Fostering Epistemic Cognition for Informed Citizenship Through a Political Simulation

• In Event: The Social Studies Classroom as a Productive Site for Research on Learning and Instruction

Abstract

This paper explores how a political simulation, Persuade, engages students in developing epistemic cognition for informed citizenship. Persuade is based on epistemic games and communities of practice as models for learning and places students in the role of interns at a political communications firm. Tasks in the simulation engage participants in using real data and information sources to design a media campaign on a state policy issue. Throughout the simulation students are asked to analyze, reason with, and communicate using evidence with a particular focus on the relationship between evidence, context and audience. This paper examines the experiences of two Wisconsin classes, part of a larger pilot study, to explore how the design engages students in epistemic cognition for informed citizenship.

Authors

• Jeremy D. Stoddard, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Presenting Author

• Jais Brohinsky, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Presenting Author

• Derek Behnke, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Presenting Author

• Janice I. Robbins, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jason A. Chen, College of William & Mary
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michael Shane Tutwiler, University of Rhode Island
  Non-Presenting Author