Realizing citizenship outcomes through teacher education

1. Realizing citizenship outcomes through teacher education Bernadette L. Dean PhD Principal St. Joseph’s College for Women

2. Why citizenship education? • Young people are not born with citizenship knowledge, skills and dispositions. They must be educated. • Citizenship education (CE) prepares young people for informed, responsible and participative role in the creation of a just and peaceful society. • CE encompasses all forms of education as includes linked themes (preservation of democracy, capacity-building of young people); key concepts (democracy, rights and responsibilities); dimensions (knowledge, skills, values); connected to other subjects (history, politics, economics) in the curriculum.

3. Why citizenship education? • Facilitates realization of locally and globally relevant learning outcomes. For eg. • Define community, identify the factors that contribute to the making of community, identify the rights and responsibilities of members of various communities. • Explain the term social justice; identify injustice in situations and how they can be made more just; take actions to promote justice in situations they encounter. • Define the term conflict, explain the causes of conflict, mange and resolve conflict using the learned strategies. • Do a knowledge inquiry to further understanding of political systems, the institutions and role of citizens within them.

4. What is required to realize the citizenship education outcomes? • Teacher education • Curriculum development • Materials to support the curriculum Teaching and learning resources which facilitate the development of knowledge, skills and values in and outside the classroom • Opportunities to use learning for informed and responsible actions in the community • Authentic, performance-based assessment

5. Teacher Education to educate for citizenship Structure The Structure involves learning at the university, followed by using learning in real context supported by university faculty, followed by further development of learning. For eg. • One workshop a month followed by a 2wk summer program at the university and a once a month observation and reflection with teachers at their school. • 2, 3CH courses, specialization in social studies teaching aimed at educating for citizenship within a 2yr post baccalaureate M.Ed program. • A 6CH 3 phase course at the university and in school: Phase 1: 2wks at university (developing knowledge of content, pedagogy and assessment). Phase 2: 4 months use learning in school (implement action plan: conduct audit, teach a unit on a glocal issue, implement a global citizenship education related project). Phase 3: 1 wk taught at university (developing learning, barrier busting).

6. Teacher Education to educate for citizenship Content • Citizenship knowledge, skills and values • Active-participatory pedagogies (discussion, inquiry, role play) • Planning, preparing and teaching in and outside the classroom (lesson planning, unit planning, organizing student councils, community service) • Assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes (performance assessment through observation and recording, use of rubrics) • Reflection on practice (WH questions, journals both individual and dialogue, reflective conversations)

7. Teacher Education to educate for citizenship Pedagogy • Sharing of outcomes related to what students should know, be able to do, and how to live together • Using active-participatory pedagogies to teach concepts, skills and values (what is the strategy- its benefits- how to use - use it to teach – explain why –critical reflection) • Focus on how to learn: self-learning (inquiry), learning from others (cooperative learning, oral presentations, micro teaching), learning through critical reflection on practice • Introduction of new concepts: Teach – group work – individual work - assess • For teaching: plan- prepare - teach- self-reflect - constructive feedback Assessment • Use strategies want teachers to use and develop assessment items with teachers.

8. Teacher Education to educate for citizenship Supports for teachers • Developed a citizenship education curriculum (1-16) and incorporated in national curriculum • Developed teaching and learning resources (improved textbooks, a special resource book with easy to follow activities and related worksheets and material to facilitate teacher to develop ideas further) • Extended field experience to use learning, reflect and improve practice with support of university faculty • Secured school system buy-in and head-teachers support

9. Issues that persist • Citizenship at the bottom of of subject hierarchy • Focus on content knowledge • Teacher directed learning • Issues chosen are non-controversial • Social actions taken within the safe walls of the school • Uncritical reflection on practice