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ERIC Number: EJ810884
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Jan
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1551-2169
EISSN: N/A
"City Council Meetings Are Cool": Increasing Student Civic Engagement through Service Learning
van Assendelft, Laura
Journal of Political Science Education, v4 n1 p86-97 Jan 2008
This article examines the growing body of literature on service learning as a pedagogical tool within political science. It also reports the results of a service learning experiment used in a course on State and Local Politics. Students completed service learning projects that combined community service, attendance at local political meetings (i.e., city council or school board meetings), and interviews with elected officials. The students reflected on their experiences through written papers, oral presentations, and an evaluation of the service learning experience. The vignettes presented in this article highlight the potential benefits of incorporating service learning into political science courses, including enhanced civic engagement and understanding of the policymaking process. Assessment of these learning outcomes was based on the content and quality of the written and oral presentations, student self-evaluations, and a pretest/posttest. The model used in this course is easy to adapt to any political science course, offering a useful tool to promote active learning outside the classroom experience. (Contains 2 tables and 1 note.)
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A