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Teaching During Elections
This message was sent to Duke faculty.
Dear Colleagues:
Election Day is just over a week away, millions of people have already cast their ballots through early voting, and news and social media are dominated by polls and predictions. With students experiencing a wide range of emotions, teaching may be more challenging than usual. In selected courses, it also may present opportunities for enhanced learning.
I know many of you are actively thinking about whether and how you will approach this in your classroom. To assist you, the Office for Faculty Advancement has published a brief online guide, “Teaching During Elections,” that presents considerations for planning and different approaches you might take, from making a brief acknowledgment if the election isn’t relevant to your course or you don’t plan to discuss it, to connecting the results to your learning objectives or even postponing discussion until students have had time to reflect on the outcome. I hope you find this guidance helpful.
Of course, no single approach will be appropriate in every course. Your students are diverse and hold a range of viewpoints. Some may be international students or may not hold U.S. citizenship. Colleagues may have helpful suggestions related to the specific subject you teach or the culture of your department or school. Whatever you decide, I urge us all to continue to strive for respectful dialogue both in and out of the classroom.
Duke students are fortunate to have excellent instructors across the disciplines. Thank you for your commitment to teaching and learning through every season.
Sincerely,
Provost
Alfred J. Hooks E '68 Distinguished Professor