To expand students' preparation for civic life, many teachers regularly engage students in discussions related to contentious issues. These discussions, however, typically restrict the range of communicative styles allowed and prioritizes disagreements between fixed and competing choices. Keith C. Barton & Li-Ching recommend that educators…

Consensus-building is a component of democratic instruction that can be used to center student voices and empower them rather than imposing preconceived options. In this article, we draw from research and practice to describe ways teacher educators can implement inclusive strategies to build consensus among students. The process includes…

By deepening students' discussion skills, schools can play a key role in bridging communication divides in our society. As the nation has become increasingly politically polarized, how can educators teach constructive dialogue in the classroom? The authors--education experts and researchers--offer seven strategies for helping students engage in…

This research aimed to assess the readiness and efforts of civics teachers in developing literacy and numeracy skills. For data collection, qualitative methods including surveys and interviews, were employed. A total of 38 civics teachers from junior high schools in Pacitan Regency, Indonesia were selected based on gender, teaching experience, and…

The United States Constitution is the bedrock upon which government and society rest, yet its precepts remain generally unfamiliar to contemporary college students. Considering the extent of its impact and the misinformation regarding its purpose, content, efficacy, and limits, the authors provide suggestions for civic learning based on this…

Purpose: The aim of this article is to show the underlying structure of developed argumentations in five role-plays recorded in civic education in a vocational school. Method: Two models were developed to analyse discursive moves and to analyse complexity levels within students' arguments. Findings: The models show the quality of argumentations in…

Social media platforms like "Twitter" are venues for 24/7 political discussion -- including deliberation, everyday banter, and bickering. For youth, these platforms offer new opportunities and risks for participation, and suggest corresponding implications for civic education. This qualitative, exploratory study examines how 15 civic…

Although native family students often learn more than immigrant family students in school (e.g. civics), scholars have not systematically demonstrated the mechanisms through which native family students outperform immigrant family students. The "Opportunity-Propensity" framework guides this study. We examine the link between students'…

The reviewed article, "The Impact of Student Political Identity Over the Course of an Online Controversial Issue Discussion," represents a timely response to the eye-opening influences of social media in modern political climates. Particularly, the project provides a useful model and relevant findings for future teachers and teacher…

Although civic education has experienced a significant revitalization during the past two decades, America's high schools are not adequately preparing young people for self-governance and civic participation. While an estimated 90 percent of American high school students take a Civics or American Government course, a majority of graduates are…

Too often, the authors assert, discussion of controversial issues in high school classrooms is channeled through the teacher, rather than engaging students in discussion with one another. Teachers fear that students won't know how to talk to one another productively about issues, or that they'll end up in shouting matches. But when…

Rancorous dialogue among political opponents is nothing new in the American political system. However, in the past two decades or so, pundits and scholars have noted an increase in the overall intensity and frequency of incivility among elected officials and citizens. At the collegiate level, many universities have undertaken some form of civility…

In 2 related studies framed by social constructivism theory, the authors explored a fine-grained analysis of adolescents' civic conceptual knowledge and skills and investigated them in relation to factors such as teachers' qualifications and students' classroom experiences. In Study 1 (with about 2,800 U.S. students), the authors identified 4…

The Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) concluded that teaching is a cultural activity. But do claims about teaching based largely in comparisons of math teachers also apply to teaching in disciplines with less well-defined problems, like civics? What is gained and what is lost when the cultural aspect of teaching becomes the focus?…

Two aspects of the place of controversy in the secondary school social studies curricula are considered in this study. First, students' attitudes and descriptions concerning the introduction of controversial course material into the social studies curricula are investigated; and, secondly, the possible consequences of such material are examined.…