Refocusing Civic Education: Developing the Skills Young People Need to Engage in Democracy

Abstract

Schools have traditionally taken a “just-the-facts-ma’am” approach to civic education, focusing on governmental structures and political systems. We argue that preparing young people to engage with democracy requires far more than rote memorization of facts and figures. Schools should be laboratories of democracy, where young people’s civic intentions are converted into civic behaviors. We argue that to realize that transformation, educators must impart real-world knowledge, practical skills, and nurturing abilities that are not captured by standardized tests of academic achievement: namely, the interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities conducive to civic mindedness. We discuss what these oft-labeled “noncognitive” skills are and how they are measured, review the evidence that shows how they foster democratic participation, articulate a vision for how civics can help develop students’ noncognitive skills, and lay out a research agenda for scholars seeking to teach young people the skills requisite to actively participate in democracy.