Using a Gaming Site to Teach Campaign Strategies in the 2012 US Presidential Election

Abstract

During the six weeks before the 2012 elections, we conducted a contest for the 54 students enrolled in an upper-division political science course on campaigns and elections. We modified and improved on a similar contest conducted by the first-named author (Abramson 2010) during the 2008 election campaign. Using contract prices posted byIntrade.com, an electronic gaming market in Dublin, we asked students to choose among 10 political outcomes. The contest was designed to help students learn about campaign strategies, understand how electoral rules affect political outcomes, and encourage them to talk about the campaign. We discuss ways we improved on Abramson’s 2008 contest and show that student participation increased substantially.

Why Do Students Enroll in Political Science Courses?

“…As a result, scholars have offered advice on how to incorporate current events in courses. In line with the treatment definition, political scientists have suggested strategies to teach students about presidential campaigns (Abramson and Kraitzman 2014; Journell 2009). Furthermore, Burgos (2008) offered advice on how to design a course on the Iraq war, and Koehler-Derrick (2013) and Paczynska (2013) discussed their courses on the Arab Spring.…”