Erika K. Masaki, Ph.D.
Teaching Philosophy
The foundation of my teaching philosophy is that I aim to teach students how to think, not what to think. As an instructor of political science, my ultimate goal is to help students access the material using a variety of teaching approaches. In addition to lectures, I have included discussion boards, classroom simulations, and other tools to both engage and inspire my students. In addition to seeing my students succeed in the classroom, I am committed to helping them develop skills that will benefit them during their time in college and beyond. Having begun my teaching career at one of the most diverse institutions in the United States, and a designated Minority Serving Institution, I am keenly aware of the challenges and rewards of working with students from various backgrounds, including minorities, first-generation college students, returning military, rural, and non-traditional students.
Teaching Experience
Lane Community College - Eugene, OR
PS 101 (Modern World Governments)
PS 201/PS 202 (U.S. Government and Politics)
PS 203 (State and Local Government and Politics)
PS 205 (International Relations)
PS 208 (Introduction to Political Theory)
PS 225 (Political Ideology)
PS 297 (Environmental Politics)
PS 297_H (Environmental Politics, Honors Option)
Southern Arkansas University - Online
PA 6073 (Research Methods)
University of West Florida - Online
INR 2002 (International Politics)
CPO 2002 (Comparative Politics)
POS 2041 (American Politics)
University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV
PSC 231 (Introduction to International Relations)
PSC 211 (Introduction to Comparative Politics)
PSC 200 (Survey of Political Theory)
PSC 101 (Introduction to American Politics)
Selected Teaching and Mentorship Training and Professional Development
Undergraduate Research at Community Colleges Faculty Inquiry Group (January - June 2022)
Read and discussed Undergraduate Research at Community Colleges: Equity, Discovery, and Innovation to help move undergraduate research forward at Lane.
Accessible and Inclusive Classrooms: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework (November 16, 2022)
Discussion and workshop on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Hosted by the International Studies Association.
Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) Community of Practice (January - June 2022)
Co-facilitated a community of practice to help faculty adopt more transparent teaching practices in their classes.
Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone (July 5 - August 16, 2021)
Discussion of Universal Design for Learning at community colleges. Included weekly meetings with other Oregon community college faculty to discuss the readings. Sponsored by the Oregon Education Association.
Applying the Quality Maters Rubric (APPQRM) Completion Certificate (May 2019)
Online training to familiarize instructors on how to apply the Quality Matters rubric to improve the quality of online education.
UNLV Graduate College Mentorship Certification (May 2017)
Year-long program designed to train graduate students to serve as a mentor in higher education settings
UNLV Graduate College Teaching Certification (May 2016)
Year-long program designed to train graduate students to become more effective teachers of higher education
UNLV VetSERV Training (October 2016)
UNLV Serving Every Returning Veteran training on the challenges veterans face when they transition from service to campus life
UNLV At Risk Training (September 2016)
Online training designed to help faculty identify signs of student distress, approach students of concern, and refer students to necessary support services
ISA Annual Convention Teaching Workshops (March 2016)
How to Successfully Use Participatory Methods for Training and Education; Simulations and Games in International Relations
UNLV Provost Workshop (March 2015)
Lecturing for Deeper Learning: Effective, Efficient, Research-Based Strategies