At the University of Georgia, a new wave of teaching is redefining the classroom experience. Professors are setting aside traditional lectures to embrace active learning, an approach that transforms students into collaborators, problem-solvers, and thinkers. Through simulations, debates, and real-world applications, professors are preparing students to thrive in an interconnected and ever-changing world – and the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) is at the forefront.

The Drive Behind the Change

The transition to active learning didn’t happen overnight. A decade ago, UGA’s teaching model primarily relied on lectures and exams, with limited opportunities for interactive engagement. When the university began emphasizing experiential education in its Quality Enhancement Plan, SPIA became one of the first schools to implement large-scale changes. Last year, the Department of International Affairs became the first on campus to achieve 100% participation in active learning classrooms. Leading this transformation is Professor Leah Carmichael, who was named the inaugural Director of Active Learning for UGA in 2023.

Dr. Carmichael’s dedication to experiential education stems from her background in international affairs. As a senior lecturer in international affairs, she specializes in geostrategic politics, international law, and food politics, including starvation as a tool of war. Her research and teaching emphasize the importance of applying theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, a principle that drives her commitment to active learning. 

One of the key initiatives driving this transformation is the Active Learning Summer Institute, a multi-week program run by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) where faculty learned how to redesign their courses to be more interactive. “It was a game-changer,” Carmichael says. “Faculty who were initially hesitant about active learning saw firsthand how effective it could be.” As a participant in the inaugural institute in 2018, Carmichael gained hands-on experience in designing and implementing active learning techniques. The program provided her with the tools to rethink her course structure, shifting from traditional lectures to interactive case studies, role-playing exercises, and real-world policy analysis. “The CTL program helped me see how I could push my students to engage more deeply with the material while also making the learning experience more dynamic and enjoyable,” Carmichael recalls. 

Carmichael’s efforts now extend beyond her own classroom—where she has reshaped International Law courses into dynamic moot court experiences—to influence how faculty across the university design their courses. Under her leadership, UGA has become a hub of innovation, where faculty rethink their approach to teaching and students engage in more meaningful and applied ways.

Behind the Scenes: Rethinking the Classroom Experience

For faculty members like Professor Bryan Barber, a lecturer in international affairs, implementing active learning meant completely reimagining his teaching methods. His international relations courses now resemble diplomatic strategy sessions, where students assume the roles of policymakers in a simulated United Nations Security Council meeting.

“It’s not just about memorizing facts,” Barber explains. “It’s about understanding how decisions are made in the real world and learning to navigate complex negotiations.” The shift required him to move away from traditional assessments to now evaluating students based on their ability to analyze issues, articulate arguments, and collaborate effectively. One of his most notable exercises involves a multi-day UN Security Council simulation, where students must negotiate resolutions while representing different nations’ interests, often taking on perspectives that challenge their personal views. These exercises not only sharpen their analytical skills but also force them to consider the complexities of international policymaking.

Barber also structures his introductory courses to serve as a gateway to more advanced international affairs studies. He understands that many students enter his classes without prior exposure to political science or global studies, so he builds in scaffolding to help them develop foundational analytical skills. One way he achieves this is through peer collaboration. His students participate in structured peer feedback sessions, where they critique each other’s policy proposals and refine their reasoning. This iterative process strengthens their writing and argumentation skills and fosters a supportive environment where students learn from one another.

Professor Michelle Lofton, associate professor of public administration and policy, who teaches public financial administration, faced a different challenge: how to make budgeting and finance engaging for students. “Numbers can be intimidating, and I didn’t want my class to be just about Microsoft Excel formulas,” Lofton explains. She built her curriculum around real-world applications, introducing case studies where students analyze municipal budgets and propose financial solutions. She also implemented cooperative learning activities like the jigsaw method, in which students first become experts in one phase of the budgeting cycle and then teach it to their peers.

To her, active learning is about being intentional in how courses are structured to ensure students build meaningful skills. Lofton takes a meticulous approach to course design, ensuring that each element of her curriculum builds toward deeper levels of understanding. “It’s not just about inserting activities into a class,” Lofton explains. “Every assignment should be mapped to a specific learning objective, designed to build critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application skills. If we want students to retain and apply knowledge beyond the classroom, we have to be purposeful about how we teach them.”

Her students leave her courses not just with theoretical knowledge of public finance but with the ability to navigate real-world budgeting decisions, critically assess policies, and effectively communicate complex financial concepts.

Professor Andy Owsiak, professor of international affairs, works to incorporate experiential learning by adopting the “Reacting to the Past” methodology, a role-playing approach where students embody historical figures and grapple with real-world political dilemmas. As Owsiak notes, “Before, I would provide lectures on some topics, such as human rights or international law; the game, however, allows students to experience the concepts and debates in these topic areas firsthand.” Games can vary in length, but typically Owsiak runs one game per semester, with history and context built into the game’s set-up. “Students engage deeply with the material—reading background texts, historical and primary sources, critical influential works, and a detailed gamebook that brings them right up to the moment the game begins. Through their character role sheets, they then step into the past, making decisions shaped by real historical contexts that remain relevant today.” Once the game begins, the students are in charge of the classroom. During the game, students engage with each other not just as classmates, but as historical figures, often forming connections that extend beyond the classroom. “By advocating for positions they may not personally support, they are challenged to adopt new perspectives, refine their arguments, and deepen their understanding of how ideas and beliefs take shape in different contexts,” said Owsiak.

