Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: In my Latin American politics courses, students explore concepts and theories through a variety of role-played simulations. Students advise Brazilian President Lula da Silva on economic policy, prosecute (and defend!) ex-dictators in Guatemala, plot a coup against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, and even run corrupt campaigns to win the 2006 Mexican elections.

In another class, students test the claims of the democratic transitions literature through a simulation of institution-building in post-war Iraq. In one scenario, U.S. Administrator Paul Bremer found it impossible to mediate the conflicting demands of actors like the Iraqi National Congress and the Kurdish Democratic Party, resulting in a collapse of negotiations and renewed violence in Iraq.

But rather than using published or instructor-created simulations, these simulations are created, directed, and evaluated by the students themselves, from start to finish. Such student-created simulations are one of five types of "student-centered curriculum" described in this paper that put students in charge of major parts of their political science education.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Although criminal justice has made strides to incorporate issues of race, ethnicity, class, and gender into both research and teaching, the same cannot be said about issues of homosexuality. A content analysis of several academic abstracting services demonstrates that homosexuality is vastly under-represented in criminal justice research in comparison to other disciplines. Additionally, a content analysis of course descriptions at over 50 top colleges' and universities' criminal justice programs reveals that unlike race and gender, sexual orientation is rarely mentioned. Moreover, what little research exists on the subject indicates that criminal justice students are much more homophobic than their peers in other majors. In light of these facts, and further in light of pervasive homophobia in the criminal justice system, criminal justice educators must do a better job integrating issues of sexuality into our curricula as part and parcel of diversity education within the discipline. Doing so can help combat heterosexism and both individual and institutionalized homophobia.

Publication Type: Roundtable
Abstract: The Action Research Study assignment in which undergraduate teacher education candidates develop a hypothesis, write and submit a research grant proposal, systematically collect data and analyze it, and use the results to make instructional decisions is a critical component of the field based undergraduate training curriculum. The design, implementation, case studies, and program data collected from this assignment will be shared. Teacher candidates through the implementation of this assignment have discovered better ways to impact student learning and expand their voices as effective professionals.

Publication Type: Session Presentation
Abstract: The paper outlines the goals and contents of a Chinese linguistics course for undergraduate students who are Chinese-language learners. Topics covered in the course include the structure of modern standard Chinese, modern dialects, the script, language reform, language use, etc. Readings, class activities, and course materials will also be introduced.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Despite the great interest in the impact of undergraduate research on student development in the literature on higher education, there has not been much work done on the relationship between participation in undergraduate research and the development of political science students. This paper assesses the relationship between student participation in collaborative research projects with faculty and both student learning (operationalized in terms of scores on the Major Field Aptitude Test [MFAT] in political science) and the likelihood of entrance into professional or graduate school. We find that participation in collaborative research with faculty, in general, is associated with improved student learning in political science and a greater likelihood that students will proceed on to graduate/professional school.
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