Teaching & Technology
Technological Tools
Similar to other disciplines in the social sciences, political science relies heavily on reading articles, books, book chapters and by listening to lectures. That does not mean that instruction should follow the older ‘traditional’ style of passive learning. That also does not mean that students are expected to memorize content that they have read. In terms of Bloom’s Taxonomy, most classes in political science expect students to go beyond lower-order thinking. How much of evaluation, analysis, and synthesis is expected depends on the goals of the specific course, and the level. Arguably, a graduate level course involves more of synthesis by expecting students to not only criticize the extant literature but to develop original work. Additionally, my approach to teaching recognizes that there may be variation in learning styles in the student audience. The most salient distinction I have encountered has been between global learners-those who prefer thinking in abstract terms-and local/practical learners-those students who prefer moving from facts to theory.
My role as a guide in teaching requires me to recognize these differences and find ways to create a learning environment that incorporates these differences. Fortunately, technological tools allow me to do that. In adapting technology to the classroom, my goal is to first and foremost use technology as an instrument. In other words, how and how much technology is used depends on the content and level of the class. I find that how technology is used and which aspects of certain tools are emphasized corresponds to both different learning styles and to the levels of learning.
Blackboard and powerpoint are arguably the most well-known and often used tools in our discipline. In a mass-class setting that is reading heavy, Blackboard offers an excellent channel of access to material. By facilitating access and grouping material together on a course materials page, it makes for efficient teaching. The sample Bb page that I provide demonstrates that a variety of material may be grouped together on blackboard: lectures, required and supplementary readings, exam reviews, discussion questions, and any logistical instructional material that might be deemed necessary.
Although some might view these tools as simply repositories of reading material and lectures, respectively, I list here some of their less conventional uses. An aspect of blackboard that might prove especially relevant for a large class is that blackboard offers the opportunity to make logistical announcements. Students who miss important announcements-regarding a cancellation, change of due date, or the place of an exam-may get up to date information by logging into their Blackboard accounts. A second and a perhaps more invigorating function of blackboard is the use of discussion forums. While the classes that I’ve taught for have not used this function, I plan to use this function in future classes. Several of the ideas that I have for future teaching involve using forums to allow interaction between students and student-teaching interaction.
Technology as Complement
My approach to teaching also involves mechanisms that do not rely on specific technological tools but that might involve their use as a complement. One such example is student-instructor interaction. Going back to the notion of myself as a guide, I believe that instruction should allow for bi-way communication between students and instructor. Making time for students outside of regular lectures is important in that regard. However, when students cannot make it to office hours, the use of technology can provide a solution to the problem. As long as clear guidelines are set for email exchanges, email enables students to pose intelligent questions. It also allows me as an instructor to be aware of where the students stand in terms of their grasp of the material.
In the absence of online forums, posting discussion questions online serves as an excellent complement. Especially given mass classes where an online forum might prove hard to moderate and where posts might be hard to keep track of, discussion questions provide students with a chance to reflect on the material before lecture or discussion sections. Beyond that, they also provide a mental guide for students in conveying to them what parts of the material they are specifically expected to focus on.
Importantly, higher-order learning requires providing ways in which students might be active participants in learning and engage in hands-on experience. The most cited example that comes to mind is the use of labs. I believe it is a misguided notion that labs or laboratory-style simulations are specific to the natural sciences. An example of a United Nations Security Council simulation I participated in organizing demonstrates how hands-on learning may take place in political science. The simulation document I provide also spelled out clear instructions and expectations for students, so that students could make the most of hands-on learning.
Last but not least, I find that technology may be used effectively to set, clarify, and communicate expectations. In the classes that I've taught discussion sections for, I've provided students with discussion sections syllabi in order to lay out how discussion groups would differ from the lecture setting, how the percentage of the grade was broken down, how student performance would be evaluated, and what types of materials or activities we would cover.
