Creating spaces for political socialization by implementing collaborative learning strategies at university level

University students pursuing either a Political Science or an International Relations degree are assumed to have a certain level of interest in politics prior to deciding to enroll in such grades. But, what happens in the case of college students pursuing other major degrees different from Political Science or International Relations? Would the impact of a Political Science course on their knowledge and involvement be different by depending on their prior level of interest? In answering these questions, this paper explores the results of an educational innovation project aimed at creating spaces for political socialization among university students pursuing a major degree in Communication in which political science is included as a compulsory course in the curricula. We analyze both the active learning strategies applied and their effect on the attitudes towards politics among the university students involved. These are measured through a mixed methodology. On the one hand, a survey was administered both before and after the project was implemented. On the other hand, focus groups were also conducted at the end of the course. In all the cases, two different groups are analyzed: those previously interested in politics and those previously not interested in it. Our teaching experience informs us about how to design courses that engage students to experience political processes in a context characterized by a low level of interest in politics among young people.

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