POLS 8997 Seminar in Effective Teaching- Post-Secondary, Special Focus: Teaching American Citizenship
Instructor: Dr. Chara Bohan
TA: Kristina LaPlant
Overview
In this course students will learn about the philosophical, historical, and contemporary meanings of American Citizenship. Students will study founders such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, and then later education reformers such as Horace Mann, Catherine Beecher, John Dewey, and W.E.B. DuBois and how they influenced citizenship education. Moreover, students study contemporary research in American citizenship education, as well as pedagogical strategies for nurturing citizenship in K-12 or higher education classrooms. Students will ponder the kind of citizenship education that they can promote in the classroom, whether it be personally responsible, participatory, and/or social-justice oriented citizen-students who engage in political activism. Finally, students will develop an understanding of how standards influence citizenship education and the resources available to help them promote the teaching of American citizenship.
Course Introduction Video
Creating a “How to be Successful in this Course” video for online classes is a useful tool instructors can use to emphasize learning objectives, explain assignments, and also personalize the students’ learning environment. This video serves as the alternative to the introductory lectures of in-person courses in which the instructor discusses assignments, procedures, and expectations. Textual cues are utilized to reinforce the instructor’s expectations for students in the digital classroom.
Guidelines for Writing Assignments
Creating a “Guidelines for Assignment” video is a critical component of teaching online. These videos replace pages of guidelines, formatting specifications, and grading rubrics for a more streamlined discussion about the assignment. Textual cues and colorful speech bubbles are utilized to hold the student’s attention while reiterating key aspects of the assignment.
Meet the Author Video
If you are requiring students to purchase a book from an author whom you know personally, encourage the author to create a “Meet the Author” video for your online class. Supplementary images, as seen in this video, can be added in post-production by the instructor or a teaching assistant using video editing software like Camtasia 3 or iMovie.
Dr. Kristina M. LaPlant 