Beyond historical role-play, Owsiak also leads students in real-world research through the Diplomacy Lab, where students collaborate with the U.S. State Department on pressing global issues. Recent projects have included analyzing democratic backsliding in Latin America and assessing electoral stability in emerging democracies. Through these initiatives, students gain firsthand experience in international affairs research, producing policy reports that are reviewed by government officials. “They’re not just learning about international relations, they’re contributing to it,” Owsiak says.

Professor Jeffrey Glas, a senior lecturer in political science and Director of the Certificate in Data Analytics in Public Policy, brings an applied and interactive approach to his courses, which range from the required American Government 1101 to upper-level courses in data analytics. With a background in political campaigns, he understands firsthand the complexities of real-world decision-making. This experience informs his teaching, where he aims to move students beyond passive learning into active engagement. “In a traditional classroom, students sit, listen, and take notes, but that’s not how you really learn,” Glas explains. “You need to work with concepts, practice them, and engage in problem-solving. That’s when learning actually happens.”

To create an engaging learning environment, Glas incorporates methods such as the “think, pair, share” strategy and group work that encourages students to identify and analyze public goods in a familiar image such as downtown Athens. Glas’ students practice identifying public issues and finding solutions that have worked in other contexts, preparing them for future roles as policymakers and analysts.

In his methodology courses, Glas takes active learning a step further by immersing students in data-driven problem-solving. He has students analyze charts and graphs, guiding them to research and find the cause and effect of changes over time. “They’re not just memorizing how to do statistics, they’re learning how to interpret and analyze what’s causing changes in the data,” he explains. His students use statistical software like STATA to manage and analyze real-world datasets, often working in teams to mimic the collaborative nature of professional research. “I’ve hardly worked alone in research, and I don’t expect my students to either. The ability to work in groups, collect, clean, and analyze data is crucial for their careers.”

Through the courses to earn her Certificate in Data Analytics in Public Policy, SPIA senior Sophie Radke developed a suite of valuable skills. “The main thing I learned was how to think critically and discern salient pieces of information from large text blocks,” she explains. She gained proficiency in data visualization and manipulation, learning how to clean spreadsheets and create various types of charts. These skills are crucial in a world increasingly steeped in data, enabling her to present complex information clearly and concisely.

Her data analytical skills made her a valuable asset to her internship with the Defense Intelligence Agency. “In intelligence, it’s a big matter of who can present the information most clearly, correctly, and concisely,” Sophie emphasizes. Her background in information science strengthened her case for her work and opened doors within the intelligence community.

The Role of Peer Learning Assistants

One of the most impactful aspects of the active learning model is the incorporation of Peer Learning Assistants (PLAs). These students, who have previously excelled in a course, return to serve as mentors and facilitators for their peers. Peer Learning Assistants actively foster engagement, build confidence, and create a sense of community in the classroom.

Gabi Witucki, a former student of Dr. Barber’s Introduction to Global Issues course, was so inspired by the active learning environment that she became a PLA herself. “I loved how engaged I felt in the course, and I wanted to help other students experience that same level of enthusiasm,” she says. As a PLA, Witucki not only assisted with simulations and group discussions but also provided guidance on course material and study techniques. These assistants play a crucial role in making large courses feel more personal and interactive. “Having a peer who has been through the course before creates a bridge between students and instructors,” Witucki explains. “It makes asking questions and engaging with the material much easier.”

From Student to Future Legal Professional

For Hannah Kesner, active learning at SPIA was a pivotal experience that shaped her future career in law. A former student in Dr. Leah Carmichael’s International Law course, Kesner credits the class’s interactive moot court exercises with solidifying her decision to attend law school. “It wasn’t just about studying cases—it was about living them,” Kesner says. “We had to construct arguments, anticipate counterarguments, and present our cases persuasively. It pushed me in ways I never expected.”

Throughout the semester, Kesner and her classmates rotated between the roles of applicants, respondents, and judges, allowing them to approach cases from multiple legal perspectives. The experience gave her a deeper understanding of legal frameworks and confidence in her public speaking and argumentation skills that carried over into her first year at Emory Law School.

“Law school thrives on the Socratic method, where you’re constantly called on to analyze legal issues in real time,” Kesner explains. “Because of Dr. Carmichael’s course, I walked into my first day already comfortable speaking in front of a room full of people, defending a position, and thinking critically on my feet.”

Kesner’s exposure to active learning prepared her for the rigors of law school and broadened her aspirations. Initially interested in domestic law, she became fascinated by international legal institutions such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.  “It solidified my interest in law school and international law,” Kesner recalls. “It was a space to learn, make mistakes, and grow.” She hopes to pursue a career in human rights law, applying the skills she first developed in SPIA’s interactive classrooms to real-world cases on a global scale.

A Lasting Legacy

Students across SPIA aren’t just participating in active learning, they are shaping it. Whether through Peer Learning Assistants like Witucki or students like Kesner, the impact of these teaching methods extends far beyond the classroom.

Looking ahead, Carmichael and her colleagues envision even greater integration of active learning across SPIA and beyond. Plans are in place to expand faculty mentorship programs, create more interdisciplinary collaborations, and further enhance classroom technology to support interactive learning. As universities across the country transition away from passive lectures, UGA’s SPIA is setting the standard for how higher education can evolve to meet the needs of today’s students.

From Barber’s UN simulations to Lofton’s budgeting workshops, SPIA faculty are transforming education into a collaborative, activity-rich learning experience. At SPIA, active learning isn’t just a teaching method; it’s a philosophy that is shaping the next generation of leaders, one immersive experience at a time.