The author experienced the introduction of the Internet as a high school student. Reflecting on that experience, he now realizes that he did not understand the possibilities offered by chat rooms, instant messaging, and other Internet-based communication tools to increase sociopolitical connectedness. As the teacher of an eleventh grade social…

At the heart of social studies education is the notion that social studies teachers teach core civic values that educate citizens and perpetuate democracy. The author of this article asserts that as the democratic system continues to evolve, technology is playing a greater role in how people learn and communicate. It makes sense, then, that social…

In a clear-cut victory for campaign-finance reformers last December, a sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court upheld virtually the entire Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA). McConnell v. FEC, No. 02-1674 (slip opinion available on the web at www.supremecourtus.gov). The Court's 298-page ruling rejected the free speech and other…

Internet users continue to develop new ways of communicating online and disseminating information; one of these methods, the blog, also known as web log, has become a significant cultural phenomenon. Blogs offer an interactive medium for internet users to create and contribute content to the web. In some social studies classrooms, teachers are…