Last week, we blogged about the Digital Democracy Project, a free Web-based game for high school social studies classes. And I wanted to add how happy I am that we are able to provide this new and exciting learning tool to high school teachers and their students.

By playing the game, students will learn how to research OpenSecrets.org, the site that houses all of the Center for Responsive Politics’ databases, and Sunlight’s own OpenCongress.org. The game is meant to be fun, but its also designed to help students learn how to use government data and the tools built to open up that data. Sample questions and their answers can be viewed here. A worksheet (pdf) exists for teachers to have their students complete, assisting students to consider technology’s influence on government. Students are also encouraged to conduct real investigations through Transparency Corps.

Sunlight partnered with the folks at Global Networked-Intelligence Contests to create the Digital Democracy Contest. Because of an award from the MacArthur Foundation we’re able to provide the contest free to high school social studies classes.