i'm starting work on my dissertation, where
my interests in political education will move to the forefront, but my
interests in how new technology tools can support such learning will
remain. i'm hoping to define the kinds of activities that political
professionals use to feel empowered and efficacious politically, and then
engage different ages of students in these tasks in a computer-based
environment -- and see if these tasks do either of two things: 1. do these
activities have an impact on their political
attitudes; and 2. do these activities develop their political thinking and
reasoning skills, and if so, how? my
basic hypothesis is that if we can engage students in political thinking
practices and activities that real professionals use (which involves much
data manipulation and media representation of messages, plus much
strategizing about data and representation under pressure of trying to
line up votes), there will be less
political cynicism and a greater sense of political engagement and
efficacy,
and a clearer sense of the reasoning activities that are required to
be an involved citizen in a democracy.
i don't know about anybody else,
but i think it's a pretty damning symptom of our body politic today that
most of our young people are burnt-out
non-voting cynics by the age of majority. and i say that as someone who
WAS one before i became a political journalist (in a previous life...)
and as i recall, i copped that attitude from my teachers and Saturday
Night Live. we need an antidote to the easy, sexy political cynicism
promoted in our media and academic circles today. we need an educational
frank capra about political learning and thinking, of sorts... and this
goal (along with my two wonderful sons) is why i'm getting out of bed in the
morning these days...
louise yarnall
ucla gse&is