Chapter 18: New Horizons in Civics Education: Learning through Digital Gaming

Civics education is an important and essential part of a public education in the United States. Recently Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) introduced HR3464, the “Sandra Day O’Connor Civic Learning Act of 2011,” in the United States House of Representatives. This act establishes a competitive grant program for civics learning at the US Department of Education, which emphasizes innovation and serving populations currently under served, bringing a national concern for civics education to the forefront. O’Connor (2011) noted that youth engagement in community, voting rates, and interest in discussing political issues has declined in the United States over the past few decades (Kayruz, 2011). One possible explanation for this low level of engagement is that students have a difficult time imagining themselves as future citizens as most classroom activities and simulations are textbook based and meaningless to their lives (Alazzi, 2009). In fact, Mieira Levinson (2012) suggests that students in today’s’ classrooms are unlikely to become active participants in civic life and therefore improbable to have an influence on politics at any level. She contends that a “profound civic empowerment gap” (p. 31) exists between impoverished and minority citizens and middle-class wealthy citizens. The lack of civic engagement among students, especially minority students, is alarming enough to receive attention from national leaders in education, law, and politics. A solution to the problem lies in better use of technology to provide students with viable simulations in a digital format. A format of learning that resounds with today’s students.