The University of Southern California (USC) Democracy Project responds to the inadequacies of traditional civics education, particularly its failure to engage marginalized students in meaningful democratic participation. Grounded in the theories of John Dewey and Paulo Freire, the project uses an action civics model to connect students with…

Recent critiques of citizenship education have identified the need for curricula that cover not only civil, political, social and cultural aspects of political belonging and responsibility, but that orient students to the realities of global engagement and responsibility. Rather than focussing on national values, histories and political…

In the last 20 years, there has been a growing preoccupation with fragile contexts. International development and diplomatic communities have focused on implementing Western-oriented education policies centered on democratisation efforts to transform fragile contexts. In order to understand what happens when education reform policies are enmeshed…

The U. S. was founded on the principle that ordinary citizens would rule, but most students are not taught to be rulers. Colonists in New England worked together on issues for the common good, and children learned the skills of associating from their parents. Today, however, many citizens feel they cannot make a difference, and civic participation…

Via an imaginary job interview between John Dewey and a curriculum administrator seeking an ideal citizenship education coordinator, this article defines good citizenship as steadfast pursuit of the public interest, not the interests of power wielders fostering uncritical patriotism. Curricula should encourage student responsibility and focus on…

This document consists of three documents in a packet that make up a curriculum guide that presents objectives, content outlines, sample lessons, and background readings for the development of a primary school and a secondary school civics course in Poland. The documents are: (1) Proposed Civic Education Curriculum for Primary and Secondary…

This document is the report of a project to strengthen democratic reforms in Poland by enhancing student and teacher understanding of citizenship in a democracy. The goal of the initiative is to promote the development of democracy in Poland by instituting a new citizenship curriculum in Polish schools. The immediate goal of this project was to…

This paper identifies project-based curriculum elements to increase postsecondary students' sense of political efficacy and their political interest, knowledge, and participation. It evaluates factors correlated with low levels of voting and the implementation of registration activities as remedies; it then introduces curriculum elements based on…

Asserts schools in contemporary society have lost their internal compass and reason for being. Argues primary goal of education is provide young people with common intellectual resources to participate productively, exert intellectual and political leadership, participate actively in democratic society. Argues social studies teachers must…

This paper attempts to aid Vermont educators in re-examining traditional education practices designed to foster responsible citizenship behavior patterns in youth, and establishes basic directions for new programs and procedures. The paper outlines behavioral objectives and goals of a new citizenship program in Vermont. It is the position of this…

Reconceptualizes the definition of citizenship from the concept of persons acting in rational self-interest to that of the citizen who acts in the interest of the public good. Argues that reflective citizen participation must be engendered through a new curricular framework. Delineates five areas that must be considered in this curricular…

Contends that citizenship and democracy are two of the most overused words in social studies classrooms. Maintains that schools must walk a tightrope between those fostering patriotic attitudes and those fostering critical-mindedness and protest. Includes four suggestions for critical thinking in social studies. (CFR)

Asserts that, in teaching about human rights, the international standards should be the fundamental core of the content and values to be communicated. Recommends that teachers should use the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the standard by which the actions of individuals and governments should be compared. (CFR)

The format and mode of operation of a special commission appointed by the Maryland legislature to examine the teaching of values in elementary and secondary public schools are presented. The Commission surveyed and evaluated values education programs, interviewed educators, and held meetings with citizens throughout the state. Consensus was…

The interactions of individuality and community in a democratic republic have remained the great object of civic inquiries, the perplexing civic problem throughout the more than 200 years of U.S. constitutional history. This paper argues that this inquiry should be at the center of civic education today. Five recommendations for civic educators to…