Part 1 of Effective practice in Civics and Citizenship Education: A guide for pre-service teachers

1

• Part 1 of Effective practice in Civics and
  Citizenship Education A guide for pre-service
  teachers

2
Introducing the program

• This program provides an overview of CCE and
• encourages pre-service teachers to develop
  understanding of the scope, concept and
  importance of Civics and Citizenship Education
  (CCE) in schools
• provides introductory information, discussion
  questions and activities to explore effective
  teaching and learning for CCE in pre-service
  education classes
• encourages pre-service teachers to explore a
  variety of resources for CCE, particularly the
  website www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/
• Time The program will require a minimum of two
  hours class time, but will take longer if a more
  extensive investigation of questions, websites
  and resources is undertaken.

3
Beginning with your views

• Task
• In your class, brainstorm what you already know
  about CCE
• What is CCE?
• Why do you think CCE is on the education agenda
  now?
• What evidence have you seen of how CCE is taught
  and learned in schools?
• What resources have you seen being used?
• What links are made between CCE and other school
  programs?

4
CCE 19972009a brief overview of the context

• The Discovering Democracy program provided
  resources and professional development for
  teachers (19972004) and
• aimed to help prepare young people to become
  effective and responsible citizens, learn about
  the operation of the Australian system of
  government and law, explore what it means to be
  an Australian today, and learn about Australia's
  democratic heritage and the values underpinning
  it, including equality, liberty, fairness, trust,
  mutual respect and social co-operation.
• Source Curriculum Corporation, 1997

5
CCE 19972009a brief overview of the context

• The National Centre for History Education /
  Commonwealth History Project (19992006) provided
  strong links to CCE and excellent resources for
  teachers
• See http//hyperhistory.org
• You can also find strong links to CCE in the
  various stages of the Australian Governments
  Values Education Study (20032009)
• See www.curriculum.edu.au/values

6
Developing your understanding CCE as a key
element of education in Australia

• Goal 2 of the Melbourne Declaration on
  Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA,
  2008) states that all young Australians become
  active and informed citizens. See
  www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_D
  eclaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Aus
  tralians.pdf
• Also, in curriculum documents across the nation,
  CCE has a strong emphasis.
• Effective development of CCE in schools can
  ensure the development of key knowledge, skills,
  behaviours and values for life, that empower
  students to be active and informed citizens in
  their own local communities, in the Australian
  nation, the Asia-Pacific region and the wider
  world.
• To guide the development of curriculum goals and
  teaching and learning for CCE, a range of
  curriculum documents and programs will be
  introduced to you in this program.
• Optional task Conduct a web search to find out
  how CCE is represented in your local curriculum

7
The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals
for Young Australians states students should be
able to

• act with moral and ethical integrity
• appreciate Australias social, cultural,
  linguistic and religious diversity, and have an
  understanding of Australias system of
  government, history and culture
• understand and acknowledge the value of
  Indigenous cultures and possess the knowledge,
  skills and understanding to contribute to, and
  benefit from reconciliation between Indigenous
  and non-Indigenous Australians
• be committed to national values of democracy,
  equity and justice, and participate in
  Australias civic life
• relate to and communicate across cultures,
  especially the cultures and countries of Asia
• work for the common good, in particular
  sustaining and improving natural and social
  environments
• be responsible global and local citizens (pp.
  0809)
• Task Talk about and plan strategies to achieve
  each of these goals- now, or later when you have
  worked through the program.

8
Why CCE at this time?

• Young people need to have civic knowledge and
  skills and the ability to engage in our social,
  legal, political and economic systems in order to
  sustain a vibrant democracy.
• Civic megatrends Complex issues affect
  Australian society in multiple ways and demand a
  response that is both knowledge and values based
  for example, globalisation, mobility of people,
  gaps between rich and poor.
• Civic realities of everyday lifeliving and
  working in a democratic society must be
  understood. CCE should have connection with the
  multiple needs of young people, be inclusive of
  youth culture, and must address the things that
  matter to young people.

Task Discuss what other reasons explain why CCE
is important in school programs
9
Defining CCE

• One definition of CCE is that
• Civics and citizenship education promotes
  students' participation in Australia's democracy
  by equipping them with the knowledge, skills,
  values and dispositions of active and informed
  citizenship. It entails knowledge and
  understanding of Australia's democratic heritage
  and traditions, its political and
  legal institutions and the shared values of
  freedom, tolerance, respect, responsibility and
  inclusion.
• Source National Civics and Citizenship website

Task Discuss this definition. Then consider
additional phrases to develop a broader
definition that also includes global and
environmental citizenship as key dimensions
10
How successful has implementation of CCE in
schools been?

