Developing civic competence through action civics: A longitudinal look at the data

Abstract

This paper describes student outcomes from participating in a week-long out-of-school action civics program designed to increase students’ civic and political competence and engagement. Using analysis from four years of survey data, this paper presents findings related to changes in students’ civic competence as a result of participating in the program, including findings related to both first time and repeat campers. Data revealed that participants experienced gains in half of the civic competence construct variables, with first-time campers experiencing significant gains in five of the civic competence construct variables. Data analysis suggests that iEngage, an action civics summer experience, was effective in increasing elements of students’ civic competence, including their ability to get people to care about a problem, organize and run a meeting, write an opinion letter or contact a media outlet to express their views, and contact an elected official or community leader to address an issue.

The potential of “civic science education”: Theory, research, practice, and uncertainties

“…Other research indicates that when one votes for a winning candidate, political efficacy increases are substantial (Bowler & Donovan, 2002;Clarke & Acock, 1989). Beyond attitudes, one recent study found that students who participated in an action civics program in their community developed numerous civic competencies, including the ability to run a meeting, write an opinion letter, or get others to care about a problem (LeCompte et al, 2020). This study all suggests that pursuing and/or achieving one's goals through civic or political action can be empowering and enhance young people's capacities.…”

“…Political theorists have long argued that discussions in the public sphere can influence democratic decision-making (e.g., Habermas, 1992), and with the internet's expansion of the public sphere, there are an unprecedented number of participatory opportunities on issues related to personal values, economics, and science, among other things (e.g., Edgerly et al, 2008). Evidence indicates that guided science-oriented civic action can foster students' citizenship action skills (Culen & Volk, 2000), knowledge of environmental problems (Sellmann & Bogner 2013), and commitment to conducting research-informed activism (Bencze et al, 2012), and participating actively in the democratic process can enhance participants' political efficacy (Levy, 2013(Levy, , 2018, political interest (Ganzler, 2010), civic competencies (LeCompte et al, 2020), and content learning (Frederking, 2005).…”

A global perspective? Framing analysis of U.S. textbooks’ discussion of Nigeria

“…Students in the USA are encouraged to improve their knowledge of global interdependence through continuous efforts to develop understandings of world societies (LeCompte, Blevins, & Riggers-Piehl, 2019;Ortloff, 2005;Sunal & Haas, 2011). Educators make constant efforts to help students develop the ability to advance questions and plan inquiries beyond local boundaries.…”

Innovating a city through citizen participation: could interdisciplinary orientation play a role?

“…Citizens need knowledge, knowledge is created and distributed, and these mechanisms require, again, interdisciplinary approaches [19]. Research on finding explanations for citizens' participative behavior increased, as well [1], [4], [12], [14], [15], [21], [28], [29]. So, for this third stream of literature, same codes -influence factors and interdisciplinarity.…”

“…Present global health challenges add supplementary concerns over citizen behavior and citizen's willingness and abilities to cope with radical behavioral changes. Civic engagement, in various formsdo something or quit doing something, in various ways = offline and online, is desired and thoroughly analyzed, to better understand it and discover ways in which could be stimulated [1], [4], [12], [15], [24], [28], [33]. Be it policy people, local administrators, educators, researchers or citizens, they all need to go beyond their more or less narrow, specialized knowledge and interests, transgress disciplinary boundaries and adopt a more complex, inter and transdisciplinary perspective for solving societal problems at their level.…”