1. How Teachers' Preparation Relates to Students' Civic Knowledge and Engagement in the United States: Analysis from the IEA Civic Education Study? CIRCLE Fact Sheet
- Author
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Torney-Purta, Judith, Barber, Carolyn Henry, and Richardson, Wendy Klandl
- Abstract
Civic education conducted in schools plays a significant role in fostering citizenship but teaching about these themes is often incorporated in history or social studies courses and not found in a distinct subject. An essential part of improving civic learning opportunities for students is preparing teachers more adequately for civic-related subjects, but there is little consensus about what that preparation should entail. At least three dimensions of teachers' preparation have been identified as important: teachers' content knowledge, teacher's pedagogical content knowledge, and teachers' beliefs (for example, their sense of confidence in teaching the subject matter). A lack of empirical research linking teachers' knowledge and beliefs with the achievement and engagement of their students stands in the way of charting a clear direction for improving teacher education in civic-related subjects. The IEA Civic Education Study7, which collected data in 1999, surveyed approximately 200 civic-related teachers in each of twenty-seven countries in conjunction with the testing of 14-year olds. In each school where students were tested three teachers were identified who taught subjects covered in the students' test of civic knowledge (subjects such as government, national history, social studies, and social sciences). While it was preferred that the teachers sampled could be linked to the class of students who participated in the survey (i.e., they taught these students), other teachers of civic-related disciplines were surveyed if one or more teachers could not be linked to the tested class. Once teachers were identified, they were administered a survey about their teaching background and methods, their experience and confidence in teaching various civic-related topics, and their attitudes towards civic education at school. Unlike previous research, it was possible to link these teachers to the class they taught in many of these countries including the United States. This fact sheet first examines how teachers responded to questions about their professional development, confidence in teaching, and attitudes towards civic education. Profiles contrasting the teachers' patterns in countries where students performed at different levels on the test of civic knowledge were drawn. Second, within two of the higher performing countries, United States and Finland, how teachers' educational experience relates to students' civic achievement and civic engagement (likelihood of voting) is explored. (Contains 13 endnotes, and 5 color enhanced figures.) [This report was produced by Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), University of Maryland.]
- Published
- 2005