Trends in Teaching Political Science Research Teaching Civic Education and Democracy

Abstract

Civic education in a democracy is tasked with providing students with knowledge, dispositions, and skills conducive to responsible engagement in government and politics. It involves the teaching and learning of formal laws, structures, and functions of government as well as informal norms and practices. The current context for educating for democracy in many nations is politically fraught with rampant misinformation, uncivil discourse, and violent conflicts at home and abroad. Civic educators are still contending with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has adversely affected students’ academic performance, social interactions, and emotional well-being. Despite these challenges – or even because of them – teachers have improved upon standard pedagogies that rely on textbooks and lectures, and developed novel approaches to learning. They have put students at the center of learning experiences where they take on civic roles that prepare them for democratic decision-making and action. Through project-based learning, students become directly involved in solving problems in their communities. Research-based approaches to civic learning have students investigating questions of democratic governance as they work with educators and peers to collect and analyze data. Evidence suggests that active learning approaches can significantly improve students’ civic outcomes and are effective in preparing them to be good democratic citizens.