Building Community to Promote Civic Engagement in an American Government Course

• In Event: Multiple Methods for Civic Engagement

Abstract

This paper addresses the underlying mechanisms producing a greater sense of civic community among students involved in a Town Hall Meeting (THM) project, embedded in their Introduction to American Government course.

Building on quantitative and qualitative analyses of survey data from our original quasi-experimental research at a large public university, this paper investigates how active-learning programs in Introduction to American Politics courses facilitate stronger civic engagement among first year students. We argue that these programs have been successful in engaging students politically because of their capacity to create model civic community in the classroom. More specifically, it is the involvement of students in peer-to-peer activity around these civic concerns that produces positive shifts in civic attitudes and behaviors. The quasi-experimental design for this research revolved around a Town Hall Meeting (THM) program offered in an Introduction to American Politics course, and an identical course without the THM that was also taught by the same instructor. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were administered for students in both courses. Quantitative data showed strong correlations between experience of classroom community and increased political efficacy and political trust. A more intensive analysis of the qualitative data from the study will be analyzed for this paper. The qualitative survey was administered early in the semester, and later, providing us with an opportunity to better understand the process by which this enhanced sense of community in the classroom was generated, and the specific role of the THM program, including the role of the THM culminating program, which involved students, faculty, and local elected and non-elected political leaders.

Authors

• Scott Spitzer, California State University, Fullerton

• Lori M Weber, California State University, Chico