COVID-19 Containment Policies and Grade 8 Student Civic Outcomes

• In Event: ICCS Panel 1: Civic Engagement and Democratic Dispositions in Times of Crisis

Proposal

This research examines the effects of COVID-19 containment policies, particularly school closures and lockdowns, on the civic outcomes of eighth-grade students. The effects of school closures on student performance have been studies in an increasing number of studies but to data few studies have studied the effects on the performance in other domains and on socio-economic outcomes (Betthäuser et al., 2023; Di Pietro, 2023). By analysing trend data from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS; Schulz et al., 2024) and the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), the study investigates how these educational disruptions during the pandemic influenced students' civic knowledge, attitudes, and engagement intentions.

The study uses a longitudinal approach, analysing changes in civic outcomes from 2016 to 2022 using data from almost 100.000 students across 15 education systems worldwide. The ICCS data 2016 provides a baseline of students' civic knowledge and engagement intentions prior to the pandemic. In contrast, the OxCGRT data offers a detailed index of governmental responses to COVID-19, including metrics on school closure durations and lockdown strictness. Significant findings emerge from this analysis. There is a clear negative correlation between the length of school closures and students' civic knowledge scores. Extended periods of school closure correlate with notable declines in students' comprehension of civic concepts and trust in civic institutions. Furthermore, increased average lockdown stringency is associated with heightened intentions among students to participate in protest activities. These patterns indicate a shift in the landscape of civic engagement, potentially leading to more active forms of civic participation in the future. The research emphasizes the necessity of considering the wider impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on civic education. It suggests that while prolonged school closures and strict lockdown measures might be essential for public health, they can inadvertently affect the civic development of young people. This situation calls for a reassessment of civic education strategies during crises to ensure the sustainability of high-quality civic learning experiences.

Conclusively, the study adds valuable insights to the discourse on the educational consequences of the pandemic. By providing empirical evidence of the direct connection between COVID-19 containment policies and students' civic outcomes, it underlines the importance of sustaining civic education amidst global challenges

Authors

• Alec Ito Kennedy, IEA Hamburg

• Ana María Mejía-Rodríguez, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)

• Rolf Strietholt, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)