Advancing Theory and Engaging Asia’s Citizenship Education Researchers with the Results from IEA’s Civic Studies

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Reflections on IEA Civic Education Studies’ Multi-faceted Contributions to the Research, Theory and Practice of Democratic Education across Countries

Proposal

Secondary data analysis of survey data is often seen as a technical process that simply utilizes new methodological approaches. This paper argues that with appropriate framing such analysis can also be transformative. New meanings can be discovered and new ideas can be identified that provide greater insight into theoretical approaches as well as the data itself. Transformative secondary data analysis has the potential to open up new ways of thinking about students’ civic values across the Asian region and the complex contexts in which they seek to turn these values into action.

These contexts are important because they represent patterns that are not always present in countries broadly described as Western in orientation. This can range from broad contexts of inequality or political conflict to complex deeply rooted social and political values, as well as pressures related to educational performance and career development. These contexts need to be highlighted in order to understand Asian students’ civic values.

This paper is based on a chapter in the recently released book on the IEA civic education studies. It will demonstrate how data about civic and political understanding can be better grasped when the contexts in which it was gathered are considered. Comparing students’ responses in one country with those in other countries or regions (as in successive IEA civic education studies) may tell one story. But when similar contexts are compared (for example, responses of students whose origins are Asian), new possibilities for theoretical insights can occur. For example, it has often been argued that many Asian students are weighed down by traditional values that have the potential to impede the development of democratic values. Secondary analysis of the IEA civic education studies, however, has shown that one of the challenges for Asian students has been to balance tradition and democracy and this does not always dampen their enthusiasm for democracy. A good example is Korea where many students have strong commitments to democratic values but at the same time a traditional social structure they must negotiate every day in pursuing their democratic commitments.

The theoretical insights that can be generated from secondary analysis are important for developing an inclusive in-depth picture of students’ civic values. This is an important message for researchers in Asian societies where participation in large scale assessments of civic values and actions is relatively uncommon. As participation declines, valuable perspectives and ideas are being lost along with the important theoretical perspectives that can be derived from them. As shown here, in-depth analysis is important. This is a key issue for future research in citizenship education and for the possibility of expanding theoretical perspectives in the field, as well as the relevance of research findings for education in particular settings.

Author

• Kerrry Kennedy, The Education University of Hong Kong