Unlocking Civic Potential: ICCS-Based Mixed-Methods Insights from Socioeconomically High-Need Schools in Germany

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Civic Education and Literacy

Abstract

This paper explores how civic literacy can be fostered in schools in Germany. Using the data from ICCS 2022 and the 2025 German School Barometer, the study examines civic learning under challenging conditions within a research-practice partnership. A mixed-methods design combines interviews with school stakeholders and secondary data analysis.
ICCS focuses on political knowledge (Hahn-Laudenberg et al., 2024), engagement, and dispositions in relation to school context. Interview data provide insights into local strategies, such as participatory school development and digital tools. Findings show civic learning opportunities vary with structural school characteristics, but highlight promising practices. The study refines civic literacy as a measurable domain and emphasize the need for context-sensitive, digitally supported approaches to strengthen civic competencies in high-need schools.

Authors

• Rukiye Ates, University Duisburg - Essen

• Nina Charlotte Johanna Welsandt, University of Duisburg-Essen