• National evaluations of government-funded
  programs in CCE from 1997 and national testing of
  Year 6 and Year 10 students in 2004 and 2007 have
  provided data to analyse the various factors
  influencing student proficiency in CCE.
• Pre-service teachers can read the report of the
  National Assessment Program Civics and
  Citizenship Years 6 and 10 Report 2007 at
  http//www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/NAP-CC
  _2007_Report_16Feb07.pdf
• In your class, divide up sections of the report,
  particularly pages 81109 (Chapters 5 and 6).
  Discuss how the findings can inform teaching and
  learning of CCE in schools.

11
How can CCE be effectively developed and
practised in schools?

• To develop a range of knowledge, skills, values
  and capacities, CCE needs to be developed in
  multiple ways, including
• through the whole-school ethos, culture,
  environment and programs, for example democratic
  practice, student councils and student engagement
• in classroom programs, for example through
  integrated, cross-curriculum themes or individual
  disciplines (history, economics and politics)
• through school partnerships and links to the
  community, for example service learning and
  involvement with local councils
• The next section provides a diagram to explain
  this approach, and then introduces you to more
  examples.

12
Whole-school approaches to CCE
13
Ideas for effective teaching and learning
strategies for CCE

• It is important that in the teaching and learning
  approaches developed in individual classrooms,
  teachers model democratic practice by
• using democratic pedagogies, for example
  listening to and encouraging diverse opinions and
  debate about issues
• establishing class rules and boundaries
• holding classroom meetings to develop skills in
  decision-making and negotiation
• developing community-based research projects
• engaging students in conversations about teaching
  and learning
• using peer assessment and self-assessment.
• These practices lead to democratic classrooms
  (schools) for a democratic society.

14
CCE in engaging classrooms further examples

• Conducting mock elections or studying real
  elections at the state, national or global level
  as they occur. Visit the Electoral Education
  Centres. See www.aec.gov.au/Education/services/
• Developing understanding of parliamentary
  processes using the Parliamentary Education
  Office website in Canberra, or a visit to state
  or federal parliament. See www.peo.gov.au
• Investigating democratic movements the Eureka
  rebellion or the Tiananmen Square student
  protests in Beijing.

15
CCE in engaging classrooms topics and approaches

• Integrated approaches to studying contemporary
  issues, for example global poverty, nuclear
  testing in North Korea, climate change and
  sustainability issues.
• Studying the theme of rights and
  responsibilities the focus could be on
  Indigenous Australians, Australians in wartime,
  changing rights for women in the 1960, rights in
  Ancient Greece, or studying South Africa during
  the period of apartheid in History classes.
• Exploring human rights for Indigenous
  Australians, asylum seekers or the people of
  Tibet, or see examples of activities on the
  Amnesty International website www.amnesty.org.au/
  hre

16
Examples of CCE in whole-school programs

• Students playing a part in defining the school
  vision, goals and values.
• Organising Reconciliation events to increase
  recognition and understanding of Indigenous
  Australians.
• Involvement in the Freedom from Hunger Campaign
  and other fundraising campaigns.
• Creating a green school through environmental
  programs.
• Student participation programs Student
  Representative Councils or Student Action Teams.
• School elections and active engagement in voting
  processes.
• Buddy systems to encourage peer mentoring.
• Joining in celebrations for ANZAC Day.
• Task In your workshops discuss how schools
  could implement some of these whole-school
  programs

17
School partnerships and community links

• Students can have authentic learning experiences
  in the community through, for example
• service learning students engaging with local
  youth programs, child care, Clean Up Australia
  Day
• contacts with local community groups and
  organisations Scouts, Rotary, Lions Club,
  sporting or environmental groups
• classroom learning that has a real purpose, for
  example making leaflets for the local tourist
  office, helping the local historical society or
  the RSL to collect and make meaning from oral
  reports or being actively involved in ANZAC Day.

18
Getting students actively involved in global
communities practice examples

• Interventions that transmit a vision of the
  school community lead to promotion of tolerance
  and collective participation, for example Round
  Square and International Baccalaureate schools
  commitment to service learning.
• Interventions that transmit a vision of human
  potential lead to an increased sense of
  individual responsibility, a precondition for
  global responsibility.
• Students at a Melbourne college finance a school
  in Bangladeshwhen the delta floods they start
  all over again!

19
Getting students actively involved in global
communities practice examples

• Student-initiated projects can develop individual
  responsibility and motivation.
• Students study examples of positive action in
  diverse communities. Students help in homework
  programs for recently arrived refugees.
• Discuss examples you have observed during your
  school experiences of student engagement in the
  community at the local, national or global level.

20
Assessing CCE

• Key performance measures for CCE have been
  developed national testing of students in
  randomly selected schools is conducted every
  three years, for Years 6 and 10
• National assessments were conducted in 2004, 2007
  and will occur in 2010 See www.civicsandcitizen
  ship.edu.au/cce/ national_assessment,9011.html
• On this website you can find out answers to these
  questions
• Why a national assessment in Civics and
  Citizenship Education?
• What is being assessed through the Civics and
  Citizenship Assessment Domain?
• What will the assessment consist of?

