Citizenship: A Challenge to Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper considers issues of democracy and citizenship firstly as they can be historically situated as part of ‘Scottish consciousness’. Whilst recognising Scotland's membership of the unitary state which currently characterises the United Kingdom, it goes on to point up more recent divergences in relation to the political, social and economic contexts of education in Scotland. The course process within which the research was pursued is outlined, and the salient features described. It is argued that in terms of reported behaviour in relation to a range of indices, for example voting behaviour and factual knowledge of policy processes and the machinery of government, the cohort described might legitimately be considered as less than active citizens, and to that extent dubious educators of young citizens. However, a more process oriented approach revealed more hopeful findings at the level of principle and values. Differences in the citizenship debate as between Scotland and England are noted, and implications of the research for teacher education and citizenship education in Scotland are suggested.