(attending a local political meeting) and fell to a low of M = 1.79, SD = 1.08 (working on
a political campaign).
Despite some fluctuations, this gap in favor of apolitical activities still existed
after students participated in COM 399. In the post test, mean responses to anticipated
apolitical activity ranged from M = 4.10, SD = 1.04 (donating money to a charity) to M =
2.92, SD = 1.45 (holding a leadership position in a group). Once again, however, aside
from signing a petition (M = 3.59, SD = 1.28), none of the political activities achieved
the popularity of apolitical activities. Mean responses ranged from a high of M = 2.83,
SD = 1.06 (attending a local political meeting) to a low of M = 2.18, SD = 1.27 (working
for a political party).
An initial assessment of students’ expectations of their participation in public life
appears to contradict the desired influence of the course; ordering potential activities
according to both pre-test and post-test rankings places the most explicitly political
activities at the bottom of the list. Yet comparing patterns across the semester in both
categories provides a more optimistic conclusion. Students’ preferences for future
activities shifted, with support for some activities eroding and others increasing. In this
broader context, the most notable pattern is the erosion of support for several apolitical
activities. Students were less apt to anticipate donating money to charity (t(73) = -2.91,
p< .01, d = .34), attending a club meeting (t(70) = -2.25, p < .05, d = .27), joining a
nonpolitical organization (t(70) = -3.00, p <.01, d = .36), and holding a group leadership
position (t(70) = -3.54, p < .001, d = .42).
Convention