Feb 15, 2012
American Government
Feb 15, 2012
Behind the Scenes of the 2012 SOTUS
I finally watched this video about the making of the 2012 State of the Union speech. Like all videos from whitehouse.gov, it offers a peek into the hallways and cubicles of the West Wing and shows the real work that happens there. I really liked hearing from some of the staff members who worked on the speech. (I counted three with “Speech Writer” in their title.)
Showing how the different agencies are responsible for reviewing the speech and checking the facts was also included, and I wish there were more details about that. Of course, President Obama makes a few appearances, clearly directing the whole process and providing feedback to those working late into the night. We might include this video in our 2012 update of our State of the Union assignment (here’s the current one), but with all the writing and rewriting featured, it seems like it could be great for students learning about the writing process, too.
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Feb 8, 2012
VoteMatch Quiz
We recently passed this quiz around the office and everyone agreed that it’s a pretty nice way to evaluate candidates based on current issues. The quiz, from On the Issues, assesses your views on major issues and then shows you how well each candidate’s views line up with your own. Views are assessed based on responses to 20 statements, which are all clickable to provide more information.
Jan 31, 2012
Spotlight: California Budget Challenge
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new assignment for Americans Governing titled California Budget Challenge. The new assignment, authored by Dr. Tressa Tabares of American River College, includes a link to an online budget simulation by the nonpartisan group, Next 10. The simulation requires students to decide how much to spend on schools, prisons, the environment, and other state programs, as well as how to pay for them. Email the Polisci desk to have it added to your course!
Jan 25, 2012
State of the Union Wordle
Yesterday in the office, a few of us were guessing what the key topics of Obama’s State of the Union address might be. So, this morning, we plugged the transcript into our favorite word-jumbler tool, Wordle, to see which topics were featured most prominently. Here’s what Wordle showed us! (You can also visit our published version here.)
For those of you who missed last night’s State of the Union address, here’s an interesting “enhanced” version from whitehouse.gov. It features a split screen that displays President Obama on the left side and additional information graphics on the right side.
Tell us, what’s important for students to know about Obama’s State of the Union address? Read More
Jan 19, 2012
Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions, Oh My!
Primary elections can be confusing. This super quick video by C.G.P. Grey breaks down the complicated system of primaries, caucuses, and national conventions.
And if you like this video, there are more! Check out How the Electoral College Works, Gerrymandering Explained, and more on Grey’s blog.
Read MoreJan 5, 2012
Spotlight: “People on the Street” Videos Help Kick-Start Spring
Now that the holidays are over, it’s time once again to introduce a new crew of students to political science. One way to do that is through our “People on the Street” videos. These interviews with everyday folks prompt students to consider foundational questions on issues like the purpose of government, the nature of power, and whether peace is possible.
Professors who teach with these videos usually have students complete the assignment
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