Electoral Candidate Debates for Policy Learning in Large First-Year Classes

The benefits of experiential learning are well-documented, but large course enrollment can be seen as a barrier to providing meaningful experiential learning experiences. Political science literature on experiential learning in large undergraduate classes has prioritized simulations of political processes over direct student engagement in actual political processes. This multiple case study analyzes two in-class electoral candidate debates, one municipal and one federal, organized in a 300-student introductory social welfare course. Detailing the tensions inherent to organizing for maximum student engagement, and drawing on qualitative data from 73 student reflections, we found that in-class electoral candidate debates are feasible and effective as an experiential civic education activity. Though preparation work was complex and substantial, in-class candidate debates resulted in a rich learning foundation for the whole course. Key components for effective learning included student generated topics and questions and a wide range of candidates. Debriefing was also essential given the varied levels of prior knowledge inevitable in large classes. This paper extends the literature on teaching in the large policy classroom to a promising new experiential learning activity. It provides useful guidance for others who wish to harness the benefits of experiential civic education in large classes.