Economic Literacy and Civic Literacy Are Two Separate Domains: Insights From Large-Scale Assessment Data

• In Event: Large-Scale Assessment SIG Paper Session

Abstract

This paper analyses in how far economic and civic literacy constitute two distinct domains. We use data from two large scale assessments (ECON 2022 and ICCS 2022), which were implemented with the same representative student sample of 2.848 eighth-graders in Germany. Exploratory factor analyses and structural equation modelling reveal economic and civic literacy as distinct domains. Further, student knowledge in both domains had a differential impact on civic self-efficacy compared to economic self-efficacy. We take this as a further proof of the differential validity of the two assessments for economic and civic knowledge. The findings highlight the need for educational strategies that treat economic and civic education as separate domains to effectively enhance specific literacies and self-efficacy in both domains.

Authors

• Nina Charlotte Johanna Welsandt, University of Duisburg-Essen

• Johanna Fee Ziemes, University of Duisburg-Essen

• Hermann J. Abs, University of Duisburg-Essen