EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
Background
As part of the REDEM project effort to protoype educational materials about the ethical challenges which confront voters we have developed the Electoral Exploration site, intended to help viewers explore some of the ethical challenges associated with voting. The contents of the scenarios was developed by the partner teams at Sciences Po Paris and the University of Bucharest. They were constructed based on ethical voting challenges identified during project activities and described in more detail in the project volume. The scenarios are intended for a general on-line audience and are not specifically intended for school activities.
Assumptions
Since the scope of the REDEM project is European, the educational materials are not based on the specific political context of any country in particular. They are intended to bring to the fore electoral challenges which may confront voters in any European countries. While the materials were initially produced in English, subtitled language-specific versions will be made available on demand.
Goal
The objective of the materials is to make citizens aware of ethical issues arising in electoral contexts, the arguments that surround them and the voting options that are associated with them. They are not intended to persuade citizens to vote one way or another. The purpose is to open up awareness as to what electoral choices involve and what the ensuing outcomes may be.
Format
The materials are prototyped in two formats. A movie format allows viewers to watch a narrative of an electoral scenario, without any need for direct involvement. The interactive scenarios present an electoral context followed by hopes and worries of the voter and the potential benefits and risks of the available choices. They are revealed interactively to increase viewer awareness. The scenarios conclude with a a presentation of the possible outcomes for each choice. Rather than the political views of the electoral actors, the important elements to take home are the questions used to look at an electoral situation.
Acknowledgments
The technical implementation of the scenarios is the result of the dedicated work of Ascendia - a Romanian software company specialising in the development of e-learning materials. We are grateful for their collaboration and professional support.