Category Archives: European Union

Know your audience

Posted on January 15, 2013 by

Next week, I’m flying down to a small resort town in South-East Europe to train some South-East Europeans about the European Union. They will then train other South-East Europeans about the EU, using the materials and techniques that I share … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Exercises, Simon Usherwood | Leave a comment

Teaching ‘difficult’ subjects

Posted on September 11, 2012 by

As I mentioned last week, I was in Germany for a European Studies conference, including panels on L&T. A common theme which emerged was the notion of the European Union as a ‘difficult’ subject, both for students and teachers. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, European Union, Problem solving, Simon Usherwood | 2 Comments

Do I mind about mind maps?

Posted on May 1, 2012 by

I’ve always had an ambivalent relationships with mind maps*.  Despite the frequent suggestion from various quarters about how great they are, lots of freeware online and their obvious value in helping to visualise relationships within a subject, I have tended to … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Exercises, Problem solving, Seminars, Simon Usherwood, Small Classes | Leave a comment

Getting out of the classroom (and into another)

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

Today I’m involved with various activities for schools and colleges: our School of Politics is organising a day of events on ”Have we learnt the lessons of Afghanistan?” and  a bit later, I’m taking part in a webinar with the IES in … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Exercises, Exercises & Projects, Group Collaboration, Simon Usherwood | Leave a comment

Open Book, Open Mouth MCQ Exam

Posted on March 13, 2012 by

Yesterday saw my first run at a multiple-choice in-class exam, where students could bring in any materials and talk to each other.  The idea was one that I got from my good colleagues on this blog, who suggested that even … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Simon Usherwood | Tagged | 3 Comments

Building a multiple-choice quiz

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

One of the things I’m trying out this semester is a open-book multiple-choice quiz, both of which are new things for me.  My traditional mistrust of MCQs is that they promote closed thinking and don’t allow the student to express … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Exercises, Feedback & Reflection, Simon Usherwood | Tagged | 4 Comments

Today’s lucky winner is…

Posted on February 14, 2012 by

It’s teaching time again here in the UK, so I’m rolling out some new (for me) techniques to build student participation and engagement.  This semester’s lucky group are our first year undergraduates (freshmen), with whom I’m trying out a whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Exercises, Seminars, Simon Usherwood | 3 Comments

Externalising knowledge

Posted on January 17, 2012 by

One of the main elements that we tend to stress to students is the process of internalisation, of bringing knowledge and skills inside oneself and of making one’s own.  At the same time, we also stress the ability to externalise, in … Continue reading →

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Return of the Sticks

Posted on December 20, 2011 by

It’s nearly the Christmas break here in England, but before I jet off to my chalet for a few week’s powder-skiing with some minor royals, (inevitably) Kim Kardasian and (oddly) Piers Morgan, I’m going to look forward to next semester’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, European Union, Exercises, Seminars, Simon Usherwood | 4 Comments