Provides a brief historical and conceptual background for understanding the challenges which the "new" immigration places on traditional approaches to social/political/civic education. Includes summaries of other articles on immigration in this issue. (JDH)

Reviews the history of Chinese immigration to the United States and provides a facsimilie of a form used to document immigrants under the Chinese Exclusion Act. Teaching suggestions are included. (JDH)

Examines gap between private and public life and the resulting decline in civic participation. Emphasizes role of experiential education in developing civic consciousness through collaboration with business and community and utilizing its unique characteristics. Stresses benefits to experiential education, including ways to transfer peak…

The central finding of a review of 63 high school history, geography, civics, and economics textbooks is that the textbooks are not accurately describing the world economy. For example, few of the texts refer to economic gains being made by many countries or mention the existence of middle income countries. (RM)

In New Jersey v. T.L.O., a case argued in 1984, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether incriminating evidence found by a school assistant princial during the search of a student's purse can be used in a criminal trial. Issues, facts, background, and arguments of the case are provided. (RM)

Excerpts from a monograph entitled "Civic Learning in Teacher Education" are given. They include a brief reprise of a 1982 DeGarmo lecture in which R. Freeman Butts argued that teacher education institutions and public schools should place much more emphasis on citizenship education, along with responses by nine other authors. (PP)

An "experience-based" approach to elementary school level civics education, involving learning by doing and organized around personally meaningful political experiences, is desirable since existing programs and materials are not adequate. (MB)

Representatives at the school, district and state levels, as well as scholars and researchers, have been working with the Education Commission of the States' National Center for Learning and Citizenship (ECS/NCLC) to define citizenship education expressed in terms of three strands forming a "braid" of civic competencies. This updated version of…

Civic education conducted in schools plays a significant role in fostering citizenship but teaching about these themes is often incorporated in history or social studies courses and not found in a distinct subject. An essential part of improving civic learning opportunities for students is preparing teachers more adequately for civic-related…

During the last quarter of the 20th century, a global surge of democracy has transformed international relations and inspired people in places throughout the world. The current and continuing wave of democracy in the governments of nation-states has brought about a correspondingly strong surge of education for democracy. This rising tide of…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1998 Civics Assessment measured student knowledge, intellectual and participatory skills, and civic dispositions at the eighth grade level. This publication describes eighth graders performance based on 37 questions from the eighth-grade assessment. Thirty of the thirty-seven questions were…

Political tolerance is the willingness to extend basic rights and civil liberties to persons and groups whose viewpoints differ from one's own. It is a central tenet of a liberal democracy. The individual rights and freedoms that U.S. citizens value encourage a wide array of ideas and beliefs, some of which may offend segments of the population.…

In order for citizens to be capable of fully engaging in civic and political life, they must possess a minimum of civic skills. Civic skills include personal communication skills, knowledge of political systems, and the ability to critically think about civic and political life. Numerous civic skills have been identified theoretically, but only…

This paper outlines a theoretical approach to understanding how youth community service participation can stimulate identity development and encourage civic investment. The study elucidates the developmental processes through which individuals become invested in civic activities and the activities in which youth are involved. The paper explains…

This theme issue of "The International Journal of Social Education" contains 11 articles all concerned with efforts to promote civic education in post-communist countries, particularly former Soviet-Bloc nations, including Latvia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Russia. Described are international partnerships for civic…