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Research Says

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What Researchers are Finding

Exposure to civics‐related coursework is not enough to make more than a marginal difference for the vast majority of students. Far more important to predicting knowledge and discussion is whether students acquire a liking for the subject matter.

— CIRCLE research finding

Civic gaming experiences are strongly related to civic engagement. Educators have a real opportunity to reach students through games. Building on the one‐third of teens who reported playing games as part of a class assignment, teachers might incorporate games with explicit civic content into their curriculum … Take full advantage of these possibilities!

— Joseph Kahne, Civic Engagement Research Group

In simulations, students must apply what they have learned in a low-risk but real-life situation, which allows teachers to assess whether students have internalized information so that they can actually use it in their role as citizens.

— Barbara Miller and Laurel Singleton, Preparing Citizens, Boulder, CO: Social Science Education Consortium, 1997

Students are engaged by simulations—and they learn more because they are so involved.

— Barbara Miller and Laurel Singleton, Preparing Citizens, Boulder, CO: Social Science Education Consortium, 1997

Simulations require students to use higher order thinking skills.

— Barbara Miller and Laurel Singleton, Preparing Citizens, Boulder, CO: Social Science Education Consortium, 1997

The culminating activity of a simulation often involves an audience, which motivates students to work hard and excel.

— Barbara Miller and Laurel Singleton, Preparing Citizens, Boulder, CO: Social Science Education Consortium, 1997