The Periclean Voting Modules are a set of curricular resources for faculty, across all disciplines, who are interested in incorporating nonpartisan voter education into the curriculum. These modules were developed in collaboration with faculty members in Project Pericles Colleges and Universities and the Students Learn Students Vote (SLSV) Coalition. They represent a wide range of geographic regions and can be tailored for the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM. This resource page contains:
- Introduction to the Voting Modules and Strategies for Use
- The Three Modules: Deliberative Dialogue Discussions; Why Voting Matters; and How to Vote
- Database with Examples of How Faculty Incorporate Modules into their Courses
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Other Resources
Introduction to the Voting Modules and Strategies for Use
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These modules offer a menu of curricular resources to provide the ideas and tools necessary to demonstrate the importance of voting.
- Flexibility and Scalability: The three modules have a menu of options that faculty can pick from and further adapt to fit the needs of their class. Some activities take can take 10 minutes, others can be extended to more than an hour. Modules can be used individually or together. There are options for different class sizes.
- Discipline Specific Discussion Sections: The sections on deliberative dialogue can be customized for courses in the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM. The goal of the discussion is to empower students to see the connections between the issues that affect them, their elected officials, and the impact of their vote.
Periclean voting Modules
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Deliberative Dialogue Discussion
This module offers a framework for bridging academic content to real-world policy concerns, and facilitating discussions about critical civic issues that affect students. CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE DELIBERATIVE DIALOGUE MODULE |
Why Voting Matters
This module contains activities that demonstrate the power of voting and encourages students to articulate their personal connection to voting. CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE WHY VOTING MATTERS MODULE |
How to Vote
This module offers tools explaining how to register, how to vote (mail vs. in person), and what a ballot looks like. CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE HOW TO VOTE MODULE |
Evaluation
This is a sample evaluation for faculty to use with their students to evaluate the modules. SAMPLE EVALUATION |
Database - faculty examples
The database below features examples of how faculty across disciplines have incorporated the modules into their courses. We hope this inspires other faculty to use the modules.
- It is searchable by key words (click on the magnifying glass icon on the top right corner.)
- Includes a link to a detailed description of how faculty used the modules and lists additional materials they used (fifth column.)
To view a larger version of the database, please click here.
FAQs (click for more)
Class time is time for teaching content. What are ways to incorporate this module with time constraints?
How do I facilitate a potentially controversial discussion in class?
See “Deliberative Dialogue Facilitator Resources” above for resource list.
Can these modules be incorporated as a co-curricular or extracurricular activity?
Yes! While the modules were developed for and by faculty, they can be used as workshops, student club activities, etc. facilitated by students, community members, etc.
What may entice my colleagues to incorporate the modules, or civic dialogue more generally, into their classrooms?
This is a critical time for our democracy and it is particularly vital that our students understand their role in making a difference in society, which begins with voting. In the recently released Election Imperatives document by the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, three recommendations are to "carve out classroom time to teach students how to vote," "build and maintain community and social cohesion within your classroom and department," and "teach the policy questions for each field. Each discipline has public relevance." Allocating just 15 minutes to civil dialogue in class can make a huge difference.
Project Pericles has published a white paper addressing this topic: “Civic Engagement in the Classroom: Strategies for Incorporating Education for Civic and Social Responsibility in the Undergraduate Classroom” by Ariane Liazos and Jan R. Liss,
August 2009
This CEC White Paper shares the learnings from the Civic Engagement Course (CEC) program™ and serves as a guide for incorporating civic engagement into higher education curricula. It focuses on specific pedagogical strategies employed by the faculty to integrate education for civic and social responsibility into their courses, as well as the unique challenges of civic education. The White Paper includes a description of the methodology used; knowledge gained from the CEC program and guidance on transferability to other institutions and disciplines; Best practices that can be applied on a wide range of campuses; and an extensive bibliography.
More resources:
Project Pericles offers over a hundred syllabi from courses that incorporate civic engagement and were developed as part of the Civic Engagement Course (CEC) Program™ and the Periclean Faculty Leadership Program (PFL)™.
