Election Project

Mike Phillips

Illinois Valley Community College

This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Peer Reviewed Teaching Activities collection. (view details)

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Initial Publication Date: April 18, 2006 | Fix Links: August 19, 2024 (see revision history: 3 events)

Summary

Students research and report on candidates positions on issues relevant to the course. Students get to apply what they have covered in class to real events relevant to their current and future lives.

US National Policy, State Policy, Environmental Decision-Making, ...(more) | College Introductory | Public Policy and STEM, Environmental Justice, Ethics

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Topics

US National Policy, State Policy, Environmental Decision-Making, Environmental Ethics/Values

Grade Level

College Introductory

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

Public Policy and STEM: STEM disciplines can strengthen data-based decision making in the public sphere. Environmental Justice: Environmental burdens and benefits should be shared equitably between all communities. Ethics: All students deserve guidance on how to move through their environment, community, and discipline in an ethical manner.

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Context

Audience

I have used this project in several undergraduate 100-level courses in Environmental Science and Environmental Geology.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Students must understand the basics of several environmental issues as well as the basics of policy making and our electoral process. They must be able to use the internet to do research. The skill set is simple, the goal is to move to a higher level.

How the activity is situated in the course

This is a mid-semester culminating-type project. (While it would be best as a capstone, the election cycle does not allow for this.)

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Relate course topics to real-world situations.
Give students experience in researching current issues in environmental science, env. geology, etc.
Teach students how to become engaged in the political process.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Analyze available information provided by candidates via a variety of sources (candidate web sites, partisan & non-partisan reviews, interviews, news reports, etc.)

Synthesize results and report back to class with a summary of findings.

Other skills goals for this activity

Web research, writing, speaking, interpersonal communication with authority figures.

Description of the activity/assignment

In late September (of an election year), one class session is devoted to developing a list of issues key to the class and likely to be discussed by the candidates. The list is converted into 3-5 questions all students will research and answer. Each student is assigned a candidate (President, Governor, congress, state legislature). An effort is made to assign each student a candidate who will appear on his/her ballot and to assign third party candidates.

Student research candidates' positions using web resources, news papers, and campaign materials. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the campaign directly and question the candidate, if possible.

Students report back to the class with a 3-5 minute presentation and a poster that may be displayed in a college commons area. Reports are presented a week prior to the election.