Sandra Day O'Connor Touts Civics Lesson via Games

4/7/2009
John Winn
The former Associate Justice may have stepped down from the highest court in the land in 2006, but that isn't keeping her from spreading the gospel of civics to the Web generation--even if it means employing video games.

According to the Associated Press, the 79-year-old O'Connor spoke in front of the Florida state legislature, Tuesday, arguing forcefully for the need to adapt new technologies to educate tweens and teenagers about American law and government.

"More people can name the three American Idol judges than the three branches of government," O'Connor said.

The Reagan appointee pointed to computer software such as the soon-to-be released Do I Have a Right? and Supreme Decision games as evidence that middle and high school kids can be reached--even if it means that adults have to adapt to the technological times.

The software, designed for middle school students, are the products of a private partnership between Georgetown University and Arizona State University.

The first game allows students to play the director of a constitutional law firm who must decide which amendment applies to the firm's walk-in clients. In the second game, the students play a Supreme Court law clerk who must help a Justice form a majority opinion on whether students are allowed to wear band T-shirts at school.

0
No votes yet
Your rating: None
  • |