Existing scholarship most commonly identifies the aims of citizenship education as cultivating the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for effective civic participation. This paper sets out to develop an alternative framework relying on the Pragmatist conception of habits. The Pragmatist use of the term 'habits' deviates from the everyday…

The authors argue that deliberation should be an integral part of secondary civics classrooms and teacher education programs. Drawing on a wide range of research, they contend that teaching and learning deliberative skills has the potential to build individual and group civic capacity. They share some of the results of an evaluation of one…

The application of social-emotional and character development (SECD) in classrooms is about teaching, practicing, and modeling essential personal and civic life habits and skills that are almost universally understood as making people good human beings. Among these habits are respect, responsibility, integrity, caring, fairness, and constructive…

Today's youths seem to be facing more obstacles and receiving less direction than ever before. Rather than just focusing on trouble prevention and deterrence, many youth development and preparation programs are striving to help youths develop the necessary assets, skills, and qualities to become productive and satisfied adults, as well as…

While national progress on aspects of academic excellence (the achievement gap, end-of-grade testing, standardized college placement exams, and so on) is a main feature of today's education agenda, character education is never far from commensurate policy attention. Because the notion of character is value-laden, it can be difficult to craft a…

Nearly every college mission statement expresses the desire to educate students who not only have mastered a body of academic knowledge and skills but also will be responsible and engaged citizens. However, it is not clear how well colleges are achieving these traditional civic and democratic goals. The Carnegie Foundation conducted a 3-year study…

This issue paper discusses service learning in the community college and lists three major cultural values that, in the past, shaped college missions: (1) civic participation--preparing students for effective participation in community life; (2) extending educational opportunity--offering all Americans a low-cost education near their homes; and…

Describes children's art education at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art from 1928-1975. Discusses how the educational philosophy was influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, and Franz Cizek, stating that the goal of art education was to build character, transmit culture, promote healthy competition, and develop moral values and…

Discusses challenges facing secondary social studies teachers in attempting to develop in learning disabled students an awareness of civic rights and responsibilities. Summarizes research on adolescents with learning problems into demands of work habits, knowledge acquisition, and expression. Describes the strategies intervention model for…

Designed for district- and school-level character education committees, "Character Education by Design: A Blueprint for Successful District and School Initiatives" is a how-to guide for developing an effective character education initiative, one that will not only enhance the climate of the school and social behavior of the students, but…

Reports on ideas discussed at the second meeting of experimental teachers held in the Soviet Union in 1987. Considers teaching innovations that promote student development and seek cooperative teacher-student relationships, while serving social production needs. Emphasizes student creativity and personal responsibility. Builds from earlier work on…

This report provides peer-reviewed, scholarly research supported in whole or in part by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement through its educational research and development programs. It includes 13 previously published articles from selected refereed journals identifying the best research on community service learning. Section 1,…

Provides direction for developing appropriate and meaningful social studies instruction for the development of responsible citizenship in adolescents. Suggests that curriculum design should have some relationship to physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. Identifies concerns with the self, right and wrong, others, and the world…

Examines changes in social studies education from the late 1960s into 1980s, stating that it is important today to teach about social issues using some form of values clarification. Advocates the use of such methods so that students may effectively confront today's challenges, namely Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, drug abuse, alcoholism, sex…

This task force report is designed to focus attention on the young adolescent learner and provide direction for developing appropriate and meaningful social studies instruction for the middle school. Schools at the middle level characteristically focus on the unique developmental needs of young adolescents. A number of these needs are listed, in…