Teaching Civic Agency through Co-Creation: A Case of Participatory Curriculum Design

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 9:45am
  In Poster Session: Teaching Civic Agency through Co-Creation: A Case of Participatory Curriculum Design

Abstract

This paper is a participatory action research (PAR) project in which a doctoral researcher collaborated with community partners to co-create and implement a civic learning curriculum during a one-week civics camp for rising 9th-grade students. Grounded in place-based and culturally relevant pedagogies, the curriculum integrated local issues and youth perspectives to foster civic identity and agency. Students participated in daily interactive lessons, gave feedback that shaped the evolving curriculum, and developed action plans addressing community concerns. Findings show that co-creation with youth and community members enhanced relevance, engagement, and empowerment. This study contributes a replicable model of democratic, student-centered civic education and aligns with broader calls to reimagine curriculum as a shared, justice-oriented practice.

Author

• Toyosi Stephen Adedara, Baylor University