Teaching Experience
Missouri Southern State University (2015 – present)
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Lincoln University (2012 – 2015)
University of Missouri (2009 – 2012)
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Interdisciplinary Traveling Seminars
I teach several interdisciplinary traveling seminars (ITS). These courses are co-taught by faculty from different disciplines, with a syllabus and reading list negotiated to address core concepts from multiple disciplinary angles. The first ITS I taught was Building a Republic, first offered spring 2018 as an 8-week course alongside a political theorist and civil war historian. We explored the ideas of public memory and national identity, anchored in a detailed study of the development of Washington DC and the National Mall. The course ended with an 8-day trip to Washington DC where students visited the historical sites we studied and analyzed various museum collections.
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The second ITS I helped develop was Eden, Empire, & the Environment: Australia in Context, which I offered with colleagues from history and geography. We examined the historical development of Australia, from the pre-colonial era with readings about aboriginal communities, through the continent's penal colony era, and into the modern era. We examined both the political development of the nation and the continent's unique geographical features that influenced both early human settlements and contemporary politics. This course ended with a 2 week trip across the continent, beginning in Perth, continuing with a train ride across through Adelaide, and finishing in Sydney.
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The third ITS I work with is Model United Nations, which I teach alongside a European historian. This course is offered each fall and is structured around participation in the American Model United Nations conference in Chicago in November. Students learn about the historical development of the United Nations and the role it plays in international affairs today. Students also learn about the history and contemporary politics of a specific state the class is assigned to represent at the conference. In 2019, our students represented the Republic of Korea, in 2020 our students represented Cuba, and in 2021 Czech Republic.
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Sample Syllabi
Political Science 120 American Govt (2022) | |
File Size: | 540 kb |
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International Studies 308 Model UN (2022) | |
File Size: | 402 kb |
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Political Science 491 Internship (2022) | |
File Size: | 308 kb |
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Political Science 320 State & Local Govt (2021) | |
File Size: | 538 kb |
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Political Science 312 Legislative Process (Spring 2020) | |
File Size: | 294 kb |
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Political Science 498 Environmental Policy & Politics Syllabus (Spring 2019) | |
File Size: | 332 kb |
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Political Science 361 Politics of Sex (Fall 2019) | |
File Size: | 334 kb |
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Political Science 201 Introduction to Political Science (Fall 2019) | |
File Size: | 201 kb |
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Political Science / History 498 Building a Republic (Spring 2018) | |
File Size: | 250 kb |
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Teaching Online
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(Left) TED-ED Video on the "Pros & Cons of Public Opinion Polls"
I often take advantage of high-quality materials already available online. I collect the resources and post links on the learning management site (Blackboard, Moodle, etc.) and I provide students with a direct link to my YouTube channel where all the videos are available. TED-ED, Kahn Academy and PBS all produce excellent short videos that discuss key concepts in ways that are both more visually appealing and professionally edited than I am prepared to produce. This is an excellent way to take advantage of available resources to free up time to dedicate to student-teacher interaction. |
I like to begin my American Government course with something amusing and something students can relate to - I currently opt for Thomas Jefferson as a rock star via this Soomo Publishing music video which rewrites One Republic's "Too Late to Apologize" single to tell the story of the writing of the Declaration of Independence. |
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On rare occasions, I will post short lecture clips to introduce topics and key terms before students move onto the interactive assignments or discussions. These videos are typically less entertaining for the students and website analytics indicates fewer students watch these videos, but students who do take the time to review the mini-lecture videos will find them quite helpful for taking notes on key concepts and preparing for exams. The example to the left is one that I regularly offer my students to supplement their assigned readings and assigned activities for the Civil Liberties lecture. It consists of lecture slides and audio. This is probably the simplest, if least creative way to offer online course material and each semester I am able to replace these videos with more engaging alternatives. Online courses, like live classes, are always a work in progress. |