Simulating 2008: A Mock Presidential Election's Impact on Civic Engagement
In: PS: political science & politics, Volume 45, Issue 4, p. 743-747
AbstractYoung adults have particularly low levels of civic engagement. Incorporating
experiential learning activities as part of the political science curriculum shows
promise to reverse this trend. We analyze the impact of a mock presidential election
simulation on the civic engagement of college-aged students. Exit surveys of student
participants and a one-year follow-up survey confirm that this experiential learning
activity had a positive effect on participants' levels of political knowledge, their
interest in public life, and their attitudes about government in general.