Hostname: page-component-74656f9884-7drmj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-04T22:29:10.074Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Can active learning be asynchronous? Implementing online peer review assignments in undergraduate political science and international relations courses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Andrew Heffernan Open the ORCID record for Andrew Heffernan [Opens in a new window] ,
Michael P. A. Murphy Open the ORCID record for Michael P. A. Murphy [Opens in a new window]  and
Doug Yearwood Open the ORCID record for Doug Yearwood [Opens in a new window]
Andrew Heffernan*
Affiliation:
School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON 7005-120 University Private K1N6N5, Canada
Michael P. A. Murphy*
Affiliation:
School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON 7005-120 University Private K1N6N5, Canada
Doug Yearwood*
Affiliation:
Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
*
Andrew.Heffernan@uottawa.ca
Andrew.Heffernan@uottawa.ca
MichaelPA.Murphy@uOttawa.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The phenomenon known as emergency eLearning saw many institutions of higher education switch from face-to-face learning to virtual or online course delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition posed a unique suite of challenges to instructors and students alike, especially in the case of active learning pedagogy. This article reflects on the experiences of a multi-institutional, multi-term pedagogical project that implemented peer review assignments as opportunities for asynchronous but nevertheless active learning. We shared instructor experiences through the course design and application stages of courses in International Relations and political economy, discuss the ability of peer review assignments to create active learning opportunities in online courses, and reflect on our own pedagogical development benefited from the community of practice.

Keywords

Active learningCourse designOnline learningPedagogyPeer reviewTeaching and learning

Information

Type
Teaching and Learning
Information
European Political Science , Volume 21 , Issue 4 , December 2022 , pp. 537 - 549
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 European Consortium for Political Research

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Arsenault, A.C., Heffernan, A. and Murphy, M.P.A. 2021, What is the role of graduate student journals in the publish-or-perish academy? Three lessons from three editors-in-chief. International Studies 58 (1): 98–115.10.1177/0020881720981222CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Asal, V. 2005, Playing Games with International Relations. International Studies Perspectives 6 (3): 359–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Asal, V. and Blake, E.L. 2006, Creating Simulations for Political Science Education. Journal of Political Science Education 2 (1): 1–18.10.1080/15512160500484119CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bain, K. 2021, Super courses: The future of teaching and learning Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Baranowski, M.K. and Weir, K.A. 2015, Political simulations: What We Know, What We Think We Know, and What We still need to know. Journal of Political Science Education 11 (4): 391–403.10.1080/15512169.2015.1065748CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonwell, C.C. and Eison, J.A. 1991, Active learning: creating excitement in the classroom Washington, DC: The George Washington University/ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No 1.Google Scholar
Dahdal, S. 2020, Using the whatsapp social media application for active learning. Journal of Educational Technology Systems 49 (2): 239–249.10.1177/0047239520928307CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gin, L.E., Guerrero, F.A., Cooper, K.M. and Brownell, S.E. 2020, Is active learning accessible? Exploring the process of providing accommodations to students with disabilities. CBE Life Sciences Education 19 (4): 1–15.10.1187/cbe.20-03-0049CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glazier, R.A. 2016, Building rapport to improve retention and success in online classes. Journal of Political Science Education 12 (4): 437–456.10.1080/15512169.2016.1155994CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glazier, R.A. 2021, Connecting in the online classroom: building rapport between teachers and students Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Godbold, N., Irving-Bell, D., McSweeney-Flaherty, J.M., Torcivia Prusko, P., Schlesselman, L.S. and Smith, H. 2021, The courage to SoTL. Teaching & Learning Inquiry 9 (1): 380–394.Google Scholar
Guyotte, K.W. and Sochacka, N.W. 2016, Is this research? Productive tensions in living the (Collaborative) Autoethnographic process. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 15 (1): 1–11.10.1177/1609406916631758CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Healey, M., Matthews, K.E. and Cook-Sather, A. 2019, Writing scholarship of teaching and learning articles for peer-reviewed journals. Teaching & Learning Inquiry 7 (2): 28–50.10.20343/teachlearninqu.7.2.3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heffernan, A. 2020. Paralympic Assemblages Globalizing International Relations: An Autoethnographic Account of Global Politics at the Paralympic Games. Sport in Society OnlineFirst: pp. 1–14.10.1080/17430437.2020.1772234CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, A.S., Taylor, J.B. and Webb, B.M. 2021, Promoting productive political dialogue in online discussion forums. Journal of Political Science Education 17 (s1): 724–750.10.1080/15512169.2020.1808476CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kitchen, V. 2021, Using games and simulations to scaffold experiential learning in global politics. Journal of Political Science Education OnlineFirst 18: 1–19.Google Scholar
Knight, J.K. and Wood, W.B. 2005, Teaching more by lecturing less. Cell Biology Education 4 (4): 298–310.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lantis, J.S. 2004, Ethics and foreign policy: structured debates for the international studies classroom. International Studies Perspectives 5 (2): 117–133.10.1111/j.1528-3577.2004.00162.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lantis, J., L. Kuzma, and J. Boehrer. 2000. Introduction to The New International Studies Classroom: Active Teaching, Active Learning. Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner.10.1515/9781685852016CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laudel, G. and Glaser, J. 2008, From apprentice to colleague: The metamorphosis of early career researchers. Higher Education 55: 387–406.10.1007/s10734-007-9063-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leal Filho, W., Wall, T., Rayman-Bacchus, L., Mifsud, M., Pritchard, D.J., Lovren, V.O., Farinha, C., Petrovic, D.S. and Balogun, A.L. 2021, Impacts of COVID-19 and social isolation on academic staff and students at universities: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 21 (1): 1–19.10.1186/s12889-021-11040-zCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martel, S., S. Rourke, S. Wade, and M. Watters. 2021. Simulating ‘Normalcy’ in a global pandemic: synchronous e-learning and the ethics of care in teaching. PS: Political Science & Politics 54 (1): 173–175.Google Scholar
Michael, J. 2006, Where’s the evidence that active learning works?. Advances in Physiology Education 30 (4): 159–167.10.1152/advan.00053.2006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Murphy, M.P.A. 2017, Using active-learning pedagogy to develop essay-writing skills in introductory political theory tutorials. Journal of Political Science Education 13 (3): 346–354.10.1080/15512169.2017.1328683CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, M.P.A. 2020, COVID-19 and emergency elearning: consequences of the securitization of higher education for post-pandemic pedagogy. Contemporary Security Policy 41 (3): 492–505.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, M.P.A. and Groen, J.F. 2020, Student and instructor perceptions of a first year in active learning classrooms. Collected Essays in Learning and Teaching 13: 41–49.10.22329/celt.v13i0.5998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prince, M. 2004, Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education 93 (3): 223–231.10.1002/j.2168-9830.2004.tb00809.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rands, M.L. and Gansemer-Topf, A.M. 2017, The room itself is active: How classroom design impacts student engagement. Journal of Learning Spaces 6 (1): 26–33.Google Scholar
Roberts, J.W. 2021, Rapidly moving online in a pandemic: Intentionality, rapport, and the synchronous/asynchronous delivery decision. PS Political Science & Politics 54 (1): 183–185.10.1017/S1049096520001596CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salter, M.B. 2013, Crowdsourcing: Student-driven learning using web 2. 0 technologies in an introduction to globalization. Journal of Political Science Education 9 (3): 362–365.10.1080/15512169.2013.796259CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Savage, L. 2013, A view from the foothills: Public engagement among early career researchers. Political Studies Review 11: 190–199.10.1111/1478-9302.12010CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, A. and Kaussler, B. 2009, IR teaching reloaded: Using Films and simulations in the teaching of international relations. International Studies Perspectives 10 (4): 413–427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sims, J., Vidgen, R. and Powell, P. 2008, E-learning and the digital divide: Perpetuating cultural and socio-economic elitism in higher education. Communications of the Association for Information Systems 22 (1): 429–442.10.17705/1CAIS.02223CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slagter, T.H. and Scribner, D.L. 2014, Interteach and student engagement in political science. Journal of Political Science Education 10 (1): 81–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Assendelft, L. 2008, ‘City council meetings are cool’: Increasing student civic engagement through service learning. Journal of Political Science Education 4 (1): 86–97.10.1080/15512160701816150CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, C. P., T. L. Towner, R. A. Clawson, Z. M. Oxley, C. L. Nemacheck, and R. Rapoport. 2021. Learning through Peer Reviewing and Publishing in the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics: Twenty Years Later. PS: Political Science & Politics 54 (2): 346–52Google Scholar
Weber, C. 2001, The highs and lows of teaching IR theory: Using popular films for theoretical critique. International Studies Perspectives 2 (3): 281–287.10.1111/1528-3577.00058CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wenger, E.C., McDermott, R.A. and Snyder, W.M. 2002, Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business Press.Google Scholar
Winkler, I. 2018, Doing autoethnography: Facing challenges, taking choices accepting responsibilities. Qualitative Inquiry 24 (4): 236–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar