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Since we have hardly any criteria for measuring good teaching, we have hardly any instructions on how to be a good teacher; so much so, that the issue itself is generally treated with some embarrassment in academic circles. Except as one is truly an extaordinary teacher, in which case we defer to his gift, sustained interest in teaching is viewed as something of a gaucherie. This shocks our friends and distresses our students, but it makes perfectly good sense, since we conventionally assume that good teachers are born, not made. (If they were made, then we should be able to make them; since we do not profess to know how to make them, yet they continue to turn up here and there, they must be born.)The logic is somewhat circular, and quite like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Having established that good teaching, when it happens, is essentially accidental, and hence not scientifically reproducible, we snicker at the "educationists" who profess to have identified "rules" for our work. There does exist, for example, a body of literature which employs scientific standards to identify the best methods for presenting various kinds of knowledge to students. Yet this is a literature which is almost totally unknown to anyone who is likely to make use of it. Thus its validity has not been tested, except experimentally.Although random efforts to improve the quality of teaching, and perhaps to apply the same standards in our analysis of teaching that we apply in our research, seem to be increasing, it is, on the whole, unlikely that they will grow substantially. For the most part, such efforts are directed at curricular revision, or at restructuring of course contents; they rarely deal with the nature of the relationship between the teacher and his students. And, even when they do, they must overcome an ethic of futility which is firmly established in our graduate schools.

"This insightful book delivers a wealth of innovative ideas, models, examples, and advice for teaching experimental political science in the classroom and beyond, emphasising that teaching experimental research is necessary to prepare students to succeed as researchers, practitioners, active citizens and civic leaders. It illustrates how teaching experimental methods sparks students' curiosity by allowing them to ask and answer questions about the world they live in. With a core focus on successfully engaging a diverse range of students at all levels, this book includes a variety of approaches from contributing authors who are leading scholars in their field. Chapters provide both new and experienced teachers with concrete guidance on how to: facilitate student-designed survey experiments, use workbooks and templates to overcome mathematical and writing anxiety; use mock Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews to teach students about the ethics of experimental research; follow an apprenticeship model to teach students to carry out their own lab experiments; and train students to go out into the field. Proposed models of teaching are supported throughout by the latest empirical research on the science of learning. Teaching Experimental Political Science will be a key resource for faculty and staff working across a variety of educational contexts including political science, international relations, international politics, domestic politics, public administration and public policy"--

This article first reviews the history of political science teaching in Europe before going on to consider a range of recent developments in the teaching of political science, including cross-national joint programmes; technologically enhanced learning; placement learning and problem-based learning. The last section considers a range of issues facing political science teachers, including financial pressures; EU and national government policies; Bologna and quality assurance. The article concludes by suggesting that particular attention needs to be paid to what is taught at master's and doctoral levels.

This article first reviews the history of political science teaching in Europe before going on to consider a range of recent developments in the teaching of political science, including cross-national joint programmes; technologically enhanced learning; placement learning and problem-based learning. The last section considers a range of issues facing political science teachers, including financial pressures; EU and national government policies; Bologna and quality assurance. The article concludes by suggesting that particular attention needs to be paid to what is taught at master's and doctoral levels. Adapted from the source document.

As recipients of Fulbright-Hayes lectureships, we taught political science courses at two Chinese universities during the academic year 1983-84. Professor Thompson, at the International Politics Department of Beijing University, the major liberal arts university in North China, and Professor Morrison with the History Department of Zhongshan University in Guangzhou, the comparable institution of the south. We were the first western political scientists in residence and teaching on a regular basis in mainland Chinese universities in over thirty years, and taught the first political science courses included in Chinese curricula since the late 1940's. In addition to lecturing in each other's departments. Professor Thompson spent a week at Fudan University in Shanghai and Professor Morrison lectured at Nanjing University. These are our perceptions regarding the current state of political science in the People's Republic of China.