Indoctrination or Development? Change in Students’ Political Beliefs During Current Events Discussions

• In Event: Instructional Paradigms in Humanities, Social Science, and Fine Arts Education

Abstract

Teachers who introduce political issues in the classroom have been under intense scrutiny in recent years. However, there is little direct evidence that teachers intentionally influence students’ political beliefs. This qualitative research focused on change in students’ political beliefs during current events discussions. The development of political beliefs is framed as a form of conceptual change. The study found that students’ political beliefs are a complex, ill-defined construct learned from multiple sources. The teacher had minimal influence on the development of the students’ beliefs while the discussions had a strong influence. These findings underscore that political beliefs are highly complex and that students do not enter civics classrooms as blank slates ready to be filled with beliefs.

Authors

• John P. Myers, Florida State University

• Heather Bossert Cunningham, University of Pittsburgh