Discusses results of international study to determine what 14-year-olds in the United States and several other countries know and understand about citizenship, government, and the law. Reveals gaps in U.S. students' civic knowledge and participation. Calls for greater emphasis on civic education in schools. (PKP)

Efforts to improve civic education face a conundrum. On the one hand, students report that they are more likely to learn about democracy and citizenship through reading textbooks than through any other activity and according to the National Education Association, reading is the gateway to learning in all content areas. However, reviews of textbook…

What do 14-year-old students know about democratic institutions and processes? What skills do they possess to understand and interpret political communication? Do they hold concepts of citizenship and democracy similar to those held by adults in their societies? What role do schools and other civic organizations play in the civic development of…

This ERIC Digest reports on the origins, purposes, and methods of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study. In 1993, the General Assembly of the IEA decided to carry out a two phase study of civic education. The goal of the two phase study was to identify and examine in a comparative…

The goal of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study has been to examine, in a comparative framework, the political socialization of adolescents as they prepare for their roles as citizens of democracies. Approximately 90,000 students from the modal grade for 14-year-olds from…

The purpose of this paper is to examine different facets of trust in the political system or civic realm and how they are correlated to the expected civic or political engagement of young people. The nature and effects of trust in social and political institutions have been studied in adults, distinguishing between various types of trust (in…

This analysis aims to explore within one country (United States) whether there are differences in preparation for citizenship between students who are immigrant and those who are native-born and between students who come from Hispanic background and those who do not. This is a first step toward shaping further analysis of the civic education of…

Representatives at the school, district and state levels, as well as scholars and researchers, have been working with the Education Commission of the States' National Center for Learning and Citizenship (ECS/NCLC) to define citizenship education expressed in terms of three strands forming a "braid" of civic competencies. This updated version of…

This volume reports the results of the first phase of the Civic Education Study conducted by International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). During 1996 and 1997, researchers in 24 countries collected documentary evidence on the circumstances, contents, and processes of civic education in response to a common set of…

Political participation is critical for the legitimacy of democracy, yet we know surprisingly little about how political competencies develop and can be promoted in young adults. Many studies show low levels of political activity among young Americans, including college students and recent graduates. Although this is widely recognized as a…

In 1994 the General Assembly of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) decided to undertake a study on civic education. This volume reports on Phase 2 of the project, which consisted of a test (keyed cognitive items) and a survey (un-keyed attitudinal and behavioral items) administered in each…

This report evaluates a project undertaken in the Czech Republic to create lesson scenarios to revise the existing social studies curricular framework for the third form of secondary school (ages 17-18) with special reference to the overarching objectives for civic education reform started in 1989. These objectives included the elimination of…

Ways of enhancing knowledge of political institutions, processes and positions are the focus of many prescriptions for improving civic education and civic engagement among young people. A recent data source including a rigorously developed test of knowledge, provides an opportunity to empirically compare the performance of students in the United…

In June 1999, nearly 40 researchers and specialists in youth development gathered to participate in a conference entitled "Creating Citizenship: Youth Development for a Free and Democratic Society." This executive summary identifies a number of qualities and capacities of young people that are essential for achieving the goals of…