A Word With Catherine Templeton

Ms. Templeton was recently recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that her home state of South Carolina was the first in the U.S. to accept the iCivics material as a textbook.

Last week Ms. Templeton took some time to answer some questions we had about her role with iCivics and South Carolina's adoption of the program.

EM: First of all, let's get this straight. South Carolina as a state has accepted iCivics as a middle school social studies curriculum? What exactly does that mean?

CT: In South Carolina, as in every state, there are curriculum standards that must be taught for satisfactory completion of a course.  The SC Department of Education approves certain resources, traditionally textbooks, which contain the information necessary to satisfy these standards.

This past year, one South Carolina school district used iCivics games and lessons as a two-week curriculum pilot with nearly 250 middle school students. The pilot was so successful that the state has agreed to implement the curriculum in another four districts next semester.  In addition, the Department of Education agreed to make iCivics a resource for certain Social Studies classes in middle school, and even high school, in South Carolina.  In effect, iCivics.org has become a textbook!

EM: I understand you were invited to be a national coordinator for the project by Justice O'Connor. Could you talk a little bit about your role with iCivics and with the initiative's success in SC? Did you face any interesting challenges?

CT: Honestly, there were no challenges in South Carolina.  This is a free, beneficial resource that helps our teachers because it provides lesson plans, satisfies state standards, and totally engages the students.  We have an incredibly well respected Chief Justice, Jean Toal, who is behind this initiative, and a rock star teacher, Jane Brailsford, who created and implemented a pilot program in the same semester she was introduced to the games.  The best idea that our group had was to create an online professional development unit for our teachers based solely on iCivics.  The teachers satisfy state required training and learn about an incredible new tool that meets state standards and engages the students.

On a national level, the biggest challenge is being calm on the phone as I talk to other potential state coordinators.  I tend to get so excited about the games that I overwhelm them with all the ideas and potential uses of the website.

EM: How do you feel about games as a learning tool? Have you played them? Do you think they're better at engaging certain types of student, or at teaching certain subjects?

CT: I didn't know what a "digital native" was until 12 months ago.  Now, I understand that an entire generation spends 40 hours a week in front of some type of digital media.  These students demand engaging, interactive curriculum that challenges them.  Games are a part of their every day lives, and if we can steer some of that effort towards learning, we can influence an entire generation.  iCivics games teach a critical and often neglected subject in a way that is entertaining and educational for the digital native.

EM: Games have been vilified some by news media in recent years, due to violent content, etc. The Supreme Court is deciding this year if they're even constitutionally protected in the face of California's ban on the sale of violent games to kids. With this kind of negative attention, do you think parents and educators could react unfavorably to games and interactive media stepping in alongside conventional textbooks?

CT: Some institutions might not readily accept the inevitability of digital media filling a real need in the classroom.  However, on the whole, iCivics has gotten such enthusiastic acceptance because it has been well thought out and studied at every step of its development.  Justice O'Connor's leadership and intelligence are so well respected that educators have confidence in the integrity and content of the iCivics resources.  Everything on iCivics.org is developed together with teachers and game designers to effectively convey civics concepts through interactive media. As a non-digital native and mother of three soon-to-be middle scholars, I wish there was an online resource of games in every subject that I could trust as much as I do the value of the iCivics games.

I think it is important to note that the team of people who have created iCivics.org are doing so for a totally altruistic purpose.  This has cost money and time and is being implemented almost exclusively by volunteers and donors around the country; including myself.  There are no advertisements on the website and all of the resources are free and accessible.  Anyone reading this who is as excited about it as I am should contact me Catherine.Templeton@icivics.org.  We would be grateful to have you help in making iCivics.org an approved resource in all states.

Thanks for your time, Catherine!