Teaching Civic Engagement Across The Disciplines (2017), edited by Elizabeth C. Matto, Alison Rios Milltett McCartney, Elizabeth A. Bennion, and Dick Simpson, explains how campuses, across disciplines, can promote high quality education for civic engagement, providing a wealth of examples of successful practices, techniques, and assessment strategies.
- Explore activities that take 5-10 minutes. See our “Why Voting Matters” section.
- Take a few minutes to talk about voting. At the beginning or the end of the class, squeeze in one slide about how students can register/cast a vote.
- Send a quick e-mail with resources. All In to Vote has a e-mail template in their campus tool kit. (see pg. 4)
- Turn it into extra credit assignment: Have students write a one-page reflection paper exploring a civic themed topic. Ideas include a reflection on their personal reasons to vote (see prompts listed in the “Why Voting Matters” section) or connecting class specific content to electoral engagement, as discussed in the “Deliberative Dialogue Discussion” modules (example: How could big data influence gerrymandering regulation? How is redistricting determined in this state?). Be sure to offer many options that include all students regardless of their voting eligibility.
How do I facilitate a potentially controversial discussion in class?
See “Deliberative Dialogue Facilitator Resources” above for resource list.
Can these modules be incorporated as a co-curricular or extracurricular activity?
Yes! While the modules were developed for and by faculty, they can be used as workshops, student club activities, etc. facilitated by students, community members, etc.
What may entice my colleagues to incorporate the modules, or civic dialogue more generally, into their classrooms?
This is a critical time for our democracy and it is particularly vital that our students understand their role in making a difference in society, which begins with voting. In the recently released Election Imperatives document by the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, three recommendations are to "carve out classroom time to teach students how to vote," "build and maintain community and social cohesion within your classroom and department," and "teach the policy questions for each field. Each discipline has public relevance." Allocating just 15 minutes to civil dialogue in class can make a huge difference.
Project Pericles has published a white paper addressing this topic: “Civic Engagement in the Classroom: Strategies for Incorporating Education for Civic and Social Responsibility in the Undergraduate Classroom” by Ariane Liazos and Jan R. Liss,
August 2009
This CEC White Paper shares the learnings from the Civic Engagement Course (CEC) program™ and serves as a guide for incorporating civic engagement into higher education curricula. It focuses on specific pedagogical strategies employed by the faculty to integrate education for civic and social responsibility into their courses, as well as the unique challenges of civic education. The White Paper includes a description of the methodology used; knowledge gained from the CEC program and guidance on transferability to other institutions and disciplines; Best practices that can be applied on a wide range of campuses; and an extensive bibliography.
More resources:
Project Pericles offers over a hundred syllabi from courses that incorporate civic engagement and were developed as part of the Civic Engagement Course (CEC) Program™ and the Periclean Faculty Leadership Program (PFL)™.
Teaching Civic Engagement Across The Disciplines (2017), edited by Elizabeth C. Matto, Alison Rios Milltett McCartney, Elizabeth A. Bennion, and Dick Simpson, explains how campuses, across disciplines, can promote high quality education for civic engagement, providing a wealth of examples of successful practices, techniques, and assessment strategies.
Other Resources (click for more)
All In to Vote: an all-in-one, nonpartisan, online resource that educates students on how to register, how to be prepared, and how to vote. Students take a pledge to vote and then follow the step-by-step guide to following through on their intention to cast a ballot.
Ask Every Student Toolkit: provides resources for campuses to integrate meaningful, inclusive democratic engagement and voter registration into academics, student life, student leadership opportunities, and institutional partnerships.
It is a comprehensive toolkit and growing resource of strategies, tools, and tactics that are designed to assist campus leaders in implementing full student voter registration strategies on their campuses
The Ask Every Student Toolkit is developed using a human-centered design process in collaborations with the Ask Every Student Codesigner Cohort, a diverse and deliberately selected group of leaders from 20 campuses across the country.
