Teaching Public Policy: (Elgar Guides to Teaching)

This comprehensive book explores the challenges and opportunities when teaching public policy courses. Reflecting on political polarisation and the rapidly evolving contemporary environment, the contributors critically engage with course design and structure and offer innovative activities, assignments, and tips for the classroom. Michelle C. Pautz and Li-Yin Liu bring together expert specialists from a range of backgrounds to examine teaching techniques from diverse public policy learning environments. They explore ways of incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into policy education and engaging students in the study of policy to support learning. The book presents assignment examples that connect theory to real-world policy practice. It also provides guidance on inclusive teaching strategies and how to build rapport with students to enhance their learning. Teaching Public Policy is a helpful resource for both novice and experienced educators as well as researchers of public policy, political science and public administration. Its discussions around classroom dynamics and nontraditional assignments will help instructors to conceptualize their courses, tackle key challenges, and think about new approaches to student engagement.

Table of Contents:
Contents 1 Teaching public policy and the necessity of understanding our students 1 Michelle C. Pautz and Li-Yin Liu 2 Common ground policy analysis: approaches to address polarization in the classroom 16 Daniel R. Birdsong and Christopher Brough 3 The dilemma of one course: combining policy analysis and policy process theory 30 Wesley Wehde 4 Integrating community-based capstone courses into public policy curricula 43 Dillan F. Bono-Lunn and Anna L. Krome-Lukens 5 Leveraging AI-enabled technologies and tools to support student learning in public policy 72 Dongfang Gaozhao 6 Harnessing AI for active and visible learning in public policy education 100 Minzi Su 7 A contest of ideas: understanding and teaching policy through Supreme Court cases 116 Chad B. Newswander, Grace Agapinan and James Pate 8 Professors as engaged policy actors 132 Jodi Benenson and Rachel Fyall 9 Unveiling the kaleidoscope of inclusivity: innovative strategies in teaching public policy by foreign-trained faculty in US universities 144 Ju-Ying Yang 10 Integrating nontraditional assignments to enhance public policy students’ learning of quantitative methods 157 Jungwon Yeo and Olga Pysmenna 11 Re-thinking policy analysis: new approaches to learning and teaching cultural awareness 177 Xi Chen and Sara R. Rinfret 12 The use of study questions to connect public policy theory to practice in the classroom 193 Megan K. Warnement Wrobel 13 Teaching and (un)learning: developing assignments to help students unlearn old habits and prepare for policy-oriented careers 205 Joshua D. Ambrosius

About the Author :
Edited by Michelle C. Pautz, Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Academic Success and Li-Yin Liu, Associate Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, University of Dayton, USA

Review :
‘The desire of the editors and authors of this engaging book is to support students, many of whom will be future public leaders, to meet complex and challenging public issues. By considering cultural awareness, the importance of pragmatic and applied learning, and the context of public work, the chapters provide invaluable reading for new and seasoned professors alike as they consider how best to teach public policy courses. Highly recommended.’ ‘This book by Pautz and Liu fills a major void in a surprisingly sparse area of pedagogical scholarship in the policy field and as such, is not only overdue but timely. With its treatment of various topics that we all face in deciding how to approach our policy classes, whether a general introductory course or focused on a specific element of the policy process, these chapters are a welcome windfall for the teacher-scholar.’ ‘In an increasingly polarized world, teaching public policy has never been more challenging. This book offers valuable insights and practical strategies for educators striving to navigate these complexities and improve their teaching every day. Whether you're a seasoned instructor or new to the field, this book can stimulate more effective public policy education in the classroom.’ ‘Teaching Public Policy offers a comprehensive pedagogical approach to modern public policy instruction, enriched with illustrative examples that provide invaluable insights and practical guidance on using AI to enhance learning. It also addresses the cultural challenges of teaching public policy, making it an indispensable reference for educators in the US and abroad.’ ‘This volume does an amazing job of examining the questions swirling around the teaching side of public affairs programs about why we do this and how to best do it. I recommend it to everyone in the field, particularly new teachers trying to find their footing.’