“Let us find ways to ensure that by 2010 Americans will spend less leisure time sitting

passively alone in front of a glowing screen and more time in active connection with our fellow citizens. Let us foster new forms of electronic

entertainment and communication that reinforce community engagement rather than forestalling

it.” (Putnam, 410)

League Logistics•4 Week Regular Season•10 Teams•2 Leagues (randomly selected)•1 Championship Game•Common Ground

Four Weekly Experiences•Identification of Top 5 National/Global Issues

•Environmental, Economic, Education•A Citizen Response to Our Environmental Crises•Balancing the National Budget•Creating a Fall Program for Student Engagement

Link to Wii the People video (5:22):

www.youtube.com/wkuicsr

I was involved in two different teams on Wii Bowling League, Sigma Kappa and Student

Veterans Alliance. Even though the teams were very different they both really enjoyed the

combination of important social issues and playing the Wii. The activity gave us the opportunity to get

to know people outside our immediate social circles and to have meaningful discussion. I have

been asked to get involved in other campus groups with similar interests that I met because of my participation.” Danielle Adams, Sophomore,

Political Science Major

We have come to expect living arrangements that don’t challenge our cultural expectations.

Responding to the demands of students, colleges offer “thematic housing.” Two residence

halls at Brandeis University are set aside for those interested in “Justice, Service, & Change.”

Colgate has a foreign film dorm…Kids have grown up in neighborhoods of like-mindedness,

so homogeneous groups are considered normal.” Bill Bishop, The Big Sort

Terry Shoemaker, WKUterry.shoemaker@wku.edu