McGraw-Hill's Approach to Study of American Government Makes Citizenship Personal for College Students

Today's students are turning out in unprecedented numbers to vote in the presidential primaries. But instead of reading the newspaper and campaigning door to door, they are turning to the Internet and tools like candidates' web pages, YouTube and blogs to enter the conversation about the upcoming election. This digital generation expects their information up to date, easy to access, and visually appealing. Keeping pace with this new generation of students, McGraw-Hill Higher Education enlisted several independent research studies of student learning behavior and workflow and used this understanding to create AM GOV, the first magazine-style Introductory American Government textbook that meets students where they are and moves them to understand how they can have an informed and active role in their own democracy.

"AM GOV is tailored explicitly for college students, with a focus on technology, e-democracy and the future," said Rutgers professor Elizabeth Hull. "It is motivational and really gets students thinking, particularly about their role as citizens."

AM GOV, written by two accomplished political scientists, pairs the scholarship McGraw-Hill is known for with a modern, innovative editorial style and format to which students respond," said Steve Debow, president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education's Humanities, Social Sciences and World Languages Group. "Students using the book report that they read more effectively because AM GOV looks like what they read outside of class. These visual learners view photos, graphs and charts to fully contextualize the information the same way they read webpages and Facebook. Instructors are saying that the book not only provides the foundation needed to prepare students for lectures and tests but actually makes them want to learn more and to find ways of participating in their communities and their government. In AM GOV, engaging scholarship is fostering the next generation of engaged student citizens," Debow explained.

More than 200 students were studied using techniques such as direct observation, video, audio recording, and journaling. Another 4,000 students participated in surveys and interviews regarding purchasing decisions and course reading requirements. By integrating how students approach a lecture, a project, a paper or a test, AM GOV is designed specifically to help instructors raise student achievement and student involvement.

AM GOV shows students, in very real ways, how our government affects their lives and how they can participate in the political process. While most texts make an effort to relate concepts to students' lives, they often miss the mark by showing examples that are clearly outside the norm, are outdated, or fail to anticipate how today's students get informed about issues and act to change them. Political views of 18-25 year olds are highlighted from the opening pages. A regular feature throughout the text prompts students to comment on issues most important to them and serves as discussion, debate or discussion board starters. Other features in the book give students statistical information about their peers in quick quizzes and help students figure out how to participate in political life in ways that are easily attainable. AM GOV emphasizes that civic engagement takes all forms.

About McGraw-Hill Higher Education

McGraw-Hill Higher Education is a premier provider of teaching and learning solutions for the post-secondary and higher education markets worldwide. It is a unit of McGraw-Hill Education, a leading global provider of instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 40 languages. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/.

   Contact:
   Tom Stanton
   McGraw-Hill Education
   (212) 904-3214
   tom_stanton@mcgraw-hill.com

SOURCE: McGraw-Hill Higher Education

CONTACT: Tom Stanton
McGraw-Hill Education
+1-212-904-3214
tom_stanton@mcgraw-hill.com

Web site: http://www.mheducation.com/