One thing college students often hear during the primary season is how important it is for them to get involved in the coming election. While it is important for everyone to become educated about the elections, college students have the reputation for being less engaged. One of the best ways to learn more about the election, or the candidates more specifically, is by watching and listening to debates. But debates are not always the most interesting or exciting, which may be why college students are not so inclined to watch. Recently though, a website has been created by one of our very own professors here at UC, Robert Nestheide, to make these debates exciting and even fun.
Nestheide created an interactive debate gaming website because he wants to change the way people think about debates. He says “The debates should be much more interactive, and with technological advances, they can be. Don’t just watch debates, participate.”
Debate-rate.com is a website directed specifically towards college students to get them more involved in the debates but the site is publically accessible. It allows students to comment on and rate live debates. A student can be watching a debate and rate certain statements that a candidate makes. The better a candidate does on the website, the more votes they get, but if a viewer dislikes what a candidate is saying they can virtually throw a shoe at them. It is an internet game mixed with real-time election education.
Nestheide says he “aims to make participating in politics and the electoral system more fun and engaging through online social gaming,” And since socializing online is what college students do best, this idea may be the key to getting us more involved in the debates.
Debate-rate.com is completely up to date for every debate and will be for the three upcoming debates, Feb. 22 and two in the beginning of March. There is no login necessary for the website. For occasional updates and information you can follow Debate-Rate on Twitter, @debaterate or through Facebook.