Teacher Supports for Media Technology and Candidate-Centered Campaigns Case Study
Media Technology with Students
This unit on political participation and elections discusses how politicians use media to inform the public. The lessons and primary sources in the unit ask students to examine websites and social media. As always, refer to your school or district guidelines. Additional support and standards can be found through the National Council for Social Studies, the International Society for Technology in Education, and Common Sense Education.
- National Council for Social Studies (NCSS)
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
- Common Sense Education
Media and American Democracy
To learn more about media, use the Bill of Rights Institute curriculum “Media and American Democracy.” This curriculum provides lessons and activities to help teachers effectively use the First Amendment, discussions about the press, and daily news to engage students and inspire citizenship.
Supplemental Links
- Howard Dean, 2004
- Screen captures of Howard Dean’s 2004 campaign website
- Video from CNN of the moment following a third-place showing in the 2004 Iowa caucuses that all but ended Howard Dean’s run for president. » Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6i-gYRAwM0
Teacher Supports for Media Technology and Candidate-Centered Campaigns Case Study
- Barack Obama, 2008
- Interactive timeline of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign
- Pew Research on the Internet’s role in the 2008 presidential campaign
- Donald Trump, 2016
- In a 60 Minutes interview, president-elect Donald Trump discusses the use of Twitter as president.
Sample Questions to use with Discussion Protocol
You may use the following questions when discussing the primary system case studies with your students. Here are suggestions on how to lead discussions in your classroom: Discussion Protocols
- Evolution of Campaign Strategies
- How has the evolution of media technology from radio to social media changed the strategies used in political campaigns over the decades?
- In what ways do you think future advancements in technology will further change in political campaigning?
- Civic Virtues Connections
- How can civic virtues help voters critically evaluate the media messages and images political candidates present? Which civic virtues can be used effectively to evaluate media messages?
- How can candidates use moderation and prudence in their media presence to broaden their appeal?