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Every year, the School of Social and Political Sciences Innovative Pedagogy hub at University of Glasgow organises Best Practice in Social Sciences Teaching conference. The conference seeks to showcase class activities that demonstrate imaginative teaching, so colleagues can share and develop new ideas for their own classrooms going forward.

We are looking for innovative pedagogical approaches such as experiential approaches, co-creation with students, skills based learning, use of technology and/or AI in class, inclusive teaching in practice, storytelling in the classroom, ungrading, new and engaging spins on old approaches, other active learning strategies.

We welcome proposals from any thematic area or subject within social sciences.

2026 Sign up to attend

2026

BEST PRACTICE IN SOCIAL SCIENCES TEACHING CONFERENCE  

MAY 12TH, 2026 

ADAM SMITH BUSINESS SCHOOL (ASBS), UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW 

 

Schedule: 

9:00-9:30- Registration  

Location: Adam Smith Business School: 381 

 

9:30-10:15- Opening Keynote: 

  • ASBS: 381, Cathy Elliott (University College London)

 

10:15-11:30- Session 1: Analog learning games and simulations

  • ASBS: 381, Ksenia Wesolowska (University of Strathclyde): “Negotiating Conflict: using simulations to teach Diplomacy, Negotiation and crisis decision-making”
  • ASBS: 487, Janica Ezzeldien (University of Glasgow): “Who’s the Realist? Game-based Simulation in IR Teaching”
  • ASBS: 582, Daisy Abbott (The Glasgow School of Art): “Understanding differences of opinion in complex and contested histories: the "Polyvocality Card Deck"”

 

11:30-11:45- Tea break

 

11:45-13:00- Session 2: Exercises in collaborative and active learning

  • ASBS: 381, Catriona Forrest (University of Glasgow): “Calling the shots: Students as directors in a live-action collaborative learning activity”
  • ASBS: 487, Angela Curley (University of Glasgow): “Teacher Prep: Strategies to promote social studies related active learning in the wider classroom context”
  • ASBS: 582, Zubeida Lowton (University of Glasgow): “Teaching Decision Making and Negotiation Through Role Play: A Mini Planning Simulation for Social Science Educators”

 

13:00-15:00 Lunch in front of ASBS 381 (with option to attend ecopedagogy demonstration or view posters from 13:30)

13:30-15:00- Ecopedagogy demonstration:

Vanessa Cook (University of Glasgow): “We're going on a scavenger hunt! Building student confidence and developing group work skills outside the traditional classroom” (meet in front of ASBS 381 at 14:10)

 

OR

 

13:30-15:00- Sandbox/poster demonstrations

ASBS: 381, These are poster presentations of teaching activities which have not yet been delivered to a class of students, and which presenters are looking for feedback on. Feedback forms will be provided to all attendees.

  • Kesenia Wesolowska (University of Strathclyde): “Joining late, belonging early: an Online Induction model for late-joining postgraduate students”
  • Teymur Khalafov and Ielizaveta Rekhtman (University of Glasgow): “Personal  Stories of War: Ukraine & Nagorno-Karabakh"
  • Amara Doshi (University of St. Andrews): “Anthropology at Work: A Framework Design Workshop for Creative Industries”
  • Yifan Zhou (University of Glasgow): “Studying Ethical Theories Through Role Play Using the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Scandal”
  • Andy Judge and Allan Gillies (University of Glasgow): “Smashing the Anthropocene! Designing interdisciplinary learning for climate literacy”
  • Kenneth Wraight (University of Glasgow): “Manglish Amusements: Introducing Pickering's analysis with Games”

 

15:00-16:15- Session 3: Using AI to support teaching and learning

  • ASBS: 381, Alan Huang (University of Strathclyde): “A Card Game for Critical GenAI and Feedback Literacy”
  • ASBS: 487, Katy O’Connor (UHI-Moray): “Future-Proofing Social Sciences Through Experiential Learning in the Age of AI”
  • ASBS: 582, Stephen Leckey (University of Glasgow): “Using an AI Agent to Facilitate Critical Reflective Practice in Sport Science Students”

 

See the abstracts and sign up to attend here.

 

2025

BEST PRACTICE IN SOCIAL SCIENCES TEACHING CONFERENCE  

JUNE 16TH, 2025 

42 BUTE GARDENS, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW 

 

9:00-10:00- Registration  

Location: Room 718, 42 Bute Gardens 

10:00-11:30- Introduction/Session 1: Innovation in Teaching Concepts and Methods 

  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:706, Andrew Scott (University College London): “Problem identification and framing” 
  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:909 TEAL LITE, Catherine Lefevre (University of Glasgow): “Deepening Subject Understanding Through Visual Learning” 
  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:915, Jo Ferrie and Sharon Greenwood (University of Glasgow): “How emotional can transcription be?” 

  

11:30-11:45- Tea break 

  

11:45-13:00- Session 2: Games and Role-Plays 

  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:706, Marzieh Kouhi Esfahani (Durham University): “Introduction to International Actors in the Syrian Civil War Through Role Play” 
  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:909 TEAL LITE, Vladimir Maltsev (Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow): “Of politicians and median voters: the teaching of the median voter theorem” 
  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:915, Jonathan Parker (University of Glasgow): “Democracy in Zubrowka” 

 

13:00-14:00- Lunch 

  

14:00-15:30- Session 3: Tech and Apps in the Classroom 

  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:909 TEAL LITE, Paul McHugh (University of Glasgow): “Using generative AI to help develop game-based elements for teacher education” 
  • CTT 42 BUTE GDNS:915, Petar Bankov (University of Glasgow): “Using Mentimeter to teach concepts in political science” 

2024

BEST PRACTICE IN SOCIAL SCIENCES TEACHING CONFERENCE  

JULY  2024

 

8:30-10:00- Registration

Location: 236 Atrium, Wolfson Medical School Building, University Avenue, Glasgow

10:00-11:30- Introduction/Session 1: Delivering an introductory lecture/seminar

  • Wolfson Medical School 235: Zoe Jay (University of Helsinki): “Human Rights Begin at Home”- collaborative syllabus design
  • James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JMS) 407: Alison McCandlish (University of Glasgow): “Why Urban Conservation?”- peer-to-peer learning in an introductory lecture
  • Wolfson Medical School 235: Faye Donnelly (University of St. Andrews): “Constructing Security Boundaries and Environments”- active learning in an introductory lecture

 

11:30-11:45- Tea break

 

11:45-13:00- Session 2: Knowledge and skills transfer

  • Wolfson Medical School 235: Dan O’Sullivan (University of Limerick): “Empathetic Pedagogies in Education Settings”- narrative 4 story exchange and restorative practice
  • James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JMS) 407: Tanya Wilson (University of Glasgow): “Rational Economic Decision-Making and the Efficient Operation of Markets”- practical application of theoretical concepts through interactive gaming
  • Wolfson Medical School 235: Kristin Hay (University of Glasgow): “Integrating skills development with knowledge building”- innovations in Jigsaw learning

 

13:00-14:00- Lunch

 

14:00-15:15- Session 3: Simulations in practice

  • Wolfson Medical School 235: Jonathan Parker (University of Glasgow): “Democracy in Zubrowka”- simulating political party competition in semi-authoritarian regime settings
  • James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JMS) 407: Nicole Cassie and Michael Loader (University of Glasgow): “Reassessing Brezhnev's Leadership of the Soviet Union (1964-1982)” Area Studies/Political History mini-lecture and game