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The Official Podcast Channel of Cable in the Classroom!

The 2008 election cycle has already begun, so it's time to start thinking about how to use the election season as a way to engage students in learning about our political system. For this episode [MP3, 15MB], Cable in the Classroom executive director, Dr. Helen Soulé, discusses cable’s exciting historic, civic and news resources available to teachers and students with three cable executives:

• Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer, BET News Washington Bureau
• Dr. Libby O’Connell, Chief Historian & Senior Vice President, Corporate Outreach, A&E Television Networks
• Joanne Wheeler, Vice President, Education Relations, C-SPAN

And, for those looking for more information about the web resources mentioned in this episode, please be sure to visit:

• The History of U.S. Presidential Elections, a free History Channel resource that explores the origins of the U.S. electoral system and looks at some famous presidential contests over the years
• C-SPAN Classroom, which offers free resources for teaching civics and U.S. government
• Campaign Network, which offers video, news, and analysis on the 2008 presidential race from C-SPAN and Congressional Quarterly
• eLECTIONS: Your Adventure in Politics, a free, nonpartisan election simulation game - suitable for use in the classroom - developed by Cable in the Classroom in partnership with CNN and The History Channel.

Finally, for those interested in the state of civic education in our nation's schools, be sure to peruse the fall 2004 edition of Threshold, produced in partnership with the National Council for the Social Studies.

UPDATE (3/20): Be sure not to miss C-SPAN's new Campaign 2008 Bus!