I’ve already written the first draft of tomorrow’s Technology & Learning blog, based on a new report from the PEW Internet in American Life Project on the future of the Internet. No sooner do I put that away, but another report comes in, “26 Million Americans were Logging onto the News or Information about the campaign on a typical day in August, the Highest such Figure Recorded by the Pew Internet Project.“ The figure is up from 21 million in November of 2004 (presidential election), and up from 11 million the same time in 2002, the last mid-term campaign season.
I wonder, for the sake of conversation, how much of this results from the increased ubiquity of the Internet, increase in bandwidth, increased political discourse, via the blogosphere, or a combination of all of these.
The report states that the increase in people logging on for politics is notable for two reasons.
First, the telephone survey that captured the finding was conducted in August, usually a month of relative quiet in the political world. Second, mid-term elections campaigns tend to draw much less public interest than those that take place in presidential election years.
What do you think? ..and of course, how does this impact what and how we teach?
technorati tags:warlick, technology, politics, education
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If you ask me this may be the thing that save American politics. I recently read an Atlantic monthly article that showed the migration of the college graduates in the US from the midwest and south to just a few key states and areas in the US. A very scary map to look at as we see the change in demongraphics from 1970 to 2000.
Ultimately, as people come to have access to our political system I would hope that information allows for more thoughtful reflection and HOPEFULLY involvement in our political system.
Key Questions:
Do we have a chance to involve the younger voters, the more “connected” voters this way?
As educators, are we teaching the students to be wise “consumers” of information to be informed voters?
Answer:
Sadly… only time will tell.