The Electronic Republic? : The Impact of Technology on Education for Citizenship

by Vanfossen Philip J. (Editor), Michael J. Berson (Editor)

Overview

In 1991, Lawrence Grossman wrote that a new political system is taking shape in the United States. As we approach the twenty-first century, America is turning into an electronic republic, a democratic system that is vastly increasing the people's day-to-day influence on decisions of state. Grossman's forecast implied a sea change in the way citizens would interact with, and participate in, their representative government; a revamping of the way Americans would 'do' citizenship. Harnessing the power of technology to promote the ideal of democracy that first pulsed through our nation over 230 years ago may be a feasible achievement in a technocratic age, but whether technology can help achieve a revolution as seismic as the political one that our founding fathers initiated may be a practical impossibility. Indeed, the emergence of the Internet as a nearly ubiquitous element of American society has brought about new opportunities to enhance citizen engagement in democratic politics and to increase the level of civic engagement among American citizens. Despite such rhetoric, however, research has indicated that Grossman's electronic republic has, for the most part, failed to come to fruition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781557535061
Publisher:	Purdue University Press
Publication date:	10/01/2008
Edition description:	6
Pages:	239
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Phillip J. VanFossen is the James F. Ackerman professor of Social Studies Education and director of the Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship in the College of Education at Purdue University. He is also the associate director of the Purdue University Center for Economic Education. Michael J. Berson is a professor of Social Science Education at the University of South Florida (USF). He has been honored with the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) President's Award for his exceptional contribution to the field.

Table of Contents

The Ackerman Colloquium vii

Acknowledgments Phillip J. VanFossen Michael J. Berson (Eds.) ix

Prologue: "Shoulda," "Coulda," "Woulda": Technology and Citizenship Education Richard Diem xi

Forward Phillip J. VanFossen Michael J. Berson (Eds.) xxiii

Part 1 Exploring Cultural Dynamics of Digital Technology: Influences and Inputs 1

1 The Golden Rule for Internet Use Linda Bennett 3

2 What Is a Citizen? The Impact of the Internet on Definitions of Citizenship Cynthia Szymanski Sunal 17

3 Beyond the Classroom: Online Discourse Outside the Social Studies Classroom John K. Lee 37

4 Youth Talk for Civic Action: An Examination of Digital Networking Tools Kenneth T. Carano Natalie E. Keefer Michael J. Berson 56

Part 2 Fostering Democracy with Digital Technology: Portals and Potholes 75

5 Preparing Future E-Citizens to Research Public Policy Issues Online: Old Skills in New Electronic Clothing or Truly Something Different? Joseph E. O'Brien 77

6 Critical Map Literacy and Geographic Information Systems: The Spatial Dimension of Civic Decision Making Andrew J. Milson Marsha Alibrandi 110

7 The Rise of the Internet, Erosion of Privacy, and Transformation of Democracy Daniel W. Stuckart 129

Part 3 Cultivating Citizenship with Digital Technology: Pedagogy and Practice 159

8 Teaching Democracy to Digital Natives Scott M. Waring 161

9 Social Studies Teachers' Use of the Internet to Foster Democratic Citizenship Adam M. Friedman 173

10 Digital History and Citizenship Education Meghan M. Manfra 196

11 Intersections of Education for Democracy, Inquiry Pedagogy, and the Internet Scott W. DeWitt 214

Index 231

Editors 235

Contributors 237