VIADUCT Teaching Paper nº. 2 (2019)

The paper introduces a unique model of teaching Turkey-EU relations within the framework of a learnercentered research methods class by drawing on the example of “SIB 2005 Research Methods class” that is currently taught as a required course to first-year students at the newly established Istanbul Ayvansaray University, Political Science and International Relations Department. The design of the course content and implementation methodology has two main aims: applying a learner-centered approach instead of a traditional teacher-based model in higher education and contributing briefly and implicitly to teaching Turkey-EU relations through four learning tools and teaching strategies. These tools and strategies are using news pieces related with Turkey-EU affairs, analysing an empirical article on Turkey-EU relations as the major assignment of the course, giving proper examples of both quantitative and qualitative research methods by using academic works on Turkey-EU relations and inviting a guest lecturer, who has conducted a research on Turkey-EU relations. In this way, while the course enables the students to be the active learner of the class and partners of the instructor, at the same time, it improves the ability and academic skills of students to understand and critically evaluate the design, main components, and findings of any research in social sciences, particularly, the ones on Turkey-EU relations.