By Aniya Wells *
There's never been an easier time for students of all ages to access information about politics. They can download an app that will give them real-time updates about what's going on with the presidential candidates. They can surf to a plethora of different news websites that provide political information. They can listen to podcasts, radio shows, and watch videos about politics. With so many ways to learn more about the election and so many opinions about the election, it can be difficult for students to figure out which technological tools will give them the best and most reliable information.
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| Photo by solarfeed.com |
Here are four trustworthy technological tools/web resources that make learning about the 2012 presidential candidates easy and enjoyable:
1. The New York Times Election 2012 App
The New York Times is one of the most reputable sources of information on the web. Their election app for Android and Apple devices is also one of the most comprehensive when it comes to providing information about what's going on with the presidential campaigns. It provides the latest news, public opinions, videos, and poll results. It also provides users with detailed information about the presidential candidates' viewpoints on crucial issues. This app is perfect for older students who want to learn everything possible about the election and its participants.
2. Politico.com
This website is a one-stop shop for all the political information you could possibly ever need. Like The New York Times election app, this website may be better for older students (high school and college-aged). However, teachers and parents can definitely sit down with younger students to discuss the concepts and news presented on Politico.
3. YouTube Politics
The official YouTube Politics page includes all the video highlights of the campaign trail, from both the web and major news networks. Many of the YouTube videos on this section of YouTube are both funny and informational, and almost all of them make learning about the election more accessible for younger students, who may have difficulty with some of the vocabulary used on sites like Politico. If you're the parent or teacher of young students, just make sure your children don't watch the videos unsupervised. Unfortunately, there are a couple of videos on this site that are intended for more mature audiences. However, these are the
exception, not the rule.
4. iCivics.org
This is a site founded by Sandra Day O'Connor in 2009 to help educate kids about the U.S. government and politics. In addition to boasting a wealth of information about the U.S. constitution, the federal branches, citizenship, and presidential campaigning, this site also offers free interactive activities and games for teachers to use in their classrooms to educate their students about the upcoming presidential election. iCivics.org is a great tool for both young students and teachers.
If you're a student looking to learn more about the presidential election this year or a teacher looking for some tools to use to educate your students about the election, check out the app and websites listed above. It's truly amazing how much more accessible complex information becomes when technology gets thrown into the mix.
(*) Aniya Wells is a guest blogger who primarily writes about education and technological advances in education. She also regularly contributes to numerous education blogs around the web. Please contact Aniya at aniyawells AT gmail DOT com if you'd like to share any comments or questions.
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