Examining the Civic Achievement Gap from a Sociocultural Curricular Perspective: Lessons From Three Israeli Civics Classrooms

• In Event: Issues in Civic Education

Abstract

This qualitative study sets to examine disparities regarding the teaching of the civics subject-matter in relation to contextual socio-cultural factors. Conducted in the Israeli educational system, the study’s main finding is the identification of a stark disparity between the conceptions of citizenship that are promoted in three different classroom settings. The importance of these findings is in the illumination of a civic achievement gap, relating to these differences. Following the scholarly discourse surrounding this topic, this study contributes to the understanding that not only is there a gap regarding the civic experiences and opportunities to which the students are exposed, but that the fundamental meaning of the term good citizenship is interpreted and promoted in a varying fashion.

Author

• Aviv Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem