New And Upper Level Political Science Course Preparations: A Discussion Of Challenges And Opportunities At The Teaching-Oriented Institution

Abstract

Designing and executing a new upper level political science course preparation can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with some of the challenges in the context of teaching-oriented institutions of higher learning. In this paper, I conduct an examination of both the challenges and the opportunities that can be afforded by environmental factors associated with teaching-oriented colleges and universities. I base some of this information on my experience of preparing and executing a new upper level political science course preparation in the fall of 2009. First, I briefly examine some of the challenges that instructors are likely to encounter in smaller college environments when executing new upper level course preparations. Next, I discuss some potential advantages and opportunities that various elements of a teaching-oriented environment can offer instructors who are faced with new upper level course preparations. Finally, I explore how instructors can maximize their chances of experiencing the benefits while avoiding some of the drawbacks of preparing new upper level courses in the teaching institution environment. A closer examination of the advantages and opportunities associated with executing new upper level course preparations at relatively small teaching institutions will help instructors develop awareness of more effective ways to design courses so that both instructor effectiveness and student learning can be maximized.