Why are Americans, and young Americans in particular, so turned off to government and politics? And, what can be done to arrest these trends? In this article, I suggest that three primary, and mutually reinforcing, trends, which can be summed up as the "relevance factor," the "negativity factor," and the "triumphant market factor," have conspired…

A more realistic understanding of political processes is suggested as a way of improving government instruction in the schools. (JD)

The issues that ignited the Solidarity movement in August 1980 had been fermenting for years during the Edward Gierek regime (1970-1980). This curriculum project presents students with an experiential exercise to provoke thinking about the economic shortcomings of the communist countries of the former Soviet bloc. The project also presents the…

Political science education is currently experiencing a variety of pressures in the form of increasing demands for expanded and more effective educational opportunities in applied professional studies, basic civics instruction, flexible learning programs, and programs for an increasingly adult undergraduate population. An effective response to…

Describes the Contemporary World History Project (CWHP), a year-long, two-part program that integrates the study of world problems within a traditional world history curriculum. Outlines the two parts, historical background and a simulation, and the objectives fulfilled by CWHP. Notes the variety of project topics available to teachers. (DSK)

Examines the learning profiles of students in political science courses at a private liberal arts college. Using the Kolb Learning Style Model, demonstrates that students in political science courses use a variety of learning styles. Suggests that instructors expand their teaching methods to address a broader number of learning styles. (DSK)

Describes an approach to teaching politics that employs actions, scenes, agents, agency, and purpose to encourage students to experience and analyze political behavior. Argues that students participate more in class when they assume a role that is clearly "not themselves." Uses a course about the U.S. presidency as an example. (DSK)

Maintains that participatory classroom exercises can enrich students' perception of the importance of gender as a concept in political science. Describes three exercises that integrate the concept of gender into the examination of electoral systems, social movements, and German unification. Discusses student response to this approach. (MJP)

This paper is a working model for a new one- or two-semester civics education program for high school students. The paper is divided into four major sections. Part I treats existing civics programs and explains how the Politics and Participation Program seeks to correct two general problems facing the schools and civic education - 1) it attempts…

This book is addressed to faculty trying to incorporate or use community service learning in their courses. The 17 papers are grouped into those on generic issues, on undergraduate course models, and on graduate course models. The papers are: "Community Service in the Curriculum" (Jeffrey Howard); (2) "Preparing Students to Learn…