POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS: A SIMPLE GROUP TEST

EXAMPLE RESOURCE: Students often come to class with little to no awareness of the specifics of the world of politics operating around them. This exercise asks students, without warning, to name the major bills that have been passed in their state’s General Assembly. From past experiences conducting the exercise, students are only able to name a few out of the hundreds of new bills. The lack of political knowledge displayed by students can be connected to numerous sociological theories, concepts and research findings, especially in the fields of political sociology and public policy. Examples of connections, learning objectives and assessment tools are all provided within the article.