Electoral Systems: Preferential Voting

Active learning works for this topic because students need to experience firsthand how media choices shape political outcomes. Simply explaining bias or algorithms leaves students passive, but hands-on activities let them test claims with real examples.

• Year 10
• Civics & Citizenship
• 3 activities
• 20 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the step-by-step process of preferential voting in Australian federal elections.
2. Analyze how different voting systems, including preferential voting, can affect the composition of parliament.
3. Compare the outcomes of preferential voting with a 'first past the post' system using historical election data.
4. Evaluate the impact of compulsory voting on voter turnout and election results in Australia.
5. Critique the advantages and disadvantages of Australia's current electoral system.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Media Bias Hunt

Groups are given the same news event (e.g., a new tax policy) and three different sources: a tabloid newspaper, a broadsheet, and a social media thread. They must identify differences in headlines, tone, and the 'experts' quoted.

Prepare & details

Explain the mechanics of Australia's preferential voting system.

Facilitation Tip: During the Media Bias Hunt, provide at least three headline pairs from different outlets to ensure students compare concrete examples.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Simulation Game

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Press Gallery

During a mock parliamentary session, a group of students acts as 'journalists.' They must write a 280-character 'live tweet' and a short news headline for each major speech, then present their 'news cycle' to the class.

Prepare & details

Analyze how electoral systems influence political representation.

Facilitation Tip: In The Press Gallery simulation, assign clear roles (e.g., editor, reporter, fact-checker) and give each a rubric to guide their decisions.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Algorithm

Students discuss how social media algorithms might affect what political news they see. They reflect on whether this makes them more or less informed as future voters.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the importance of compulsory voting in a democracy.

Facilitation Tip: For The Algorithm activity, have students bring their own social media feed screenshots to analyze, making the task personally relevant.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should model how to read media critically by deconstructing a single news story together, highlighting word choices and omitted details. Avoid presenting media bias as intentional deception; instead, frame it as a structural feature of all communication. Research shows that when students create their own media artifacts in simulations, they better understand the pressures journalists face, which deepens their critical stance toward what they consume.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students identifying and justifying media bias in sources they find, applying algorithms to personal data, and discussing how these processes influence political agendas. Students should articulate how framing and echo chambers function, not just recognize them.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Media Bias Hunt, watch for students assuming that opinion pieces are the only biased sources.

What to Teach Instead

Use the hunt’s comparison chart to guide students to notice subtle framing in 'news' articles, such as loaded adjectives or selective quotes.

Common Misconception

During The Algorithm activity, watch for students believing that social media feeds are purely random.

What to Teach Instead

Have students trace the origin of five posts back to their source and note how algorithms prioritize engagement over credibility.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Simulation: The Press Gallery, collect students’ completed rubrics and 100-word reflections explaining one editorial decision they made and why.

Discussion Prompt

During Think-Pair-Share: The Algorithm, circulate and listen for pairs discussing how algorithmic curation might limit exposure to opposing views.

Exit Ticket

After Collaborative Investigation: Media Bias Hunt, ask students to submit one example of a headline that appeared neutral but contained bias and justify their choice in two sentences.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a social media post that counters a known misinformation narrative while maintaining neutral language.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide a partially completed bias comparison chart with prompts like 'What is the headline suggesting?' and 'What is left out?'
• Deeper exploration: Invite a local journalist to discuss how they balance speed with accuracy in breaking news situations.

Key Vocabulary

Preferential Voting	An electoral system where voters number candidates in order of preference. A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to win; if not, lower-polling candidates are eliminated, and their votes are redistributed according to the voters' next preferences.
Absolute Majority	More than 50% of the total votes cast. In preferential voting, a candidate must achieve this to be elected without further redistribution of votes.
Informal Vote	A ballot paper that is not filled out correctly according to the electoral rules, meaning it cannot be counted. This can happen if a voter does not number all candidates or numbers them incorrectly.
Compulsory Voting	A legal requirement for eligible citizens to register to vote and attend a polling place on election day. Failure to do so can result in a fine.
Scrutiny	The process of counting votes after an election. In preferential voting, this includes the redistribution of votes from eliminated candidates.