This article summarizes issues in defining character education (CE) that are relevant to program development and evaluation. No authoritative definition exists for CE, but several features seem prominent. These include a focus on enhancing civic, moral, self-regulatory, and/or intellectual virtues; and (at least implicitly) prioritizing the…

Despite the call to come together as community to instill citizenship in youth, there is a powerful educator and community member who does not attend school conferences or sit on community building teams--the mass media. The dynamics of daily living have been transformed by the increasing presence of mass media in daily life. This article…

Describes the Community Service Internship program of East Lynn (Connecticut) High School, which helps students gain an understanding of problems in the local community while fulfilling their desire to serve others. (FL)

Discusses the project, "First Amendment Schools," by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the First Amendment Center (Arlington, Virginia). Explains that these schools involve students in the community and in democracy as a means to citizenship education. (CMK)

Describes molding students into positive change agents. Includes a model that links change agent skills to civic engagement. Presents two projects that include positive change agent skills in the context of civic engagement. States that positive change agent skills prepare students for career success. (CMK)

Describes the theory and practice of an experiential civic education initiative, developed by the University of Minnesota, called "Public Achievement" which is based upon the concept of public work (the work of the people). Discusses how "Public Achievement" proves successful for undergraduate coaches in the education of young students. (CMK)

Describes the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking (RWCT) Project. Provides an illustration of the RWCT framework of evocation, realization of meaning, and reflection, focusing on how literacy activities can develop fundamental ideas about democracy. Considers the implication of "democratic pedagogy" and includes a lesson plan on democratic…

Describes Lawton (Michigan) Elementary School's "Road to Success" program, which emerged from concern for students' knowledge of civics and ability to participate as effective citizens. Explains that an important aspect of the program is its focus on Core Democratic Values. (CMK)

Provides information on civic education in Hong Kong, from colonization to decolonization. States that Hong Kong youth are apathetic in political and community affairs and addresses the resistance to national identify formation. Contends that civic education should be included in tertiary education and describes different civic education programs.…

Discusses the contributions of issues-centered education to a multicultural education program. Suggests that middle school students will develop an open-ended attitude toward social problems that aids the development of problem-solving skills. Presents an example of a multicultural issue including background information and a script of a class…

Compiled by the Action for Children's Television (ACT) committee, this report (1) distills themes from the symposium "ACT on the Constitution" that was designed to bring educators and members of the television industry together to talk about programing opportunities for the 1987 Constitutional Bicentennial, and (2) includes related…

Focuses on the role of the European Union (EU) education programs in fostering a sense of European citizenship. Addresses the five meanings given to the concept of European citizenship: (1) recognition of European heritage; (2) EU loyalty; (3) right of free movement; (4) political participation; and (5) active citizenship. (CMK)

Discusses Citizenship Service Learning (CSL) where students prepare immigrants for legal-status citizenship by providing English as a Second Language discussion groups, citizenship classes preparing immigrants for naturalization, and assistance with citizenship applications. Presents the Bentley Service Learning Center program that adopts the CSL…

Reviews James Barth, Robert Barr, and Sam Shermis'"The Nature of the Social Studies" in retrospect. Contends the book identified the need to establish and clarify the foundations of social studies, despite criticism of its three social studies traditions theory (citizenship transmission, social science, and reflective inquiry). Argues…

Adult education standards are the cornerstone for quality teaching, quality learning, and quality lives. The Arizona Adult Education Standards Initiative (Standards Initiative) represents a proactive effort by Arizona's adult education community to ensure rigor and consistency in program content and student outcomes for adult learners throughout…