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Do individual-level student learning styles affect appreciation for and benefit from the use of classroom response system technology? This research investigates the benefit of in-class electronic classroom response systems ("classroom clickers"). With these systems, students answer questions posed to them in a PowerPoint presentation through the use of handheld remote control devices. Aggregate results can be immediately displayed and discussed. Although this technology is rapidly gaining use in university classrooms across the nation, most of the published academic research on the use of classroom response systems focuses on the "nuts and bolts" of using the system or on ways that such systems might be useful in particular types of classes. Little research assesses the ways in which individual-level student characteristics might influence the utility of this technology. I utilize original survey data collected from four introductory American Government courses (Fall 2009 and Fall 2010) to investigate whether students exhibiting a preference for tactile learning value the use of the classroom response system more than less tactile learners. Findings confirm the expectation that tactile learners will appreciate using the system more and consequently have improved evaluations of the class and instructor.

Do individual-level student characteristics affect appreciation for, and benefit from, the use of student response system technology? We investigate the usefulness of in-class electronic student response systems ("classroom clickers") to understand if it benefits some college students more than others. Specifically, we investigate whether shyer students benefit more from the use of the student response system, with the expectation that shyer students will appreciate using the system more and consequently make more positive gains in attitudes about the class, knowledge of politics, and political engagement. Utilizing original survey data collected from Fall 2009 and Fall 2010 introductory American Government courses, we find that shyer students show greater attitude improvement over the course of the semester, exhibit more knowledge about politics and engage in more outside-of-class political discussions than less shy students when electronic student response systems are utilized, but no such difference emerges when more traditional in-class feedback methods are used. Overall, the findings presented here suggest that, at least marginally, the use of in-class electronic response systems can improve the educational experience of students who are typically isolated by traditional classroom teaching methods. (Contains 6 tables and 17 notes.)

Students appear to retain more information and learn better when course material engages them, but instructors of general education courses often face the task of teaching courses outside students' primary domain of interest. Established research indicates that visual cues can enhance engagement and recall. The research presented here assesses the degree to which simple visual images enhance student engagement in a lower-level, general education course. The project utilizes an experimental design involving two different sections of the same course. By exposing the sections to different visual presentations, and controlling for a variety of potentially confounding factors, the effects of simple visual images are isolated. Findings suggest that the use of simple visual images can enhance students' classroom experiences as well as more global impressions of the course. At the same time, the results indicate that the positive impact of such stimuli may not be immediately realized., College instructors across the nation often face the formidable task of engaging students in lower-level, general education courses outside students' primary domain of interest. Students in such classes typically have [...]

Recent research suggests that over time the performance of minority officeholders rivals race-based attitudes and group membership as the primary determinant of citizen evaluations of minority officeholders. Here, we examine the determinants of electoral support for an African-American mayor in a multiracial/multiethnic venue. We test alternative explanations (race, social distance, and performance-based models) of voter support for an African-American mayor in a setting where no ethnic or racial group represents more than half the electorate. Our findings indicate that approval ratings coexist with racial-group identification as a determinant of voter support for minority mayors, with one important caveat. Racial voting appears to be more influential in minority candidates' first electoral bids. While race strongly influences voter support for minority mayors during their initial run for office, job approval becomes more important when the minority candidate runs for reelection. Keywords: race; ethnicity; voting behavior; urban politics

Voters with limited English language proficiency are protected by the Voting Rights Act, but some argue that existing provisions may not be enough in the face of complex ballot language. We test the possibility that complex ballot language may serve to hinder less English proficient voters' ability to participate meaningfully in elections. Using data collected through a two-stage panel study, we evaluate the relationship between student participants' English language ability and their voting beliavior in a mock election. We find that those who scored lower on English-language ability tests were less able to vote in a manner consistent with their previouslystated issue positions when faced with even simple ballot wording in English, and that they Werr more willing w Cast potentially enutieous ballots when confronted with complex ballot language than those with high English proficiency. Our findings can help inform debates about ballot language, voting rights, and representative democracy more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent do vice presidential candidates affect individual-level vote choice for president? The accepted wisdom is that vice presidential candidates are of minor importance to most voters. Yet much energy was spent discussing the potential impact of Biden and Palin as vice presidential candidates. Here, the impact that attitudes toward Palin and Biden had on vote choice in the 2008 election are compared with the role of vice presidential candidates historically. Although feelings about vice presidential candidates typically play little role in vote choice, there are exceptions. When vice presidential candidates draw media attention, feelings about them become much more important to vote choice. Whereas Biden represents the general rule of vice presidents garnering little media attention and having relatively little impact on vote choice, Palin_s candidacy drew an abnormally high level of media interest, and feelings about her exerted a stronger impact on vote choice, especially among Independent voters.

Presenters at the Core Curriculum/General Education track discuss their innovative teaching techniques and how they could be effectively employed both inside and outside the classroom. The conflict that arises because of teaching both non-majors and majors in the same classroom could be solved by making use of effective and creative teaching methods, and approaching challenges as reinforcing rather than contradictory.

Do individual-level student learning styles affect appreciation for and benefit from the use of classroom response system technology? This research investigates the benefit of in-class electronic classroom response systems (“classroom clickers”). With these systems, students answer questions posed to them in a PowerPoint presentation through the use of handheld remote control devices. Aggregate results can be immediately displayed and discussed. Although this technology is rapidly gaining use in university classrooms across the nation, most of the published academic research on the use of classroom response systems focuses on the “nuts and bolts” of using the system or on ways that such systems might be useful in particular types of classes. Little research assesses the ways in which individual-level student characteristics might influence the utility of this technology. I utilize original survey data collected from four introductory American Government courses (Fall 2009 and Fall 2010) to investigate whether students exhibiting a preference for tactile learning value the use of the classroom response system more than less tactile learners. Findings confirm the expectation that tactile learners will appreciate using the system more and consequently have improved evaluations of the class and instructor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the American public may not be as ideologically polarised as the officeholders representing them, recent evidence suggests a form of affective polarisation has spread to the masses. Unfortunately, we know little about the sources of such partisan animus. I investigate the role that exposure to political discussion in various social networks plays in exacerbating partisan animosities by examining the relationship between exposure to political discussion in a number of different social venues and feelings of dislike for the opposing party. I fin d that exposure to political discussion in networks likely to be more homogeneous (i.e, within the family and on the internet) is associated with increasedfeelings of dislike for the opposite party, while exposure to political discussion in networks that typically exhibit more heterogeneity (with friends, co-workers, andfellow churchgoers) is not. Further, there is evidence that certain portions of the electorate are differentially affected by exposure to different sorts of political discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a more nuanced look at the findings regarding procedural voice and influence by considering the context created by descriptive representation. Procedural justice researchers have long argued that giving people more of a voice in decision-making proceedings leads to heightened satisfaction with the outputs of that process and enhanced compliance with decisions. More recently, this concept has been applied to the political arena with the finding that voice alone is not enough. A voice that is not perceived to have an influence can be more detrimental than not having a voice at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reprint of the article "Does State Political Ideology Change Over Time?" appeared in the previous issue. The author provides a remark on the primary source of the correlation errors that had been discovered in a file merging error. This has been part of the restricted dataset designed to produce the correlations between the measure and the other ideology measures.