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TRACKS/ THEMES:

Civic Engagement
This theme will assess and evaluate the active learning techniques that are aimed at enmeshing students into their local and global communities. What is the impact of these technniques upon civic participation, class participation or political knowledge and student learning? Examples of paper topics include examination of service learning courses, interning and externing programs, and experiential learning requirements.

Core Curriculum/General Education
Political science course offerings are often a part of an institution's core currilum requirements. How does political science contribute to and enhance undergraduate general education curriculum? Papers in this theme will evaluate such topics as: assessing the impact of political science courses in developing reasoning and communication skills, and exploring techniques for teaching non-majors effectively.

Diversity, Inclusiveness, and Inequality
This theme will focus on issues of difference, diversity and inequality--as they relate to pedagogical, classroom, department and institution-wide matters--from multiple perspectives. Topics may include but are not limited to: incorporating diversity topics into curriculum and course content, the ongoing changes in the demographics of students on campus, and challenges faculty face as scholars of varying identities leading such courses.

Graduate Education and Professional Development
This theme explores the unique challenges facing faculty guiding the development of graduate students, and building and sustaining excellence in graduate, masters, and doctoral programs. Examples of possible paper topics include analyses of program structures and pedagogical approaches, the effectiveness of comprehensive examinations, teaching assistant preparation, and the function of subfield reading lists in the curriculum. Additionally, this theme explores the work done by faculty members outside of the classroom, such as mentoring and advising undergraduate and graduate students on internships, post-graduate education, dissertation preparation, best practices in teaching and research, new faculty development and career preparation, and the importance of service.  

 Internationalizing the Curriculum
With the increasing globalization, this track will focus on fostering student's capacities to understand, engage, and learn from cultures, ideologies, religions and political systems from around the world. Papers can also focus on efforts by departments and faculty to internationalize curricula and programs. Examples of possible topics include the role of international affairs in the political science curriculum, rethinking the introductory course in American politics, and the role of study abroad programs. 

Program Assessment
What innovative methods and strategies are effective in assessing undergraduate and graduate programs in political science? How can we use assessment techniques to improve the quality of our programs? Papers will consider of the utility of standardized tests or exit interviews as assessment instruments, the role of capstone courses, or an examination of the function of portfolios.

Simulations and Role Play
Simulations and role play exercises help poltical scientists and students model the decision making processesof real-world political actors. Examples of these teaching techniques and strategies include Model United Nations, Model European Union, in-class self designed simulations, and on-line role playing exercises. Papers in this track will address such topics as: in what way can simulations and role-play expand student learning opportunities in political science? Which formats are most effective? How do we measure the effectiveness of simulations?

Teaching Across the Discipline
How can political scientists improve student learning by teaching across the discipline? This theme will examine how student learning can be enhanced by connecting political science to other academic disciplines and via co-curricular collaborations. Examples of potential topics include learning communities, team teaching, collaborations with student affairs, and interdisciplinary courses.

Teaching Research Methods
Political science research methods courses are an increasingly common component of the political science curriculum, not only in graduate programs, but also undergraduate programs. This track will address how political science faculty encourage the learning of research methods. Examples of proposals can include problem based techniques, project based research, team teaching research methods, data analysis and interpretation, etc.  

WORKSHOP THEMES:

Civic Education and Engagement
This theme will explore active learning techniques available to engage students with their local, state and/or national communities. Workshops will feature evidence of the effectiveness (and positive impact upon student learning and engagement) of civic education and engagement exercises in political science courses.

Classroom and Program Assessment
How do we assess our effectiveness as teachers as well as the effectiveness of our students as learners? These workshops will look at different innovative methods and strategies for assessing programs, lesson-plans, pedagogical exercises, student performance, class materials or faculty effectiveness in political science classrooms.

Integrating Technology in the Classroom
As all forms of technology have become increasingly intertwined in our everyday lives, the same holds true for the political science classroom. Technological innovations have occurred in all areas of teaching and learning. Workshops will focus on demonstrating methods (through interactive exercises) that faculty can use to more effectively integrate technology into the classroom in the areas of course management and innovative pedagogical techniques and exercises.

Professional Development
This theme will explore the pedagogical approaches and techniques that can be used to effectively encourage the professional development of graduate students and junior faculty. Workshops presenters may address mentoring and advising both undergraduate and graduate students on post-graduate education, dissertation preparation, best practices in teaching and research agendas, new faculty development and career preparation.

Scholarship of Learning and Teaching
How well do new pedagogical approaches to improve learning and teaching in the political science classroom work? These workshops will evaluate and highlight best practices, innovative approaches to our understanding of learning and teaching. Proposals should address how workshops will discuss and (interactively) demonstrate innovative pedagogical techniques that are aimed at improving learning and teaching.