49.082 - Civic Education Must Change: Responding to Transformed Political, Educational, Demographic, and Technological Contexts

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Politics, education, the demographics of the US, and technology are all in the midst of significant change. The form and focus of civic education and notions of “best” practice have not kept pace.

In this symposium, we will highlight the need to rethink some core priorities of civic education as well as the ways those priorities are pursued. In particular, we will focus on changes that are needed in light of dramatically sharper partisan divides, transformative technological change associated with digital media, massive demographic changes and debates about who should get to be a citizen, and profound outcome gaps between groups of youth who are all being asked to develop deep knowledge in relation to civic and political issues.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Social Studies Research

Chair

• Joseph E. Kahne, Mills College

Papers

• How Political Polarization Influences Young People and Challenges Civic Education - Diana E. Hess, University of Wisconsin; Paula McAvoy, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Emancipatory Pedagogies: Empowering Marginal Communities Through Direct Action - Lisa Garcia Bedolla, University of California - Berkeley; Marisa Abrajano, University of California - San Diego; Jane Junn, University of Southern California

• The High School Government Course in the "Excellence for All" Era - Walter Parker, University of Washington - Seattle; Sheila Valencia, University of Washington; Jane C Lo, Florida State University

• The Practice of Politics Has Changed: Redesigning Civic Education for the Digital Age - Joseph E. Kahne, Mills College; Erica Hodgin, Mills College; Elyse A. Eidman-Aadahl, University of California - Berkeley