Teaching

The goal of my teaching is to train students to learn independently. I accomplish that through active learning techniques, including simulations, creative projects, group exercises, and presentations. I envision my small classes as workshops in which students learn through active engagement, both independently and in groups. In my larger classes, I seek to mix traditional lectures with group and individual active-learning exercises. In both types of courses, I want students to develop a set of skills, such as analyzing data and constructing arguments, that they can apply to whatever paths they pursue.

I also care about what my students learn. Some undergraduates in my classes may later pursue doctorates in political science, while others will never take another course in the social sciences. I want both groups to learn how social scientists investigate puzzles about human behavior. I create encounters with theory that not only expose students to the insights of our discipline but leave them with insights they can apply in understanding their daily lives. For students in more advanced research-based classes, I try to provide as close an approximation of an independent standard political-science research project as possible.

Courses I Teach