Democratic Citizenship Education Research Articles

“Slowly by Slowly”: Youth Participatory Action Research in Contexts of Displacement

Background/Context: Despite substantial evidence documenting the benefits of community involvement in the decisions that impact their lives, much humanitarian action in settings of displacement continues to be driven by the interests and funding streams of donors and international agencies. These dynamics particularly marginalize youth, who fall between interventions designed for children and opportunities for voice and agency that are reserved for adults. As youth-centered approaches have proliferated across diverse fields, pointing to the important insights gleaned from positioning young people as experts on their own lives, we rarely have a sense of how young people were included in the research or planning processes carried out, or the extent to which these processes reflect issues that local youth populations consider meaningful and relevant to their everyday lives. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) aims to redress the limitations of traditional approaches, recognizing youth as co-researchers with the agency to shape the inquiry process, positioning them as both knowledge producers and agents of social justice beyond the research context. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: Youth agency is central to YPAR, but interpretations and enactments of this agency are often implicitly bounded by nation-state constructs of legality and citizenship. How do we apply this approach in contexts where youth populations lack legal citizenship status and experience habitual threats to spatial movement, freedom of expression, and social belonging? In this paper we explore how youth locate openings to enact the agency that YPAR assumes of them, and the dilemmas that emerge as they aspire to address local challenges and contribute to the common good in contexts of forced displacement. Research Design: We examine these questions in the context of YPAR collaborations we carried out with displaced youth living in refugee camps and urban settlements in three country contexts: Burundi, Jordan, and Kenya. We approached YPAR collaborations with distinct research methods, positionalities, timelines, and varying levels of resources and institutional support. In each case, granting youth agency as co-researchers, we implicitly and explicitly raised questions about how young people come to understand the limits to their rights and agency, when forcibly displaced by conflict. Conclusions/Recommendations: Across the three collaborations detailed in this text, we underscore the ways that YPAR became a novel, and at times a radical, form of democratic citizenship education for a youth population traditionally positioned as passive recipients of both school curriculum and humanitarian aid. Notwithstanding significant challenges, we point to ways that this approach “slowly by slowly” created openings for young people to make claims on their rights and organize towards changes. It underscores the empowering potential of developing young people’s civic capacity and instilling their rights to understand and interact with their communities in exile.

초등교사의 민주시민교육 이해와 역사교육적 함의

This article asks elementary school teachers about the necessity and appropriateness of democratic citizenship education, as well as the educational meaning, and, based on the results, aims to raise the responsibility of elementary school history education for civic education. The study results are summarized as follows. First of all, teachers agreed with the necessity and importance of democratic citizenship education in elementary education, and linked the teaching and learning activity plan with the curriculum and creative experience activities. In this case, the teachers decided that it was appropriate to link with the social studies department. Next, looking at the learning goals and topics of the teachers and the characteristics of the teaching and learning process, the teachers valued the meaning of democracy and the practice of democracy in everyday life and chose universal values such as human rights and peace as learning topics. In addition, educational activities were arranged to encourage students'' voluntary participation and practice in the teaching and learning process, and ways to cultivate democratic values and attitudes were sought in the classroom culture. Next, it is necessary to produce teaching and learning materials in various contents and forms for democratic citizenship education. In addition, it is necessary to clearly recognize that the educational activities of teachers who teach universal values such as human rights, peace and democracy are also in line with the goals of school education. Lastly, recent history education in elementary school is trying to break away from the traditional knowledge-centered history class that lists and remembers only historical facts and educational contents centered on national history. This new direction of elementary school history education is in line with the direction of elementary school democratic citizenship education revealed in this article, and it is expected that history classes begin in the lives of students and cultivate democratic values and attitudes.

Citizenship and democratic education in the time of rising nationalism: Implications for citizenship education from the cases of Australia and Singapore

Notions of citizenship and citizenship education that were traditionally related to mainly nation-centric agendas are increasingly inadequate in preparing young citizens for the dynamism of societies and complexities of social issues stimulated by globalization. Depending on the political and social ideologies within and across societies, different citizenship education curricula are designed differently to achieve these goals. This article uses the cases of Australia and Singapore to discuss how different forms of citizenship education can contribute to an ongoing construction of a more just and peaceful world. Through the analysis of the social science curricula in the two countries, three key factors that can influence the value of democratic citizenship education in developing ‘active’ and ‘informed’ citizens were identified. First, the extent to which democratic values are referenced as the basis for citizenship, hence supporting an understanding of ‘politics’ in contexts of diversity. Second, the balance to be sought between development of competencies to achieve nationalistic goals and responding effectively to the dynamism of contemporary societies. Third, the extent to which curriculum arrangements support democratic citizenship development.

