Teaching: Approaches to Teaching Introductory Courses Roundtable

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Overview

While most faculty instructors will teach introductory courses at some point in their careers, doing so is not without unique challenges. Students in these courses are often just beginning their collegiate journey, navigating their transition into adulthood, and some of them may have no intention of ever taking another political science course. At the same time, recent events in American politics have called into question the conventional wisdom that undergirds standardized approaches to the introductory course, while also generating new interest in political science among students. Thus, new and seasoned instructors alike may find value in discussing how best to approach introductory courses, with a view to fostering political literacy, civic awareness, and critical thinking among students. Specific questions to be discussed may include:
- Do recent political events and the current political climate necessitate new approaches to introductory courses, in terms of course content and pedagogical methods?
- How does one foster student interest and engagement among non-majors who are simply fulfilling a gen-ed requirement?
- What are some innovative approaches to the introductory course, beyond the standard “American Government & Politics” textbook approach?
- How can instructors ease the transition into collegiate life and learning for first-year students?

Section

• Professional Development / Professional Development

Chair

• Carol R. Strong, University of Arkansas at Monticello

Participants

• Douglas Michael Cantor, Rutgers University

• Elizabeth I Dorssom, Lincoln University - Missouri

• Brian Robert King, Muskingum University

• Erin Rowland Carlin, Austin Peay State University