Policy

Many content areas addressed in higher education settings have important implications for social, public, and private policy. Relating content to existing public policy helps students grasp the significance of topics and helps them understand political processes. It prepares them for the kind of active citizenship which the FOCUS program encourages and facilitates. Exploring possibilities for future policy innovation can result in even more active, creative roles for students as citizens, pointing them in the direction of civic engagement possibilities they might not otherwise consider.

This module is designed to encourage educators to introduce students to policy and policy making to prepare students to focus on policy implications of content covered in non-policy courses. It also suggests possible roles for students which involve them in policy processes. It is designed to bridge academic content mastery with civic engagement.

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Understand the links between concepts of policy, political learning, critical thinking, and civic engagement and the implications these have for developing an active citizenry.
2. Consider ideas for innovative classroom or curriculum assignments that foster skills of media literacy, political learning, advocacy, and policy development.
3. Imagine curriculum changes that would create a culture of participatory inquiry and active engagement in the political processes that affect daily life at a local, regional, national, or global level.

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