Ballotpedia: digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Includes neutral, accurate, and verifiable information on government officials and the offices they hold, political issues and public policy, elections, candidates, and the influencers of politics. Resources include sample ballot look up tool.
BallotReady: aggregates information from candidates’ websites, social media, press, endorsers and board of elections data for the latest, most accurate details about the candidates and referendums on your ballot.
Campus Election Engagement Project: a national nonpartisan project that helps administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders at America’s colleges and universities engage students in federal, state, and local elections. CEEP works with 439 partner campuses to help students actively participate in the electoral process. Resources include Candidate & Issue Guides and the Close Elections video.
Campus Vote Project: state-specific guides to help students understand how to register and cast a ballot in their school or home community.
Election Protection: provides comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting – from registration, to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to participation.
League of Women Voters: Local chapters offer nonpartisan information and a hotline that will guide people through the voting process and answer any questions.
Power to the Polls: an initiative to recruit poll workers to ensure a safe, fair election for all voters.
Pew Research Center-Political Typology Quiz: This quiz matches the user with a Political Typology group. The quiz is based on a nationally representative survey of more than 5,000 U.S. adults.
Register2Vote: Register2Vote aims to make it easy for anyone to confirm their registration and get registered to vote. They guide people through the registration process online or through the mail.
Rock the Vote: Resources geared toward young people including voter registration, voting rights, and election information. They have Voting Rights Resources like graphics to incorporate into presentations.
STEMocracy: researches STEM students' low voting rates to develop and implement methods that will transform these students into civic leaders.
StudentVote: a nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program launched by the Student PIRGs in partnership with Rock the Vote.
The Love Vote: a platform for the 50 million Americans who can't vote (due to youth, citizenship, or disenfranchisement). They share stories and move others to vote on their behalf.
TurboVote: Register to vote, update your registration, and request an absentee ballot and sign up for reminders about important voting dates and deadlines! Some colleges have partnerships with TurboVote.
Vote.org: a nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) technology platform that uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.
Vote Riders: provides practical assistance and information to ensure voters have the right kind of ID to vote in their state and a printable wallet-sized voter ID information card.
Vote with Me: This free app helps make the most impact in upcoming elections by helping users to see which friends need their reminder to vote.
VOTE 411: Launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF), VOTE 411 is a "one-stop-shop" for election related information. It provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific election information.
With the People: is an initiative that encourages sustained practices of public deliberation on campuses and in communities across the country. They offer a Voting Issue Advisory which is designed to help students deliberate about what to do to keep the election system fair, honest, and secure.
Resources on Voting Statistics:
NSLVE (National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement): offers colleges and universities an opportunity to learn their student registration and voting rates and, for interested campuses, a closer examination of their campus climate for political learning and engagement and correlations between specific student learning experiences and voting.
CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement): provides post election information on youth participation categorized by race, gender, educational attainment, and political affiliation.
Ask Every Student Toolkit: provides resources for campuses to integrate meaningful, inclusive democratic engagement and voter registration into academics, student life, student leadership opportunities, and institutional partnerships.
It is a comprehensive toolkit and growing resource of strategies, tools, and tactics that are designed to assist campus leaders in implementing full student voter registration strategies on their campuses
The Ask Every Student Toolkit is developed using a human-centered design process in collaborations with the Ask Every Student Codesigner Cohort, a diverse and deliberately selected group of leaders from 20 campuses across the country.
Ballotpedia: digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Includes neutral, accurate, and verifiable information on government officials and the offices they hold, political issues and public policy, elections, candidates, and the influencers of politics. Resources include sample ballot look up tool.
BallotReady: aggregates information from candidates’ websites, social media, press, endorsers and board of elections data for the latest, most accurate details about the candidates and referendums on your ballot.
Campus Election Engagement Project: a national nonpartisan project that helps administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders at America’s colleges and universities engage students in federal, state, and local elections. CEEP works with 439 partner campuses to help students actively participate in the electoral process. Resources include Candidate & Issue Guides and the Close Elections video.
Campus Vote Project: state-specific guides to help students understand how to register and cast a ballot in their school or home community.