Analysis of the School Democratic Citizenship Education Policy by Metropolitan and Provincial Office of Education

Analysis of the School Democratic Citizenship Education Policy by Metropolitan and Provincial Office of Education

Current status and suggestions for improvement of democratic citizenship education in lifelong educational institutions -Centralized in Jeonbuk-

Current status and suggestions for improvement of democratic citizenship education in lifelong educational institutions -Centralized in Jeonbuk-

역사교육과 민주시민교육의 만남 - 쟁점과 가능성

In this study, we investigated the issues surrounding democratic citizenship education in Korean academia of history education. A decade ago, discussions on democratic citizenship education began by critically reflecting established discourses of history education; recently, those discussions have been expanded to various research topics. However, some scholars have been concerned with them, and they particularly disagreed with the specific ways to implement democratic citizenship education in history education. Thus, in this paper, we examined how history education could be integrated in democratic citizenship education. Above all, we discussed the meanings of democracy, democratic education, or democratic citizenship education, as concepts should be the basis for further discussion. Additionally, we examined the specific contexts that the discourses of democratic citizenship education started in Korean academia, and then critically reviewed the multiple discussions on democratic citizenship education. Finally, we argued that the values of history as the humanities are in line with the ultimate purpose of democratic citizenship education.

한국 현대사를 많이 알면 민주시민이 될 수 있는가

This study investigated the important issues surrounding the curriculum of Korean Contemporary History, which are raised in discussion of democratic citizenship education in the academia of history education. In the primary and secondary education, the April 19 Revolution, 5·18 Democratization Movement, and June Democratization Movement repeatedly appeared, because the curriculum of Korean Contemporary History is grounded in the framework of national development based on the Constitution. In the discussion of democratic citizenship education, it is argued that Korean Contemporary History has to address the period after 1987 more prominently; history classes based on controversy should be encouraged; and history education needs to actively respond to “historical negation.” In learning Korean Contemporary History, however, students have to have opportunities to think of diverse and multilayered aspects of people’s lives, rather than simply focusing on national political history and developmental narratives. History education should stress ontological values of human beings and contribute to reflecting critically on myself and the community. At this point, Korean Contemporary history needs not be emphasized more than other time periods and regions. In order to go beyond a single narrative structure in teaching Korean history, autonomy for constructing history curriculum, particularly teachers’ autonomy, should be expanded. Also, the policy for mandatory Korean History in the College Scholastic Ability Test should be abolished.

The Implications of Democratic Citizenship Education and Global Citizenship Education for the Corona Era

The Implications of Democratic Citizenship Education and Global Citizenship Education for the Corona Era

Reconceptualisation of Democratic Citizenship Education Against Social Inequalities and Electoral Violence in Zimbabwe

This article analyses the implications of a reconceptualised democratic citizenship education on universities in Africa with special emphasis on Zimbabwe. This is a qualitative research where data has been gathered through interviews and observation. Democratic citizenship education theory is used as a theory speaking to the argument. The arguments proffered in the research are that the concepts of DCE, education, and democracy that are rooted in liberal ideas of education have the potential to develop critical thinking necessary for political participation, justice, and political tolerance. The findings are that an African university education can teach students to become human with others, meaning students are taught to respect and value human dignity as dictated by Ubuntu.

Democratic Citizenship Education and its Practices in Social Studies’ Classrooms at Elementary School Level

Abstract The importance of democratic citizenship education in democratic states is beyond dispute. The general purpose of the study is to describe democratic citizenship education and its practices in social studies’ classrooms at elementary school level. The study is qualitative in nature and descriptive phenomenological research design is used for this study. The accessible population of the study is included all the social studies’ teachers of 83 boys’ public sector elementary schools in district Lahore. Purposive sampling is used for the selection of the sample in this study. The sample of the study is included 20 social studies’ teachers of 10 boys’ public sector elementary schools of district Lahore. Two social studies’ teachers, one from primary section (grade 1- 5) and one from elementary section (grade 6- 8) who are teaching social studies’ subjects are selected from 10 boys public sector elementary schools of district Lahore by using purposive sampling technique. Participant observation is adopted as a tool to observe classrooms of social studies teachers through a checklist of objectives. Data is analyzed by using SPSS (statistical package of social sciences) software. On the basis of results it is concluded that majority of the social studies’ teachers are emerging their competencies and need improvement regarding the development of democratic citizenship education at public sector elementary school level.

