Exploring Open Education Pedagogy in Research Methods Classrooms: Diversifying Methods
By Ñusta Carranza Ko and Michael Shochet, University of Baltimore
Despite the known benefits of open pedagogy that involves collaborative and interactive creation of knowledge and learning experiences, it remains underutilized as a framework for teaching in research methods classrooms. Methods courses are often a requirement for students majoring in political science, government, or public policy, and yet not the most sought out subject of study. How can instructors increase students’ interests in learning methods and engage them in the processes of learning?
The main purpose of our study is to explore a nuanced framework involving open pedagogy for political science research methods classes that engages a diverse student population and aligns students’ learning interests with our own disciplinary learning outcomes. The approach of open pedagogy involves a process of learning that is constructive and draws on theories of social justice. In addition, it is an approach grounded in the sharing of knowledge that is free, accessible, and open. To this end, we provide an argument for the creation and launch of a renewable assignment titled “Contribution to Knowledge,” that incorporates open education practices in an online research methods class. This assignment is developed with the framing of open pedagogy and ideas of social justice (mirroring Sarah Lambert’s (2018) work) involving redistributive (having free access to resources), recognitive (depictions of diverse socio-cultural groups), and representational (self-determination and voices of marginalized peoples) justice. In our study we explain how this type of renewable assignment is adaptable enough to be used in a variety of political science courses, at different institutional levels, in asynchronous and synchronous settings, and with class sizes large or small. Most importantly, this case study demonstrates the potential for open educational practices to increase student engagement while also advancing the aims of improving equity in the classroom, especially in a university with a diverse student body.
The Journal of Political Science Education is an intellectually rigorous, path-breaking, agenda-setting journal that publishes the highest quality scholarship on teaching and pedagogical issues in political science. The journal aims to represent the full range of questions, issues and approaches regarding political science education, including teaching-related issues, methods and techniques, learning/teaching activities and devices, educational assessment in political science, graduate education, and curriculum development.