Election Protection: provides comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting – from registration, to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to participation.
- 1-866-OURVOTE a hotline where volunteer lawyers and law students will assist you if there are problems at the polls.
League of Women Voters: Local chapters offer nonpartisan information and a hotline that will guide people through the voting process and answer any questions.
Power to the Polls: an initiative to recruit poll workers to ensure a safe, fair election for all voters.
Pew Research Center-Political Typology Quiz: This quiz matches the user with a Political Typology group. The quiz is based on a nationally representative survey of more than 5,000 U.S. adults.
Register2Vote: Register2Vote aims to make it easy for anyone to confirm their registration and get registered to vote. They guide people through the registration process online or through the mail.
Rock the Vote: Resources geared toward young people including voter registration, voting rights, and election information. They have Voting Rights Resources like graphics to incorporate into presentations.
STEMocracy: researches STEM students' low voting rates to develop and implement methods that will transform these students into civic leaders.
StudentVote: a nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program launched by the Student PIRGs in partnership with Rock the Vote.
The Love Vote: a platform for the 50 million Americans who can't vote (due to youth, citizenship, or disenfranchisement). They share stories and move others to vote on their behalf.
TurboVote: Register to vote, update your registration, and request an absentee ballot and sign up for reminders about important voting dates and deadlines! Some colleges have partnerships with TurboVote.
Vote.org: a nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) technology platform that uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.
Vote Riders: provides practical assistance and information to ensure voters have the right kind of ID to vote in their state and a printable wallet-sized voter ID information card.
Vote with Me: This free app helps make the most impact in upcoming elections by helping users to see which friends need their reminder to vote.
VOTE 411: Launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF), VOTE 411 is a "one-stop-shop" for election related information. It provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific election information.
With the People: is an initiative that encourages sustained practices of public deliberation on campuses and in communities across the country. They offer a Voting Issue Advisory which is designed to help students deliberate about what to do to keep the election system fair, honest, and secure.
Resources on Voting Statistics:
NSLVE (National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement): offers colleges and universities an opportunity to learn their student registration and voting rates and, for interested campuses, a closer examination of their campus climate for political learning and engagement and correlations between specific student learning experiences and voting.
CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement): provides post election information on youth participation categorized by race, gender, educational attainment, and political affiliation.
Post-Election Resources (click for more)
Post-election resources for faculty to use for classroom discussion:
- From Nancy Thomas, Institute for Democracy and Higher Education (IDHE) —Tufts University and Cazembe Kennedy, Clemson University: A short paper on— “How Faculty can Prepare to Handle the Post-Election Classroom.”
- From the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition: The Post-Election Campus Resource and Response Guide—More than 100 stakeholders in the student voting space convened to answer the question, “How might we prepare to support campus stakeholders in processing and responding to a tumultuous post-election season?” This document is a synthesis of their ideas. It contains resources for instilling confidence in election results, creating spaces for healing, holding spaces for dialogue, and more.
- From Campus Election Engagement Project:
- Post-Election Online Announcements—Faculty may want to address the election with their classes but given the constraints of online learning it may be difficult to hold conversations in real time with students. This contains prompts for faculty to post on discussion boards or announcement pages.
- Common Questions after Election Day: A Student Guide—This guide walks students through some of the most common questions they may have after Election Day.
This project is supported by the SLSV Coalition and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. Special thanks to our collaborators on this project: Periclean Faculty Leaders, Project Pericles Program Directors, and members of the SLSV Coalition.
A special thanks to our collaborators on this project: Periclean Faculty Leaders and Project Pericles Program Directors. We continue our collaboration with faculty partners and continually collect feedback and update the content.
Please contact arielle@projectpericles.org if you have any questions or suggestions about the Voting Modules.
A special thanks to our collaborators on this project: Periclean Faculty Leaders and Project Pericles Program Directors. We continue our collaboration with faculty partners and continually collect feedback and update the content.
Please contact arielle@projectpericles.org if you have any questions or suggestions about the Voting Modules.
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