Open Educational Resources
Document Type
Syllabus
Publication Date
Fall 9-1-2025
Abstract
This syllabus outlines the structure and pedagogical design of POL 51: Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics, taught at Kingsborough Community College (CUNY). Developed as part of an Open Educational Resources (OER) course redesign funded through the CUNY OER Initiative, the course integrates accessible, cost-free materials from Attenuated Democracy: A Critical Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics alongside multimodal, student-centered learning activities. The course emphasizes Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ungrading, and reflective journaling to foster civic engagement and metacognitive awareness. A central innovation of this version is a two-week Critical AI Literacy (CALI) module that situates artificial intelligence within broader structures of political power, inequality, and technological governance. Through readings, discussions, and creative assignments, students critically examine how AI systems intersect with democracy, representation, and bias—connecting emergent technologies to enduring questions of power and participation in American political life.
Comments
For working links, please view the google doc