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ERIC Number: EJ810903
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Jan
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1551-2169
EISSN: N/A
Using the Classroom to Cultivate Student Support for Participation in Campus Life: The Call for Civic Education Interventions
Strachan, J. Cherie
Journal of Political Science Education, v4 n1 p21-41 Jan 2008
Extracurricular campus activities mirror the effects of associational life on political participation (Kuh 1995; Pascarella, Ethington, and Smart 1988; Verba, Schlozman, and Brady 1995). As encouraging student participation in such activities can be difficult (Kuh, Schuh, Whitt, Andreas, Lyons, Strange, Krehbiel, and MacKay 1991), this project describes an effort to promote peer enhancement of campus life. Students in a persuasion course developed a campaign to increase participation on campus. Pre- and postsemester questionnaires, as well as focus groups, reveal that students anticipated participating in more campus and community activities, and their attitudes toward the purpose of college broadened. Self-efficacy regarding several political tasks also improved. Students in a control group experienced no similar changes, suggesting that classroom activities can address current college students' political apathy. The conclusion calls for political scientists, who are the most familiar with declining political participation and the ameliorating effects of associational life, to initiate interdisciplinary interventions with the potential to reach the most alienated college students. (Contains 4 tables and 5 notes.)
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 - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A