Competing Conceptions of Civic Education: Lessons From Three Israeli Civics Classrooms

• In Event: Democratic Citizenship in Education Paper Session 1

Abstract

The concentration of this qualitative study is the underlying conceptions of citizenship and civic education that gear the educational practice. These conceptions were examined in the context of three Israeli civics classrooms preparing for the nationwide civics exam. The main finding of this study is the existence of different and at some times competing conceptions that in several cases contradicted one another. The significance of this study is the documentation of this confusing reality as it influenced both teachers and students. Thus, the findings may influence our rethinking about teacher education in relation to the place of such conceptions as part of the educational process.

Author

• Aviv Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem