Dr. Ronnie M Olesker

I employ various strategies to engage students of diverse backgrounds and learning styles. I post online in advance discussion questions for each class to guide students in their preparation for that class. I allow students to take ownership of the course and their learning process through group presentations and student led discussions, which encourages active participation in the communication and interpretation of ideas. I find that students respond better when class discussions reflect their collective interests rather than always reflecting my own.

in addition, I stress the importance of clear analytical thinking and writing by including the composition of policy memos which require students to evaluate and recommend policy-makers a specific policy relating to a scenario which I develop. I believe students learn best when they consistently apply themselves to challenging but ultimately enjoyable and rewarding material. I accomplish this through designing an international crisis simulation exercise in which students are divided into teams representing state and non-state actors in an international crisis. Students must bridge the gap between theory and practice with the objective of applying lessons learned to real world challenges. Students consistently mark this exercise as one of their most rewarding educational experiences and exemplify tremendous amount of creativity during the simulation itself. The simulation is followed by a de-briefing session in which students assess what they have learned from the exercise.