What is the CAP?
CAP is a menu-based assessment system designed for community college government courses. Instead of high-stakes exams, students earn points through authentic civic activities — attending government meetings, interviewing community members, creating public service directories, recording video reflections, and more.
(and holding)
| Category | Point Range | Activities | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higher Effort | 20–30 pts | 14 | Government meeting, civic interviews, public services directory |
| Medium Effort | 10–15 pts | 14 | Government scavenger hunt, news connections, civic journals |
| Quick Engagement | 5–8 pts | 11 | Personal impact reflections, 60-second government videos |
What Students Say
End-of-semester survey results from 75 community college students at Tarrant County College — plus a rotating selection of what they wrote, built, and sent afterward.
The activities made me actually think about how I interacted with my local government instead of just memorizing facts.
— TCC Student, Fall 2025 surveySource: CAP Reflection Survey, Fall 2025 · n=75 (counts vary slightly by question) · Tarrant County College, Fort Worth, TX · Student messages shared with permission
Instructor Resources
Everything you need to implement CAP in your own course. All files are free to use and adapt — and the tracker now builds your Canvas import package for you, so setup takes minutes, not an afternoon.
Why the CAP? — The Research Behind It
The pedagogical case for CAP, drawn from civic education theory, Self-Determination Theory, and service-learning research. A science-based argument for civic learning for fellow community college instructors.
CAP Mobile App for Students BETA
Installable app for iPhone and Android — browse all 39 assignments, review rubrics on the go, attach work from your phone, and hand off to Canvas in one tap. No app store, no account, no ads.
CAP Student Tracker for Instructors
Now exports a Canvas package! Pick your activities and point values, then download a ready-to-import Canvas file containing only the assignments you chose. Also does multi-section completion tracking, JSON backup, and can fill a Canvas gradebook export with CAP completions for re-import (test in a sandbox course first). Opens in any browser — no install required.
CAP Assignments Complete Guide
All activities with full descriptions, requirements, time estimates, and student-facing instructions.
CAP Path to 100 Points for Students
Interactive tool showing all assignments. Helps students and instructors plan activity combinations to reach 100 points.
Canvas Import Package (All 39)
Want every activity at once? This ready-to-import file drops all 39 CAP assignments into Canvas. Want just the ones you'll use? The CAP Student Tracker above builds you a custom Canvas package — your chosen activities, your point values.
All 39 Assignments — Full Text
Complete markdown source with detailed instructions, rubrics, and requirements. Easy to copy, edit, and adapt for your course.
Video Introduction Assignment
"Government & Me" — a Week 1 discussion board icebreaker where students record a short video connecting government to their lives. Includes Canvas Studio instructions.
Getting Started
CAP is designed to be adopted as-is or adapted to fit your course structure.
- Download the Assignment Guide
Start with the CAP Assignments Complete Guide (PDF). This gives you the full picture of all the activities, point values, and requirements.
- Build your CAP in the Tracker
Open the CAP Student Tracker in any browser. In the setup phase, pick the activities you want and set their point values — use all 39 or just a handful.
- Export your Canvas package — one click
The tracker generates a Canvas import file containing only your selected assignments, at your point values, all in one CAP module. In Canvas, go to Settings → Import Course Content, choose "Canvas Course Export Package," and upload. No more importing all 39 and deleting what you don't need.
- Track progress with the CAP Tracker
Back in the tracker, import your Canvas roster and track completions across sections. When you are ready to post grades, the tracker can fill a Canvas gradebook export with CAP completions so you re-import it in one step — a guided walkthrough explains each step. Always test this with one section in a Canvas sandbox before relying on it.
- Adapt and make it yours
Every file here is free to modify. Change point values, swap activities, adjust deadlines — whatever works for your students and your course.
Teaching Texas Government too? Meet the TIA.
CAP's sibling project, Texas In Action, brings the same experiential framework to GOVT 2306 — 39 distinct Texas state and local assignments, zero recycled content between courses.
About the Author
Professor Jared Alan Stewart
I built CAP because I was tired of watching community college students disengage from government courses that relied on memorization and multiple-choice exams. These students are working adults, parents, first-generation college students — people who are already affected by government every day. They deserved better than Scantrons.
CAP is grounded in Self-Determination Theory, experiential learning theory, and authentic assessment research. It gives students real choices, connects course material to their actual lives, and replaces high-stakes testing with meaningful civic engagement.
If you're interested in using CAP, adapting it for your context, or collaborating on research, I'd love to hear from you.