Boateng_ReDisGmae

Integrating and Implementing Technology

Joseph Boateng

Presentation:

**ReDistricting Game: Teaching of Politics of Public Policy **

Hello Friends! My name is Joseph Boateng. Also affectionately called Kofi, and it’s because I was born on Friday. I am originally from Ghana, West Africa. Those of you who are very much interested in soccer may know a great deal about Ghana, especially from the fact that on several occasions at the world soccer tournament, United States has never been successful in subduing that small country of about 27 million people. My penchant for higher education brought me to the University of Akron, and so far, it’s been a desire worth nurturing. Currently, I teach for the Pan African Studies Program. However, my specialty is Urban Studies & Public Management. At present, I am in the IT program, a path I consider as ultimate so far as meeting the 21st century’s professional needs is concern. I love sports, particularly ‘American Football’, though I sometimes wonder the authenticity of the name. I hardly go without my reggae music. People with high sense of humor are my best friends, in fact I worship them. I easily acclimatize in every new environment I find myself but no! no! no! no!! to the winter season.

**Introduction ** One of the basic ethical considerations in public policy is the issue of equity. Yet, parochial political interest is often prioritized by the political players, and thus, what is primarily meant to address the equity concerns of a segment of the population is often sacrificed for partisan gains. This observation manifests frequently when there is an opportunity to re-demarcate the electoral boundaries (redistricting). A federal court ruling in 2012 that the State of Texas’s redistricting maps by the Republican-led legislature undermined the “political clout of the minority” population points to the dynamics, complexities, and implications of the policy of redistricting. A topical issues such as redistricting in the political process is worth teaching at both K-12 and college levels. However, the entailing issues can be boring and complex for any meaningful classroom teacher-student interactive discourse. AsJuckett and Feinberg (2010) have observed, “the concept of redistricting does not automatically lend itself to a fascinating learning experience for students” (276). Ultimately, it is important to explore and utilize technological tools that are not only entertaining but provide an engaging practical environment for effective teaching and learning, particularly at the levels below K-12 (see for example McCall, 2014; Kee, 2014). One technology or a web-based tool that can serve this purpose is the “ReDistricting Game”. In this presentation, the ReDistricting Game is introduced. The first section gives an overview accounts of the game and its applicability in reference to the TPACK conceptual model. A demonstration lesson plan is outline to enable audience appreciate the feasibility and effectiveness of the game. Climaxing the entire project is a video presentation detailing how the game is played and the instructional objectives it could achieve. **The Game ** The ReDistricting Game ([|http://www.redistrictinggame.org]) was developed at the USC Game Innovation Lab and owned by the USCE Annenberg Center for Communication. It is designed to provide an effective mechanism to teach and learn the political processes and implications regarding public policy. Fundamentally, it helps to learn the entailing processes of achieving equal representation in the public decision making process. That is, players of the game are able to identify and analyze the entailing subtleties and machinations that often engulf an otherwise good intentioned exercise such as periodic re-demarcation of electoral boundaries. Thus, it helps to understand and identify elements that can undermine or sustain good governance and the democratic process. The game is segmented into missions with specific topics for learners. Equally, the game is played in stages such as basic and advance, and that is dependent on one’s acquired competencies in the process of playing the game. Moreover, there are a number of hyperlinks that provide access to other sections and different types of literature that detail the dynamics of the redistricting process. //Integrating the game in Teaching- - TAPCK Perspective // The TPACK conceptual framework underscore the need to connect technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge in order to actualize effective teaching and learning objectives and outcomes (Mishra & Koehler, 2009). Raphael et al (2010) reiterated that for a game to promote civic learning, it should be able to equip students or players with the requisite knowledge and skills that are applicable in the real world situations. Though appears simple and somewhat trivial on the surface, the game is arguably one of the viable technological or web-based tools to be integrated in the teaching and learning of public policy and social studies at the college and K-12 levels respectively. Its efficacy rests with the fact that it enables or motivates students to abreast themselves with the key concepts and think critically when it comes to the tenets of good governance and representative democracy (Juckett and Feinberg, 2010). Swain (2010) listed the game as one of the simulative learning approaches that can expose a novice participant to the nitty-gritties of the redistricting process in practical and advance theoretical terms. Barger (2015) posited that the ReDistricting game is built around realities and historical concepts and facts, and those make it a powerful learning tool. **Demonstration ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">To demonstrate the instrumental role of the game, hypothetical instructional design is developed around one of the key missions listed in the game (for more on the various missions go to []). The basic level of play is chosen instead of the advance level. This could be under the assumption that the target audiences are those at the lower levels of the educational ladder (up to K-12), and are the people who have no prior knowledge about the game, let alone applying them in the learning of the subject content. Obviously, these people first need to acquire the initial knowledge and competencies in both the application of the game and the concepts, theories, etc. of the subject content. