The second annual “Dialogues with Democracy: Improving Civic Education in Wisconsin’s Schools” conference will take place today at the Pyle Center.

According to University of Wisconsin professor Diana Hess, who is one of the presenters of the conference, the purpose is to help kindergarten through 12th grade students better understand the democratic process.

Teachers must use interactive and relevant approaches to educate students about democracy successfully, Hess said.

The conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will feature two keynote speakers and several workshops.

Eighteen to 29 year-olds comprised 17 percent of the total vote in the presidential election. Overall, youth turnout increased dramatically, Hess said.

Voting is only one part of the effort to engage students in the political process, she said.

One method that has proven successful at captivating students in the classroom is an issues-based approach. This technique encourages discussion and debate on issues of importance to students.

“Students are very interested in the war in Iraq and access to higher education,” Hess said.

Outside the classroom, it is important for students to be politically active in their communities, Hess said. She believes students will be more likely to become active if classroom discussion generates student interest.

“As a general rule, authenticity is the key,” regardless of the approach used to educate students about democracy, Hess said.

The conference’s first speaker, Peter Levine, is deputy director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at the University of Maryland. His speech will focus on the “Six Promising Approaches to Civic Education.” Levine will talk mainly about past research, Hess said.

The second keynote speaker is UW professor Gloria Ladson-Billings, an expert in culturally relevant teaching, multicultural education and social studies education.

Workshop topics include Youth Voters and the 2004 Election, Teaching the History of Freedom of Speech in Wisconsin, Brown vs. Board of Education, and “We the People,” a K-12 curriculum that develops intellectual and participatory skills necessary for students to become effective, responsible citizens.

“The conference will provide better awareness of how to incorporate these issues into [teachers’] curriculum,” said Karen Fiske, program assistant for the School of Education.

Workshops are “hands-on,” and many of the people leading the instruction are teachers who will help participants understand the new programs and curriculum related to civic education, Hess said.

“We wanted to make sure we are showcasing a variety of programs and curricula,” she said.

The conference is a group effort involving the UW School of Education, the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies, the Wisconsin Law Foundation and the State Bar of Wisconsin.