Considering the limits of a knowledge-based school-centered quality evaluation of citizenship education projects

Participation experiences, particularly in the school context, have been considered a crucial opportunity for developing personal and social resources for citizenship involvement. However, the impact of these experiences needs to be considered. The IEA Civic Education Study (1994-2002) is an example of a large-scale study that made an enormous effort for evaluating quality and efficacy of civic education in various countries; however, the very nature of the research results in over-emphasizing civic knowledge. This paper intends to critically analyze the limits of a knowledge-based approach to school citizenship education projects. Assuming an ecological-developmental perspective, that views life contexts as a locus for action and interaction with different others, we argue that both the design and evaluation of school-based citizenship education projects should extend beyond the school to include other contextual dynamics and others active actors who support the students' learning from participation.