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goals: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The following goals are assumed; //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pedagogy approach // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The approach here is to engender interactive and engaging learning environment to enable students think critically, become analytical, and be able to relate to the practical realities of the political processes of redistricting and its related implications. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Objectives: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The following are the objectives to be accomplished after the class; //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Contents: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The outline below specifies the initial areas of focus regarding the teaching and learning of the redistricting process; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Meaning of Redistricting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rational for redistricting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Political implications of redistricting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ethical implications of redistricting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Undertaking or implementing redistricting process //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Video: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The video below demonstrates how the game is played keeping in mind the instructional goals, objectives, content, and the facilitating technological tool. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">media type="youtube" key="d0y9nVQG-as" width="560" height="315"
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Introduce students to the various component of the game and build their capacities to first play the basic level of the game.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Introduce students to the concepts, theories, rational, processes, etc. involving in the policy of redistricting.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Students can demonstrate skills in playing the game;
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Students can explain basic concepts such as redistricting, gerrymander, equity, contiguity, and judicial review;
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. Students can give at least two advantages and two disadvantages of redistricting;
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. Students can identify the three branches of government (the legislature, executive, and judiciary) and explain their functional checks and balances in the formulation and implementation of the redistricting policy.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Re-demarcation of congressional districts after every population census.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ensure that each districts has about the same population
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ensure constitutional principle of equity. That is, each voter has equal say.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It influences the extent of power that a political party or an individual politician has. That is, electoral edge over a political ‘opponents’, control of congress, and control of State and local government systems.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It determines policy priorities since the various interest groups would like to elect people who usually share in their priorities, history, aspirations, and socio-economic standings.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It could result to gerrymandering (deliberate manipulation of the electoral boundaries for partisanship gains).
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It could lead to political conflict and time-consuming litigations
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Depending on the jurisdictions, it can be initiated in congress; by commissioners; and contracted consultants.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">After it has been initiated the legislature or congress has to subject it to vote
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Governor can veto it after it has been passed by congress
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">When parties are not satisfied, it can be decided in courts.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Evaluation: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The evaluation criteria would include; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Feedback: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Timely provision of feedback, and remedial intervention activities to improve students’ proficiency in both content and technology. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Resources ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Edutopia: What Is Successful Technology Integration? ([]) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">TPACK Framework- What is Tpack ([]) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Integrating Technology in a Classroom lesson ([|http://www.slideshare.net]) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reference ** <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barger, A. (2015). Web-Based Simulation Games in Social Studies: A Media Analysis. //The William and Mary Educational Review//, //3//(2), 11. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Juckett, E., & Feinberg, J. (2010). The redistricting game: Teaching congressional gerrymandering through an online simulation game. //Social Education//, //74//(5), 274-278. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70 <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Swain, C. (2010). The Mechanic is the Message: How to Communicate Values in. //Ethics and Game Design: Teaching Values through Play: Teaching Values through Play//, 217. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questions for the Audience
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. A quiz about the game, i.e. originators, purpose, access, and its basic features.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Small group presentations on the key concepts
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. Individual projects on the game
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Do you think the goals and objectives of the hypothetical lesson plan are attainable with the ReDistricting game?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. What is your general impression about the game?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. What ethical considerations would recommend for those integrating it in their instructional activities.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. To what extent does the game satisfies the TPACK conceptual framework?