21
National Statements of Learning for CCE

• National Statements of Learning for CCE were
  framed to guide the development across all states
  and territories. See www.civicsandcitizenship.ed
  u.au/cce/ national_statements_of_learning,8990.ht
  ml
• These statements are very useful for you in
  considering what key content and understandings
  students should achieve through civics and
  citizenship education programs

22
What have we learned?

• The last national CCE assessment was conducted in
  2007 with 7059 Year 6 students from 349 schools
  and 5506 Year 10 students from 269 government and
  non-government schools participating.
• The results showed that nationally 54 per cent of
  Year 6 students achieved or bettered the Year 6
  proficiency standard and 41 per cent of Year 10
  students achieved or bettered the Year 10
  proficiency standard.
• The findings show that
• students require opportunities for authentic
  engagement in school and community civic
  activities
• parents play a key role in CCE
• students performed better where their schools
  provided opportunities to participate in CCE
  activities and in school governance activities,
  such as voting and decision-making.

23
Developing your understanding of national CCE
assessment

• Reports from the testing demonstrate that there
  is still further development required in school
  programs in CCE.
• Task As a class activity you can explore details
  about the report findings. See www.mceecdya.edu.au
  /mceecdya/nap_civics_and_citizenship,12182.html
• You could discuss two questions
• What do the results tell us about the state of
  CCE in our schools?
• How does the report suggest we could improve CCE?
• Task Download the 2007 Year 6 or 10 Civics and
  Citizenship School Release Materials
• Sit the tests and then review the answers in your
  classes

24
CCE resources there is an extensive range

• The national Civics and Citizenship website
  www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce
• Part 2 of Effective Practice in CCE is a WebQuest
  focused on this site
• The Discovering Democracy project materials are
  resource kits with units of work and teacher
  reference books.
• Include 18 learning units built around four
  themes
• Who Rules? Laws and Rights
• The Australian Nation Citizens and Public
  Life
• These are now available online

25
and in addition

• Discovering Democracy also includes
• Australian Readers, which include speeches,
  songs, paintings, cartoons, poetry, and extracts
  from novels and plays
• interactive CD-ROMs, videos, posters and cards
• Australians All! A big book for lower primary
  students
• Assessment resources
• A book Discovering Democracy A Guide to
  Government and Law in Australia by John Hirst.
• The Parliament_at_Work website www.parliament.curri
  culum.edu.au was also developed as part of
  Discovering Democracy

26
CCE is a priority in Australia and internationally

• An Australian Government report, Citizenship and
  Democracy Students Knowledge and Beliefs, found
  that 91 per cent of teachers believed that civic
  education matters a great deal for Australia
  Source Mellor, Kennedy Greenwood, DETYA,
  2001, p. 125
• In the UK CCE is a mandated part of the
  curriculum and has three strands social and
  moral responsibility, community involvement and
  political literacy.
• In Scotland The curriculum is expected to
  include Active global citizenship so all young
  people have the ability to understand and
  participate fully in society at local, national
  and international levels.
• In Hong Kong It is argued that civic education
  should help students develop cognitive and
  participatory skills that will allow them to
  continue learning and participating for a
  lifetime. Liberal Studies, which includes CCE, is
  a compulsory subject.
• European Economic Community countries have
  designated CCE as a core priority.
• Task Conduct a Web search to find out more
  about CCE in these and other countries, including
  the USA, Canada and Singapore.

27
CCE provides young people with knowledge, skills
and values for the future by ensuring they have
the

• Ability to look at and approach problems as a
  member of a global society
• Ability to work with others in a cooperative way
  and to take responsibility for ones roles/duties
  within society
• Ability to understand, accept and tolerate
  cultural differences
• Capacity to think in a critical and systemic way
• Willingness to resolve conflict in a non-violent
  manner
• Willingness to change ones lifestyle and
  consumption habits to protect the environment
• Ability to be sensitive towards and to defend
  human rights (for example rights of women and
  ethnic minorities)
• Willingness and ability to participate in
  politics at local, national and international
  levels.
• Source Cogan, J Derricott, R (eds) 2000,
  Citizenship for the 21st Century an
  International Perspective on Education, Kogan
  Page, London.
• Task How can your work as teachers in schools
  lead to the achievement of these learning goals?

28
And finally - think about the fact that

• As members of the world community, educators
  have a responsibility to ensure that education
  contributes to the promotion of equity, peace,
  social justice and the universal realization of
  human rights Curricular and instructional
  programs should aim to develop in every person
  self-respect, social awareness and the capacity
  to participate at all levels of world society,
  from local to global. Source World Council
  for Curriculum and Instruction, 2003
• Note After you have worked through this program,
  you can further extend your understanding through
  Parts 2 and 3 of Effective Practice in Civics and
  Citizenship Education a Guide for Pre-service
  Teachers, which examines the national CCE website
  and makes links between CCE and other curriculum
  areas and priorities.