Teaching Methods
Joe Bandy’s courses’ endeavor to actively engage students in the process of critical thinking so that they may become empowered global citizens. Practically, his courses incorporate a mixture of lecture, film, student-led presentations, and open debate. However, two forms of teaching are especially important, case teaching and problem-based service learning.
Case Study Method
To create a more democratic and participatory process in class, student-presentations and role-playing exercises are common. One particularly effective pedagogy is the use of case studies. A case study is a written description of a situation, usually involving some social dilemma or crisis, that asks students to take roles and debate potential causes and solutions. Most cases depict actual historical or current situations, although they frequently incorporate fictional elements. They allow students to act as participants not merely disinterested observers, to practice analytical and leadership skills, and to recognize the complex intersection of practical and theoretical concerns in a variety of social contexts. Whether you are a teacher or a student, if you are interested in learning more about the case method, please visit the Case Method Website at the University of California, Santa Barbara, directed by John Foran.
After having participated in case discussions, many Bowdoin College students have desired to write their own cases on topics related to the course material. Please click on the titles to see the cases.
Blazej, Nanda. “The Conflicting Sides of the Whaling Debate”
Butler, Sarah. “What is the best form of development? Who decides?: The Case of Borneo, Malaysia”
Elenbaas, Peter. “Lobsters, Lifestyles and Local vs. Regional Control.”
Gilfenbaum, Eben. “China’s Perpetual Revolution”
Huang, KoKo. “The Three Gorges Project: A Question of Sustainable Development?”
Leach, Kate. “Microlending as a Solution to Poverty”
Schick, Adriana. “Revolutionary Mobilization: Student Uprising in South Africa in 1976”
Scoville, Sylvie. “’Panacea’ or ‘Pandora’s Box’? Ecotourism in Nepal”
Problem Based Service Learning
Service learning, generally, is an approach to higher education that focuses students on academic learning in the context of community service. In this form of learning, students can become more engaged in their academic work by grappling with theoretical issues in real world contexts, while at the same time develop a deeper sense of community responsibility. There is evidence that, when done well, service learning can meet both academic goals and community needs, allowing students to emerge from courses with greater memory and practical awareness of course materials, as well as better interpersonal and leadership skills. Problem Based Service Learning (PBSL) is a model of teaching that matches the needs, or “problems,” of community partners to those of academic courses. PBSL has been applied to courses in many disciplines, giving students practical experiences through which to learn class topics. PBSL has enabled students to take greater pride and ownership in their course work and their communities.
For more information on the methods and possibilities of PBSL, complete with example syllabi from many disciplines, please see the following sites:
- Campus Compact
- Problem Based Service Learning: A Fieldguide for Making a Difference in Higher Education, Rick Gordon, Editor
- Bowdoin College's Community Service Resource Center
- Service Learning on the Web
- AAHE service learning resources
- National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
- The Big Dummy's Guide to Service Learning