This article describes the design and implementation of a redistricting simulation in two classes at a large university. Simulations often include a high degree of abstraction and, as a result, may not inform and develop an understanding of how the world operates. We developed a binding-arbitration game, based on the New Jersey model of a bipartisan commission, in which groups of students used US Census data and a set of mandatory and discretionary criteria to design congressional districts in Louisiana as well as advocate for their plan at an open hearing. In so doing, they learned about the complexities of redistricting and were introduced to geographical information systems (GIS). The student-drawn maps, on average, were more compact and preserved a larger proportion of places and parishes in a single district than the legislature-drawn map. The article discusses other features of the students’ maps and concludes with comments on the general decision-game design.

This article presents a simple modular simulation for teaching the advantages and limitations of Realist theory in an introductory international relations course. The advantages of this simulation include low preparation time, minimal resource requirements, and ease of integration with existing curricula. The game design is built around Kenneth Waltz’s “three-image” framework for analyzing international politics, in a way that increases scenario complexity but not game difficulty. The article describes the full simulation process, from game design and implementation through debriefing and assessment. Two historical simulations were conducted: the first helped students to understand Realism and the second helped them to see its limitations. The article concludes with a discussion of the results of a voluntary, anonymous postgame survey that is intended to assess achievement of our learning objective.

Classroom simulations have become an increasingly popular instructional method in political science to increase student engagement, interest, and learning. This article describes a simulation designed to teach students about the complexities of campaign-finance systems, particularly disclosure requirements. In the simulation, students work in groups to convince others how to vote on a pending ballot measure. After spending more than $200 on materials, groups then must register as ballot-issue committees and comply with state campaign-finance laws, including tracking contributions and expenditures and completing all required forms. The simulation ends with a debrief. Results from several years of debriefs are presented to discuss how students perceive the complexities of campaign-finance laws. Dominant themes include surprise by students in the complexities of these laws and the effects they have on political speech and association.

When instructors are first tasked with teaching the research methods course for their department, a common reaction is frustration and panic. Although all political scientists are trained in research methods, few besides methodologists view it as their primary or strongest area of expertise, and they are aware that the course rarely returns high teaching evaluations (Fletcher and Painter-Main 2014). Likewise, students approach their required research methods course with extreme anxiety, viewing it as the math class they were trying to avoid by majoring in political science (Bernstein and Allen 2013; Coleman and Conrad 2007). With instructors unhappily teaching the class and students dreading taking it, there is a “perfect storm” of attitudes and beliefs that is hardly likely to lead to a productive learning environment. The challenge driving this article is how to teach research methods in a rigorous, engaging way that promotes student learning without tanking scores on teaching evaluations.

To determine whether our undergraduate curriculum fulfills the pedagogical goals of our department, the authors conducted a semester-long curriculum assessment. This article discusses five main lessons and three lingering questions to demonstrate potential benefits of curriculum assessment and to prompt further disciplinary conversation about how undergraduate teaching should be structured. The overarching lesson, however, is that although student needs may be quite diverse, an emphasis on core aspects of the program can yield better training for all undergraduates.

Online learning in postsecondary institutions has increased dramatically across the United States and Canada. Although research demonstrates the benefits of online learning for student success, instructors face challenges in facilitating communication, delivering course content, and navigating outdated and cumbersome technologies. The authors examine the use of a free third-party platform called Slack as a tool to facilitate better communication among students and faculty, enable the delivery of diverse and dynamic course content, and reach students in an online course that supports both independent and collaborative learning. The authors present a case study of Slack’s use in an online second-year environmental politics course taught at a large Canadian public university. There is a significant and growing literature on how to best engage students in online learning, including active and social learning models as promising approaches to digital teaching. The authors argue that using collaborative social technologies such as Slack—which both replicates and integrates the online and social-media environments that students already inhabit—can assist faculty in meeting their pedagogical goals online. The article documents the instructors’ experience in managing discussion and involving students in their online learning through active learning exercises. Best practices are examined.