Journal article
Pedagogical Value of Polling-Place Observation by Students
PS, political science & politics, Vol.51(4), pp.831-837
10/2018
DOI: 10.1017/S1049096518000550
Abstract
Good education requires student experiences that deliver lessons about practice as well as theory and that encourage students to work for the public good—especially in the operation of democratic institutions (Dewey 1923; Dewy 1938). We report on an evaluation of the pedagogical value of a research project involving 23 colleges and universities across the country. Faculty trained and supervised students who observed polling places in the 2016 General Election. Our findings indicate that this was a valuable learning experience in both the short and long terms. Students found their experiences to be valuable and reported learning generally and specifically related to course material. Postelection, they also felt more knowledgeable about election science topics, voting behavior, and research methods. Students reported interest in participating in similar research in the future, would recommend other students to do so, and expressed interest in more learning and research about the topics central to their experience. Our results suggest that participants appreciated the importance of elections and their study. Collectively, the participating students are engaged and efficacious—essential qualities of citizens in a democracy.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Pedagogical Value of Polling-Place Observation by Students
- Creators
- Christopher B Mann - aSkidmore CollegeGayle A Alberda - bFairfield UniversityNathaniel A Birkhead - cKansas State UniversityYu Ouyang - dPurdue University NorthwestChloe Singer - aSkidmore CollegeCharles Stewart - eMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMichael C Herron - fDartmouth CollegeEmily Beaulieu - gUniversity of KentuckyFrederick Boehmke - hUniversity of IowaJoshua Boston - iWashington University in St. LouisFrancisco Cantu - jUniversity of HoustonRachael Cobb - kSuffolk UniversityDavid Darmofal - lUniversity of South CarolinaThomas C Ellington - mWesleyan CollegeCharles J Finocchiaro - nUniversity of OklahomaMichael Gilbert - oUniversity of VirginiaVictor Haynes - pClaremont Graduate UniversityBrian Janssen - hUniversity of IowaDavid Kimball - qUniversity of Missouri, St. LouisCharles Kromkowski - oUniversity of VirginiaElena Llaudet - kSuffolk UniversityMatthew R Miles - rBrigham Young University, IdahoDavid Miller - iWashington University in St. LouisLindsay Nielson - sUnaffiliatedCostas Panagopoulos - tNortheastern UniversityAndrew Reeves - iWashington University in St. LouisMin Hee Seo - iWashington University in St. LouisHaley Simmons - uUniversity of MississippiCorwin Smidt - vMichigan State UniversityRobert Stein - wRice UniversityRachel VanSickle-Ward - xPitzer CollegeAbby K Wood - yUniversity of Southern California, Gould School of LawJulie Wronski - uUniversity of Mississippi
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- PS, political science & politics, Vol.51(4), pp.831-837
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press; New York, USA
- DOI
- 10.1017/S1049096518000550
- ISSN
- 1049-0965
- eISSN
- 1537-5935
- Number of pages
- 7
- Alternative title
- The Teacher: Pedagogical Value of Polling-Place Observation by Students
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/2018
- Academic Unit
- Political Science; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9983982925202771
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