Gerald DiGiusto: Promoting a Curiosity About World Affairs
Political science graduate student lets class take the lead on where the discussion goes
Friday, April 16, 2004
Studying politics is fun, exhilarating and important because its issues and consequences are immediately relevant to the real world. In my classroom, I try to harness this excitement to push my students to challenge conventional wisdom and their own opinions on international events. My overarching goal is that each student leaves my classroom with a genuine and informed curiosity about world affairs, as well as the desire, enthusiasm, and tools to continue exploring and learning.
Regardless of the class format -- seminar or lecture -- I want my students to take the lead in where our discussions and studies go. I choose course readings and topics with an eye toward providing the analytic tools and information necessary to facilitate a broader investigation of world politics both inside and outside of class. In effect, I see my role as that of a tour guide, pointing out interesting landmarks along the way, suggesting alternative destinations, getting everyone involved, and keeping the group on the right path and on schedule.
Although I always have a clear agenda of what theories and events I want them to study, I have found that students best learn when given the freedom to approach material in their own way, in interaction with their peers and the instructor. We all acquire skills and knowledge in different ways, and though no instructor can fully meet the learning needs of each student in every lesson, a flexible and multifaceted approach helps to address diverse learning styles.
As such, I use role-play activities, debates, group work, brainstorming sessions, diagrams, student presentations, analogies, bad jokes -- in essence, anything -- to prompt open and wide-ranging discussions. When it works really well, I become an observer, soaking up frank and original insights from bright minds tackling big issues in international politics for the first time.
