Ted Davis Teaching Philosophy

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

I once read that, "The half of knowledge is knowing where to find it." This statement serves as the foundation for my teaching philosophy. As an instructor, I seek to achieve three objectives in the classroom:

I seek to provide students with the basic information needed to increase their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
I seek to provide students with the information needed to pursue future knowledge.
I seek to make learning exciting and stimulating through open class discussion of various topics related and unrelated to the class subject matter.

All students are encouraged to participate in these discussions and offer potential discussion topics. It is important that during the open discussion period that all students show respect for their fellow classmate's ideas and comments.

Class activities will include lectures and discussions on various topics. I will serve as the class manager, but the student is expected to do the assigned readings and take part in class discussions. As the class manager, I feel the student is responsible for what he/she gets or doesn't get out of this class. It is the student's responsibly to seek understanding and to try to put the information discussed in class into perspective. It is also the student's responsibly to apply what he/she has learned in class and read in the text(s) to the world around them.

TEACHING INTEREST

Public Policy, Race and Politics, Urban Politics, Community Development and Politics and Poverty

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF COURSES TAUGHT

POSC 150 (American Political Systems)

This course is designed for any student who wishes to major in political science or fulfill a departmental or college requirement. In fact, this course would be useful to anyone interested in learning about America's national government and political system.

The objectives of this course are threefold:

to familiarize students with the basic principles of the U.S. Constitution
to inform students about the roles, functions, and powers of individuals and institutions in the political system
to introduce students to basic political science concepts and encourage them to think analytically

POSC 220 (Introduction to Public Policy)

This course is designed for any student who wishes to major in political science or fulfill a departmental or college requirement. In fact, this course would be useful to anyone interested in understanding the politics of public policy in America.

The objectives of this course are threefold:

to discuss public policy as an outcome of governmental activity.
to explore the development of public policy.
to explore some of this nation's substantive policy areas.

POSC 300 (Data Analysis for Political Scientist)

This course is designed for political science majors or anyone interested in conducting political or social science research.

The objectives of this course are threefold:

to discuss the foundations of political and social science research
to augment the student's analytical skills
to introduce students to the basic tools used in political and social science research
to enhance the written communication skills that are necessary for students to compete in today's world.

POSC 322 (Race and Politics)

This course is designed for anyone interested in examining the relationship between race and politics of United States. The course will examine racial minorities' struggle for inclusion in the political system, and how race has influenced the development of the political environment in the U.S.. African Americans (as a political minority) and whites (as the political majority) are the primary focus of this course, however there will be many opportunities to discuss the politics of other racial minorities (i.e., Native Americans and Asian Americans).

Learning Objectives: As a result of taking this course, students will:

have knowledge of the role race played in the development of the nation's political identity
gain an understanding of race, racism, and racial privilege as issues in political system
gain insight into the role that race played in the struggle for equal protection
examine civil rights and racial equality via an examination of employment discrimination law and affirmative action Have familiarity with the challenges of race, voting rights, and the fight for political equality
have an increased understanding of race as a dimension of majority/minority politics

POSC 355 (Urban Politics and Community Development)

This course is designed for political science majors or anyone interested in the study of politics and community development in urban areas.

The objectives of this course are threefold:

to discuss the foundations of urban communities and urban politics(i.e., political culture and social structure)
to discuss the structure of urban government and political systems
to discuss contemporary problems and policy issues facing urban areas

POSC 411 (Politics and Poverty)

This course is designed for political science majors or anyone interested in studying the social, political, and economic character of poverty and social welfare policy in the United States.

The learning objectives of this course are threefold:

to examine the extent that poverty exists and to identify the characteristics of the impoverished
to examine the social, political, and economic causes and consequences of poverty
to discuss and examine the practical solutions available to the political system and adopted by decisionmakers in the current political environment.

POSC 439 (Problems in African Politics: Governance and Development)

The primary focus of the class is the region south of the Sahara Desert, called “sub-Saharan Africa.” This region is rich in natural resources, and it is a region of great cultural and geographic diversity. Yet, it is where many of the world’s poorest counties are located. This class will take a critical look at character of development and governance in Africa. That is, this class will examine the depressing economic and political slide of a continent in crisis. The intent of the class is not to stop there, but to examine what many refer as the “African Renaissance.” We will examine some of the proposed pragmatic strategies to deal with the structural crisis on the continent. This class is not about politics and political systems in Africa per se, rather it is about matters of governing and development.

The learning objectives of this course are threefold:

to increase understanding of the social, political, and economic issues confronting post-colonial Africa,
to increase understanding of problems the associated with development and governance in Africa
to identify and discuss the strategies to improve governance and development on the continent

POSC 452 (Urban Politics and Policy)

This course is for political science majors and/or anyone interested in studying urban politics, policy, and issues of community development in America. As a result of taking this course, students will be able:

to discuss the emergence and foundation of contemporary urban areas/communities;
to discuss the nature of politics in urban areas;
to discuss substantive problems confronting urban communities; and
to become knowledgeable of the methods use to analyze urban policy.

BAMS 110 (Introduction to Black American Studies)

This course is designed for any student interested in examining the Black American experience and its relevance as an academic discipline. The course will focus on what has happened and what is happening with Black people in the U.S. Special attention is given to understanding Blacks' struggle for inclusion in the social, political, and economic arenas of the United States.

The objectives of this course are threefold:

have an understanding of the relevance of Black American Studies as a discipline devoted to understanding human relationships and social justice.
have knowledge of how the Black American experience helped to define the character and ethos of the U.S. through an examination of historical and current unfolding.
have knowledge of how the Black American experience helps to interpret and give meaning to life in America through the study of black literature, creative arts, and philosophy
have knowledge of how the experiences of Black Americans help us to understand institutions and human relationships through anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology
have an understanding of Black Americans as part of a transnational racial community