The Role of Civic Participation in National and School Curricula

• In Event: Civic Participation at School in International Comparison

Abstract

Civic and Citizenship education is increasingly defined in national curricula within a lifelong learning perspective that encompasses formal curriculum (content and subject-oriented), non-formal curriculum (e.g. through extra-curricular activities and informal curriculum (e.g. classroom ethos) (Birzea et al., 2004; Cox, Jaramillo, & Reimers, 2005). Within the European context for example, a review of education policies shows attempts to encourage “active citizenship” supported by “democratic schools” offering a “participatory school culture” (Eurydice, 2005). However, there is also evidence about a gap between declarations of principle and implementation of civic-related policies as well as between policies and practices (Birzea et al., 2004).
This paper will use data from ICCS 2009 to review the extent to which civic participation at school is included in national curricula of participating countries. Furthermore, it will review whether to what extent civic participation at school and in adult life are viewed as important goals of civic and citizenship education by principals and teachers at schools. It will also analyze the associations between the inclusion of school participation as a context for this learning area at the national level and the extent to it is viewed as important by schools and teachers.
Data:
This paper will be based primarily on data collected through the ICCS national contexts survey which was administered online to national research centers and completed with the help of national experts. Furthermore, data from the ICCS school and teacher survey will contribute to a review of extent to which promoting student participation in school life and preparing students for future political engagement are viewed as important aims for educational practice.
Analysis:
The paper will include descriptive analyses of the inclusion of civic participation at school within national curricula and reports on school principals’ and teachers’ view on important aims for civic and citizenship education. In addition, there will be an analysis of the associations between formal definitions in the national curricula and the prominence of civic participation as a goal for civic and citizenship education in the views of school principals and teachers.
Preliminary Results:
Results from the ICCS national contexts survey show that almost all participating countries emphasize processes related to “participation and engagement in civic and civil society” in the definition of their curricula for civic and citizenship education. A majority of countries also put emphasis on “creating opportunities for student involvement in decision-making at school”. However, students’ active participation in school life and their future participation in political life did not figure between the most frequently mentioned aims of civic and citizenship education in the school principal and teacher surveys.

Authors

• John G. Ainley, Australian Council for Educational Research

• Tim Friedman, Australian Council for Educational Research