dissertation preparation, new faculty development and career preparation. Papers could present original research on effective mentoring/advising, best practices, or the importance of service, in addition to teaching and research obligations.
WORKSHOP PROPOSAL THEMES:
Integrating Technology in the Classroom: As all forms of technology have become increasingly intertwined in our everyday lives, the same holds true for the political science classroom. Technological innovations have occurred in all areas of teaching and learning. Proposals should focus on demonstrating methods (through interactive exercises) that faculty can use to more effectively integrate technology into the classroom in the areas of course management and innovative pedagogical techniques and exercises.
Scholarship of Learning and Teaching: How well do new pedagogical approaches to improve learning and teaching in the political science classroom work? These workshops will evaluate and highlight best practices, innovative approaches to our understanding of learning and teaching. Proposals should address how workshops will discuss and (interactively) demonstrate innovative pedagogical techniques that are aimed at improving learning and teaching. Discussion, demonstration. Original research and first-hand experiences are preferred.
Classroom and Program Assessment: How do we assess our effectiveness as teachers as well as the effectiveness of our students as learners? These workshops will look at different innovative methods and strategies for assessing programs, lesson-plans, pedagogical exercises, student performance, class materials or faculty effectiveness in political science classrooms. Proposals which feature (and interactively demonstrate) tested measures and/original assessment research and findings are preferred.
Civic Education and Engagement: This theme will explore active learning techniques available to engage students with their local, state and/or national communities. Proposals should feature evidence of the effectiveness (and positive impact upon student learning and engagement) of civic education and engagement exercises in political science courses. Workshops which feature an interactive component are preferred.
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