How do We teach Human Dignity in Human Rights Education and Democratic Citizenship Education?

How do We teach Human Dignity in Human Rights Education and Democratic Citizenship Education?

민주시민교육과 마주한 학교 역사교육의 현실과 전망

This article contains the diagnosis and prospects of history education, related to democratic citizenship education in schools. Through this, I would like to propose a transition to history education that can contribute to democratic citizenship education. First, the actual situation of ‘misuse and abuse’ of democratic citizenship education in Korea has been reviewed focusing on ‘Korean history’ education since 1945. In addition, it was confirmed that democratic education existed as a ''false name'' and even misused and abused in the anti-communist nationalism and excessive nationalism in history education. To overcome this, as a multi-layered or pluralistic subject in the collective society of community, history education must be reconstructed as history of challenging citizen creating new democracy in solidarity between each citizen or among citizens. It should be a history education that contains peace, coexistence, and democratic values.

DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIC COMPETENCIES OF STUDENTS: NEW APPROACHES AND PRACTICES UNDER NUSH

The article emphasizes that the formation of civic competence of students is one of the key tasks of the New Ukrainian School. The need to form a citizen of Ukraine, for whom a democratic civil society is a center for the disclosure of his abilities and capabilities, the satisfaction of personal and public interests, is emphasized. An analysis of modern approaches to the formation of civic competence of students, in particular through the introduction of education fordemocratic citizenship (EDC) and human rights education (HRE) in the educational process of GSEI. It is noted that this is a new direction in education, which is the subject of international attention and educational strategies. EDC / HRE is based on competency, activity, personality-oriented approaches that are a priority in creating an educational environment. The peculiarity of education for democratic citizenship and human rights education is that the content, forms and methods of teaching are built in the dimension of «learning about / for / through democracy and human rights», which enriches the role of teacher and student in the learning process. The leading idea of this direction is to encourage children to become active citizens who are able to participate in shaping the future of society through the teaching of democracy and human rights. In Ukraine, the implementation of EDC / HRE is carried out thanks to the Swiss-Ukrainian project «Development of civic competencies in Ukraine» – DOCCU. It is noted that today in European countries and in our country there is experience in developing and implementing training courses on EDC / HRE, which requires dissemination and detailed study by teacherspractitioners,educational experts and scientists. The experience of introducing education for democratic citizenship (EDC) and human rights education (HRE) into the educational process of the New Ukrainian School is generalized.

Teaching and learning during a pandemic: Implications for democratic citizenship education

The assumption that teaching and learning can only manifest with face-to-face encounters and that virtual teaching and learning only occurs through digitization and technology is perhaps indefensible. Teaching‒learning does not happen only through physical encounters, and virtual teaching‒learning does not need relevant forms of technology. Teaching‒learning is an autonomous pedagogical act before it even transcends into acts of deliberative engagement. Unless teachers and students internalize forms of self-directed teaching and learning – that is, they learn what it means to act autonomously, teaching–learning in itself would not become the transformative space many teachers and students perhaps expect it to be.

The Changing Pattern of Political Participation in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Its Implications for Democratic Citizenship Education

한국사회에서 소위 ‘4차산업혁명’으로 불리는 최근의 급격한 기술발전은 다양한 소셜네트워크 플랫폼을 통한 시민들의 ‘비관습적’ 정치참여를 증가시키는 양상으로 나타나고 있다. 이러한 비관습적 정치참여의 증가는 직접민주주의를 활성화시킴으로써 민주주의 발전에 긍정적으로 작용할 수 있다. 하지만 동시에 새로운 미디어 환경에서 나타나고 있는 허위조작정보의 급속한 확산으로 인한 충동적이고 파괴적인 정치참여는 공동체와 민주주의에 치명적인 위협을 가할 수도 있다. 4차산업혁명 시대에 이러한 정치참여 양상의 변화는 정치참여 자체의 형식과 양뿐만 아니라 정치참여의 질과 내용에 대한 시민교육적 차원의 체계적인 대응이 필요해지고 있음을 함의한다. 이러한 논의를 토대로 현행 초·중·고등학교 사회과 교과서에서 다루어지고 있는 정치참여 관련 교육 내용을 살펴보면, 정치참여는 그 자체로 긍정적이고 바람직한 것으로 주로 서술되고 있으며, 정치참여 방법은 관습적 참여뿐만 아니라 다양한 비관습적 참여 방식도 제시되어 있는 것으로 나타나고 있다. 학교 수준의 정치참여 교육에서 다양한 비관습적 정치참여 방식을 포함하고 있는 것은 4차산업혁명 시대의 정치참여 양상과 일정 부분 조응한다고 할 수 있으나 정치참여의 복합적 의미와 결과에 대한 내용은 좀 더 정교해질 필요가 있다.

