In this paper, I share the findings of my qualitative study of parental choice processes that reflected an intricate system of advantages and resulted in the creation and maintenance of increasingly segregated, like-minded school communities. Drawing on Dewey's conceptions of public and private and of democratic education, I argue that the…

The purpose of this lesson is to engage young students in thinking about the complexity of socio-historical symbols in the present day. After careful preparation, the authors decided to teach about the decision by the state legislature in July 2015 to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse grounds. Presenting the…

Character development in higher education is a complex process. This process has often been delegated to a single course on ethics or courses on religion. The authors of this article pose an alternative higher educational process whereby character development is rooted in a series of abilities that are contextualized throughout the entire…

This paper offers a critique of current definitions of active citizenship and argues that children and young people need to be seen as citizens within their school communities and not just citizens of the future. Pedagogy and school decision-making should reflect the aims of active citizenship and thus engage children and young people as active…

This article explores the relationship between democracy, citizenship and scholarship through the notion of voice. The conception of voice in current policy operates governmentally, and shores up an identity ordered according to existing classifications and choices rather than destabilising it, and enabling critique. Rather than leading to an…

This article examines how film can be used to engage students in critical thinking, and it offers a framework for using film to build citizens of character. We argue that the use of film in the classroom can help students analyze their values and decision making for the purpose of becoming effective citizens. A brief history of character education…

A foreign experience can have a transformational impact on individuals and the societies in which they live. During a student exchange in Sweden, I gained a greater understanding of multiculturalism, learned about the values of multilingualism, and realized the importance of global citizenship. Living in a country is far different from visiting a…

This article explores the meaning of an education based on democratic values and the implications for school leadership in practice. Based on findings from a case study in a Norwegian upper secondary school, the study describes democratic school leadership in practice, with particular attention to the distribution of power and leadership in the…

In order to justify the discipline to administrators and prospective majors, many philosophy departments have begun to emphasize the "transferable skills" that students can develop in their courses problem-solving and communication skills, the ability to argue and write well, and the capacity to engage in systematic analysis. However, designing…

The goal of civic education, as discussed in this paper, is responsible political activism. Although the word activism tends to conjure a negative image of a revolutionary student body for some, the term is used here to express active participation in the decision making process, respect for others' opinions, and upholding one's beliefs. In this…

This issue of "Media and Values" helps students acquire and evaluate media information in order to be effective citizens. The individual articles include: (1) "In the Light of the Fires" (Elizabeth Thoman); (2) "From Milton to Media" (Clay Jenkinson); (3) "Brave New World" (Paul Du Bois; Frances Moore Lappe); (4) "Making Politics Work" (Jay…

Humanistic psychology aids individuals in developing self-esteem and self-actualization and therefore is an excellent means of citizenship education. According to humanistic psychologists, the process of self-actualization involves the four stages of fulfilling physiological, safety, love, and esteem needs. Some characteristics of the…

This paper delineates a process of rational decision-making and social action. To make a rational decision, the social actor must use concepts, generalizations and theories from the social sciences, knowledge which has high predictive value, and knowledge which constitutes the structures of the social science disciplines. He must also identify,…

The survey reported in this volume is one of four separate projects for an integrated study of civic education financed by the Danforth Foundation. Visits were made to 83 schools in 27 States selected from a list of 300 nominations. The selected junior and senior high schools were reputed to have promising practices in citizenship education. They…

Having a twofold purpose, this booklet serves as an instructional guide for teachers and as a text for junior high students. Emphasis is upon students learning to think reflectively about major issues facing a Democratic society and to analyze various claims that they read and hear everyday in the world around them. An objective of the study is to…