Based on a three-year qualitative case study of political education projects within Educators for Social Justice Teaching (ESJT), a teacher-led grassroots activist organization, this article explores the formation of grassroots political education and how it mediated the development of teachers as community organizers. Through a documentary and…

Student participation in undergraduate intercollegiate moot court tournaments is steadily increasing. The research on this activity, however, remains limited. This study examines the perspectives of a small sample of faculty to determine how they structure their moot court teams, the courses related to the competition, and the challenges they…

One challenge faced by instructors incorporating simulations and games into political science courses is how to assess learning outcomes from non-"traditional," pedagogical methods. Positive or anticipated simulation outcomes do not necessarily indicate positive learning outcomes for students. And, using more traditional methods of…

This is a report of a case study of a course taught to upper-level, undergraduate students in a moderate sized, southern, public university. This review applies key tenets of established literature on the learning styles of Generation Z. An outline of the techniques suggested in the emerging published research on this cohort is paired with the…

This article aims to discuss the health of the public administration discipline in the US higher education system. In particular, it debates two possible alternatives: decline or reposition. The paper analyzes the academic offers of political science, public policy, and public administration programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The…

July 15, 2019 marked the fortieth anniversary of President Jimmy Carter's "Crisis of Confidence" speech, a catalyst for what became an often overlooked yet significant turning point in the nation's history. Carter's words were both poignant and pointed as he calmly, yet directly, addressed the nation's dependence on fossil fuels and…

This paper argues that the nonkilling political scientist Glenn D. Paige could be seen as an extraordinary peace educator. It will be organized through three words -- reading, writing and talisman. It begins with a brief discussion of the method used in understanding political scientist Glenn D. Paige's life as a teacher. Then, the author's…

This article builds on the political science literature on the pedagogy of civic engagement by discussing a recent pedagogical experiment that treats community partners as leaders and full participants in the design and implementation of community-engaged learning. The courses discussed here combine democratic theory, community organizing and…

Many new political science faculty at teaching universities are recent PhD recipients, and are coming to these institutions from research-oriented universities. There are considerable differences between the training for graduate students received at research universities and the expectations for faculty at teaching universities. This essay…

Active learning techniques are being use with increasing frequency in the classroom and more time is being dedicated to designing and implementing them. However, the literature still suffers from a lack of rigorous empirical methods to test the effects of simulations. Most of the claimed benefits of utilizing simulations, and other active learning…

The study discusses the insertion of experimental course materials into a general education political science course in an effort to increase female student success. The experimental materials highlighted women serving in political office, with a goal of combatting stereotype threat. Stereotype threat occurs when a person is aware of a negative…

The learning objectives of the introductory American Government course, one of the most common entry-level political science classes in American universities, span both content knowledge and civic education. Much research has shown the pedagogical value of integrated learning--taking part in active and authentic experiences with democracy at the…

This paper describes a relatively new active learning approach--Design Thinking--and its adoption in two comparative politics courses. I draw on my experience using Design Thinking in political science courses to offer instructors another pedagogical tool in the active learning toolkit. I outline the rationale for adopting a Design Thinking…

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…

Due to the changing landscapes of higher education, a large body of research has studied how scholars make sense of academic identities and careers. Yet, little is known about how academics actually 'work' on their identities to navigate normative demands and complex career structures. This paper explores how scholars negotiate career scripts…