Importance-Performance Analysis(IPA) on Democratic Citizenship Education for Early Childhood Teachers

목적 본 연구는 유아교육현장의 민주시민교육에 대해 유아교사들이 중요하다고 인식하는 내용과 실행되고 있는 내용은 무엇인지를 IPA분석을 통해 살펴보았다. 방법 먼저 민주시민교육에 대한 이론적 검토를 바탕으로 교사용 설문지를 작성하여 부산광역시와 경상남도에 소재한 유치원과 어린이집에 재직 중인 교사 275명 대상으로 2020년 11월 13일부터 11월 30일까지 조사하였다. 수집된 자료는 민주시민교육에 대한 중요도와 실행도의 평균과 표준편차를 산출하고 대응표본 t-검증과 중요도-실행도 분석(IPA)을 실시하였다. 결과 첫째, 민주시민교육 인식은 전체적으로 중요도에 비해 실행도가 낮았으며, 하위요소별로는 자타 문화 이해, 인간의 존엄성, 합리적 의사결정, 공익과 공공선, 합의 도출 과정 순으로 중요도-실행도에 대한 인식 간 차이가 나타났다. 둘째, IPA 매트릭스를 통한 민주시민교육에 대한 유아교사들의 중요도와 실행도 차이를 알아본 결과, 중요도와 실행도가 모두 높아 지속유지 영역에 분류된 요소는 인간의 존엄성, 공익과 공공선, 합의 도출 과정으로 나타났으며, 자타 문화 이해와 합리적 의사결정은 중요도와 실행도가 모두 낮은 우선순위 영역으로 분류되었다. 결론 민주시민교육에 대해 유아교사들이 중요하게 인식하는 요인과 실재 수행하는 정도 간의 비교하고 분석한 결과를 토대로 유아교육현장에서 민주시민교육을 활성화하는 교육적 여건 조성과 유아교사의 민주시민교육에 대한 지원 방안에 대한 시사점을 도출하였다.

The conceptualisation of democratic citizenship education by non-Western societies

The conceptualisation of democratic citizenship education by non-Western societies

The Consensus on Citizenship Education Purposes in Teacher Education

Although education for democratic citizenship has long been a powerful rationale for social studies education, researchers still report a significant gap between this purpose and what is really taught in classrooms. Explanations of this phenomenon vary, but literature on citizenship education (CE) research has largely interpreted this gap as a result of (preservice) teachers’ political worldviews or lack of civic experiences. Other evidence, however, suggests that teacher socialization processes generate conventions about what is necessary, possible, and reasonable in CE that go beyond teachers’ political views and behaviors. This mixed-method study, developed at a Spanish university, aims to explore the understandings of CE shared by preservice teachers with different political ideologies and levels of civic engagement. The findings of this study have deep implications for teacher education courses aimed at fostering CE and the curricular inclusion of current social issues.

The Effects of Early Childhood Teachers' Democratic Civic Consciousness and Actions for Building an Educational Community on Implementing Democratic Citizenship Education

The Effects of Early Childhood Teachers' Democratic Civic Consciousness and Actions for Building an Educational Community on Implementing Democratic Citizenship Education

Hate Speech, Emotions, and Gender Identities: A Study of Social Narratives on Twitter with Trainee Teachers.

The objective of this study is, on the one hand, to analyse emotional responses to the construction of hate speech relating to gender identity on Twitter. On the other hand, the objective is to evaluate the capabilities of trainee primary education teachers at constructing alternative counter-narratives to this socially alive issue, surrounding the approval of the Ley de Identidad de Género [Gender Identity Law] in Chile, in 2018. With this two-fold objective in mind, quantitative, descriptive, and inferential analysis and qualitative analysis techniques are all applied. The results inform us of the influence of socially constructed emotions and feelings that are expressed in social narratives. However, the narratives of the participants neither appeared to reach satisfactory levels of reflection on the social issues that stirred their own emotional responses, nor on the conflict between reason and the value judgements that they expressed in the digital debate (counter-narratives). These results point to the need to consider both emotions and feelings, as categories of social analysis, and to reflect on their forms of expression within the framework of education for inclusive democratic citizenship.