The Digital Civics Toolkit draws on the research and work of the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics (YPP). The YPP Network formed out of the recognition that youth are critical to the future of democracy and that the digital age is introducing technological changes that are impacting how youth develop into informed, engaged, and effective actors. The YPP Network is working to understand youth engagement in participatory politics, the developmental pathways that can lead to engagement, and the ways in which youth can be politically active in the digital age.
We invite you to explore the modules and choose the resources that best meet the interests and needs of your students, classroom, and community. The modules were designed for high school students but can be adapted for earlier grades.Each module contains a conversation starter, several activities, and a closing reflection with very broadsuggestions. Depending on the age and level of your students, you may need to integrate additional scaffolding and supports. If you would like to dig deeper into concepts, there are links to extension activities. For more information on the ideasin each module, we provide a Teacher Background Information withlinks to articles, blogs, videos, and further resources.