Examining Relationships Between Deeper Learning Opportunities and Competencies in High School and Later Civic Engagement

• In Event: Deeper Learning in High Schools: Longer-Term Effects on Students' College, Civic Engagement, and Workforce Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction
Although political science research has examined predictors of civic engagement, there is a need for longitudinal research to examine whether specific instructional strategies in high school may influence students’ civic engagement beliefs and behaviors in adulthood. Specifically, theory suggests that instruction focused on complex problem solving and the application of knowledge to solve real-world problems may prepare students to become more engaged citizens. These instructional practices, which we refer to as opportunities for deeper learning (DL), are theorized to improve DL competencies such as self-efficacy and locus of control which may further influence students’ civic engagement. For this presentation, we used longitudinal data to examine whether students’ opportunities for DL and self-reported DL competencies in high school are associated with civic engagement outcomes in young adulthood.
Data and Methods
The sample includes 22 high schools; 12 of the high schools were associated with DL networks, and 10 were traditional high schools located in the same geographic area and serving similar student populations. In spring 2013, surveys were administered to 2,329 study participants who entered grade 9 between 2009-10 and 2010-11, were still enrolled in the same school in spring 2013, and consented to participate in the study (response rate = 75.7%). The high school survey captured students’ self-reports of six opportunities for DL (see Exhibit 3 in the Appendix) and eight DL competencies (see Exhibit 4 in the Appendix). Starting in summer 2019, the study team administered a second survey to the same study participants (response rate = 27.2%) which measured respondents’ beliefs and activities related to community service and political action. Overall, 517 study participants responded to both surveys and are included in the analyses described here.
We estimated two-level hierarchical linear models (with students nested within schools) to estimate relationships between opportunities for DL, DL competencies, and civic engagement outcomes. Statistical models controlled for Grade 8 demographic characteristics and achievement test scores. Due to the large number of coefficients (looking at 14 separate high school survey measures for each of 10 outcome measures), we looked for patterns of significant relationships across survey measures to identify meaningful results.
Results
DL opportunities and competencies were consistently, positively related to respondents’ beliefs about the importance and value of community service and political participation (see Appendix Exhibit 8). In addition, volunteering was positively related to complex problem solving, interdisciplinary learning, and real-world connections, as well as five of the DL competencies (see Appendix Exhibit 9). All six DL opportunity measures were positively related the probability of donating or raising money for charity, using social media to protest a company or business, and “sometimes or almost always” expressing opinions during political conversations (see Appendix Exhibits 9 and 10). Other significant, positive relationships were not consistent across DL measures or outcomes.
Significance
Although relationships were not consistent across civic engagement outcomes, study findings suggest that instruction focused on DL, and the resulting DL competencies, are positively related to civic engagement beliefs, community service activities, and the expression of political opinions in young adulthood.

Author

• George Atupem, American Institutes for Research