Why Exit Polls Make Good Teaching Tools

Abstract

If elections are the hallmark of democracy, political science teachers should not forgo the opportunity to do something with them when they are taking place around the corner. This article therefore seeks to encourage teachers to engage students in doing exit polls within the framework of introductory courses in comparative politics. Exit polls are a perfect way to implement a problem-based type of learning within the political science curriculum and connect theory to practice, as well as bringing together academia and the local community. Below we outline the organisation of two exit polls that were conducted at a Dutch liberal arts college in 2006 and 2007 within the framework of a national and a provincial election. We discuss the logistics of organising the poll both outside and inside the classroom and propose a strategy and timetable to involve the class in drafting the survey. On the basis of student evaluations of the polling experience, we conclude that students are fairly positive about being engaged in such polls and notice that the learning effect is greatest for students early on in their academic career.